Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-12-13

raging in Kansas, viii exclted stats
OF the public mind N and South.
might have ex,ende - neighboring
States. \
This hostile ~ ~ Kansa. hod been
infamed egsinsftsch other by einissaries
both from the North and the South, to a de- I
gree of mslgni,y without parallel in our
history. To prevent actual collision, and
to assist the ciVil magistrates in enforcing
the laws, strong detachment Of the army
was stationed 10 the Territory, ready to aid
the marshal and his deputies, when lawfully
called uoon, Us a posse comitatus in the ex-
scuton Of civil and criminal process.
Still the troubles in Kansas could not
have been permanently settled without an
election by the people. The b. llo,-box is
the surest irbiter OF disputes among ires-
men. Under this conviction, every proper
effort was employed to induce the hostile
parties to vote at the election Of delegates
to frame a State constitution. and aterward
st the election 10 decide whether Kansas
4 should be o slave or n free State. The i'll
surgent parry refused to vote Ut either, lest
this might be considered recognition on
their part OF the territorial government ss-
tsbiished by Congress. A better spirit,
however, sesmed soon after to prevail, and
the Two parties met face to face at the third
election, he ID on the lst Monday OF January,
II 1858, Tor members Of the Legislature aud
State officers under the LecomptoD coDstitu-
tion. The result was the triumph oi The
anti.slavery party at the pslls. This decls-
ion OF the bsllot-box proved clearly that this
party were in the major'ty, aud removed the
: danger of civil war. From that time wa
have heard little or nothing Of the Topeka
government; and all serious danger Of reyo-
! iutionary troubles in Kansas was then at an
end, .-G .u. Bud. smrIssat l.H.i,
: The Lecompton constitution, which hat
been thus recognized at this State electier
{ by the votes OF both political parties in Kan
sss, was transmitted TO me with the reques
8 that | should present it to Congress. Th
Q ] could not have refused TO do without vio-
= ls,ipg my clearest and strongest conviction
: OF duty. The constitution, and all the pro
i ceedings which preceded and followed it's 10
;. nation, were isir an. regular on their face
then believed, and experience has proved
n that the interests Of the people OF kansa
e would have been best consulted ny its ad.
i mission as State into the Union, especisll i
8 Us the majority, within a brief period. coul
n have amended the constitution according Il
e their will and pleasure. II fraud existed II
/. all or any OF these proceedings, it was no
i for the President, but for Congress, to in
70 vestigate aud determine the question O
n fraud, and what ought 10 be its consequen
1t ces. II, at the two lst elections, the major
" ity, refused to vote II cannot be pretended
1t that this refusal to exercise the electw
B. franchise could invalidaie an election fair
ID held under lawful authority, even If they ha
g not subsequently, voted at the third election
1t is true that the whole constitution ha
,, not been submitted to the people, as / al
I ways desired; hut the precede nts are Run.er
. Gus o. the admission oi States into the Unio
n WITHOUT such admission.
10 1t would not c0mporl with my present pur
e pose t, review the proceedings OF Congress
l. upon the Lecsmption constitution. 1t
,. sufficient to observe that their final actio
= has removed the last vestige of serious rev
y olutionary troubles. The desperate ban
It recently assembled, under notorious outlaw
l. in the southern portion OF the Territory, I
l. resist the execution OF the laws ane 10 plum
N der peaceful citizens, will, doubt not, b
:. speedily subdued and brought to justice. 9
I, Had 1 treated the Lecom pton constitutio
II ss nulii,y and refused TO transmit 1t
a Congress. II is not difficult to imagine, Will,
Of recalling the position OF the country at thu
a moment, what would have been the disas
& tfous conse equences, both in and out OF III
" Territory; iron snch a terelctlon Of duty o
Ie the part3oi the Executive.
o, Peuce has also been restored within III
v Territory of Utah, which, at the csmmsnct
ut mcht OF nv Administration, was in stat
,e Of open rebellion. This was the mol
b. dangerous. as the people, aOimatsd by
hs fanstcal spirit aud entrenched within the
re distant mountain r;astnsssss, might hs,
of made long and formidable rssistancs. Co
nd nat It might, IL was necessary to brin
US them into subsection to the Constitution az
the laws. Sound policy, therefore, as we
n. as humanity, required tka, this object shou
n il possible, be accom- ,lished without Il
e. efiusion OF blood. This could only be e
nd fectsd by sending military force into h
," letfNOIy suuiCieut'y oHohe W ooh'"So "
On people that resistance weuld DO hopeles
'is aud at the same time to offer .hem Pardc
py for past offences on condition OF immeda
h aubmission To the Government This polic
et was pursued with emineNt success; and tf
ur onl, cause for regret is the heavy expend
sls'turs required 10 march large de,achms
o. o. the army to that remote region aud
'e- furnish it Substance. Utah il now con
OF parativeiy peaceful and quiet, and the mil
n tary force has been withdrawn, except tn
n portion Of II necessary to keep the India
la 10 check and to protect the emigrant trail
ss, on THEN way TO our Pacific possessions.
,,,sI In my first annual message l promised
!. employ my bost exertons In co-operali
10. with Congress, TO reduce the expenditur
~ -. Of the Government within the limits Of
A. wise and judicious economy. An overao
an ing treasury had produced habits OF prod
-, ~ atty and extravsgsncs which could only
/. gradually corrected. The work requir
!. both time aud patience l applied mys
!. diligently 90 THE task from the beginnH