Year: 1860

WI.


gree Of malignty without parsllel in onr


history. To prevent actual collision and n
assist the civil magistrate in enforcing the
laws a strong detachment cf the army was
stationed in the Territory, ready to aid the
marshal and his deputies when lawfully call
ed upon, as q posse comitatus in the execu.
tion of civil and criminal process.


Still the troubles in Kansas could not
have been permanently settled without an
election by the people The ballot box is
the surest arbter of disputes among free
men. Under this conviction, every proper
effort was employed to indnce the hostile
parties to vote at the election Of delegates
to frame state constitution, and after
wards at the election to decide whether
Kansas should be slave or free State
The insurgent party refused to vote at eth
or, lest this might be considered a rccogni
ton on their part of the Territorial govern
ment established by Congress A better
spirit however. seemed soon after to prevail
& the two parties met face TO face at the third
election, held on the first Monday in Jan.
uary, 1858, for members of the Legislature
and State officers under Lecompton consti-
tuition. The result was the triumph Of the
antislavery party at the polls. This deci
sion of the ballot box proved clearly that
this party we're in the majority, and remov.
ed the danger of civil war. From that time
we have heard little or nothing of the To
peka government and all serious danger
of revolutionary troubles in Kansas was
then at an end


The Lecompton constitution, which had
been thus recognized at this State election
bv the voters Of both political parties 10
Kansas, was transmitted to me with the
request that should present it to Congress.
This could not have refused to do without
violating my clearest and strongest convic-
tions of duty. The constitution, and all the
proceedings which preceded and followed
its formation we're fair and regular on their
face l then believed and experience has
proved, that the interests Of the people OF
Kansas would have been best consulted
by its admission as a State into the Union
especially as the majority, within brief
period. could have amended the constitu-
tion according to their will and pleasure.
If fraud existed in all or any Of these pro-
ceedings, it was not for the President, but
for Congress- to investigate and determine
the question Of frand and what onght to be
its consequences. If at the two first elec-
tions, the majority refused to vote, it can
not be pretended that this refusal to exer-
else the elective franchise could invaldate
an election fairly held under lawful authori-
ty, even if they had not subsequently voted
at the third election It is true that the
whole constitution had not been submitted
to the people, as l always desired bnt the
precedents are numerous of the admission
of States into the Union without such sub
mission.


1t wonld not comport with my present
purposes to review the proceedings Of Con-
gress upon the Lecompton constitution 1t
is sufficient to observe that their final action
has removed the last vestge of serious re.
volutionary troubles. The desperate band
recently assembled, under notorious out
law, in the Southern portions of the Terri.
tory, to resist the execution of the laws
and to plunder peaceful citizens, will doubt
not be speedily subdued and brought to JUS
tice.


Had treated the Lecompton Constitu-
tion as a nullity and refused to submit it to
Congress, it is not difficult to imagine, whilst
recalling the position of the country at that
moment, what would have been the disaS.
trous consequences, both in aud out of the
Territory, from such a derection of duty
on the part of the Executive


Peace has also been restored within the
Territory Of Utah, which, at the commence
ment of my administration, was in state
of open rebellion. This was the more dan
gerous as the people, animated by fanati-
cal spirit, and entrenched within their dis
tant mountain Businesses, might have made
long and formidable resistance. Cost
what it might, it was necessary to bring
them into subsection to the Constitution
and the laws. Sound policy, therefore, as
we'll as humanity, required that this object
should, if possible, be accomplished without
the effusion of blood. This could only be
effected by sending a military force into the
Territory sufficiently strong to convince the
people that resistance would be hopeless,
and at the same time to offer them a par
don for past Offences on condition Of imme-
date Submission to the government. This
policy was pursued with eminent success
anu Tue OulJ CduSe lOT regret Is bue H6dNy
expenditure required to march large de
tachment of the army to that remote re
gion aud to furnish it subsistence. Utah il
now comparatively peaceful and quiet. anC
the military force has been withdrawn, ex
cept that portion Of it necessary to keeI
the Indians in check and to protect tn
emigrant trains on the way to our Paeifi
possessions.


FINANCES.


In my first annual message / promise
to employ my best exertions, in co-operatio
with Congress, to reduce the expenditure
of the government within the limits of


wise and judicious economy. An overflow
ing treasury had produced habits of prod


gality and extravaganza, which could onl


be gradually corrected. The work requlr


ed both time and patience. l applied my


self diligently to this task from the begin


ming, and was aided by the able and ener
getic efforts of the different Executive De


nartments. The result of our labors II


This good cause did not appear in the sun
, total of our expenditures for the first tive
wears. mainly in consequence of the extra
ordinary expenditure necessarily incurred
. in the Utah Expedition, and the very larg
amount of the contingent expenses Of Con
gress during this period. These greatly ex


caeded the nav and mileage of members