Year: 1860

besides, it is certain that simple authorit
TO employ the force would, of itself, hav


accomplished all our objects, without strik


ing L single blow. The Constitutional Gov


ernment would then have been establishe


at the City of Mexico, and would have bee


ready and willing, to the extent of its abili


ty, TO do US justice in addition and | deen


this a most important consideration. Othe


Governments would thus have been deprlv


ed of all pretext TO interfere in the terrific


rial and domestic concerns of Mexico. W


should thus have been relieved from the ob


legation of resisting, even by force, shout,


this become necessary, any attempt by thes


Governments TO deprive our neighboFinE


Republic of portions of her territory, a duty


from which we could not shrink withon


abandoning the traditional and established
policy of the American people. lam happy


to observe that firmly relying upon the jus.


tee and good faith of these Governments


there is no present danger that such con-


tingercy will happen. Having discovered


that my recommendations would not be sus-
] tanned by Congress, the next alternative was
/ to accomplish in some degree, if possible the
! same objects by treaty stipulations with the
| constitutional Government. Snch treaties


were accordingly concluded by our late able
! and excellent Minister to Mexico, and on the


4th January last were submitted to the
Senate for ratification. As these have not
received the final action of that body, it
would be improper for me to present de-


tailed statement of their provisions. Still


may be permitted to express the opinion in


advance that they are calculated to promote


the agricultural, manufacturing and COM


mercial interests of the country, and to


inc ipfinaDpa with a n aHiODiDr n


Republic, es to whose fortune and fate we
can never feel Indifferent, whilst at the same
time they provide for the payment of a
considerable amount towards the satisfaction
Of the claims OF our injured fellowcitizens.


KANSAS AND UTAH.


At the period of my Inauguration | was
confronted in Kansas by a revolutionary
government existing under what is called
the Topeka Constitution. Its avoWed object
was to subdue the Territorial Government
BY force and to naugurate what was called
the Topeka Government in its stead. To
accomplish this object an extensive military
organizaticu vas formed and its command
entrusted t. me most violent revolutionary
leaders. Under these circumstances it be-
came my imperative duty to exert the whole
Constitutional power of the Executive to
prevent the flames of civil war from raging
in Kansas, which, from the exit : state OF
the public mind, both Npf'ii and South, .
might have extended INTO The neighborlng
States. The hostile parties in Kansas had
been inflaIned against each other by emssa-
ries, both from the North and South to a
degree of magnitude without parallel in our
history. To prevent eventual collision, aud
to assist the civil magistrates in emf, rcing
the laws, a strong detachment Of the army
was stationed in the Territory ready to aid
the Marshals aud their deputies while ofli-
cially called upon as a posse comitatu5, and
in the execution OF civil and criminal pro-
cess. Still the troubles in Kansas could not
have been performed without an election by
the people. The ballot box is the surest ar
bitter of disputes among freemen. Under
this conviction every proper effort was em-
ployed to induce the hostile parties to vote
at the election of delegates to frame State |
Constitution and afterwards the election to I
decide whether Kansas should be Slave or
Free State. The insurgent party refused TO /
vote at either, lest this might be considered |
a recognition of the Territorial Government !
established by Congress. A better spirit,
however, seemed soon after to prevail and !
the two parties met face to face in the cleo /
ton held the first Monday of January, 1858, ]
for members of the Legislature and State |
officers under the Lecompton Constitution |
the result was a triumph of the auti-slayery /
party at the polls. This decision OF the |
baIIot-box proved clearly that this party |
were in the majority and removed the dan !
ger of civil war. From that time We have |
heard nothing OF the Topeka Government, !
and all serious danger of revolutionary /
troubles in Kansas was then at an end.


The LCcompton Constitution which had /
been thus recognized at this State election by |
the voters of both political parties in Kansas,
was transmitted with the reqnest that /
should present it to Congress. ThisI could
not have refused to do without violating
my clearest and strongest convictions of
duty. The Constitution and all the pro-
ceedings which preceded and followed its
were fair and regular on their
face; and | then believed, and experience
has proved, that the interests of the people
Of Kansas would have been best consulted
by its admission as State into the Union,
as the majority within brief
period could have amended the Constitution
to their will and pleasure. If
fraud existed in any or all of these pro
ceedings, it was not for the President, but
for Congress, to investigate and determine
the question of fraud, and what ought to
he its consequences. If at the two first
elections the majority refused to vote it can
not be pretended that this refusal to exer-
else the electoral franchise could invalidate
an election fairly held, under lawful au-
thority, even if they had not subsequently,
voted at the third election 1t is true that
the whole Constitution had not been sub
mitted to the people, as | always desired,
but the precedents are numerous of the ad-
mission of States into the Union without
such submission. 1t would i'll comport
with my present purpose to review the
of Congress upon the Lecomp-
ton Constitution. 1t is sufficient to observe
hat their final action has removed the last
vestige of revolutionary troubles. The des-
perate band recently assembled under no
torious outlaw in the Southern portion of
The Territory, to resist the execution of the
laws and to plumber peaceful citizens will,
doubt not be speedily subdued and
brought to justice


Had treated the Lecomption Constitu-
ton as a nullity, and refused to transmit it
to Congress, it is not difficult to imagine,
whilst realizing the position of the country
at that moment, what would have been the