He had felt great doubt as to the propriety of admitting Kansas, and
had only yielded those doubts to the peculiar necessities which seemed
to make the case exceptional. The inhabitants of the territory had
however decided not to enter the Union upon the terms proposed, and he
thought their decision was fortunate. They had not the requisite
population; their resources were too limited to give assurance that
they would be able to bear the expenses of their government and
properly to perform the duties of a State. But more than this, their
legislative history shows that they are wanting in the essential
characteristics of a community; whichever party has had the control of
the legislature, has manifested by its acts not a desire to promote
the public good, and protect individual rights, but a purpose to war
upon their political opponents as a hostile power. The political party
with which he most sympathized had marked its legislation by requiring
test oaths, offensive to all our notions of political freedom; and the
other party had assumed to take from the territorial executive the
control of the militia and to place it in irresponsible hands, where,
it reports speak truly, it has been employed in the most wanton
outrages and disgraceful persecution of citizens of the opposite
political party. He held, therefore, that the decision of the
inhabitants was fortunate and wise. It was well, that before they
assume the responsibilities of a State, they should gather population,
develop the natural resources of the country, and above all acquire
the homogeneous character which would give security to person and
property, and fit them to be justly denominated a community.

A stranger, and but a passing observer of events in Maine, he had
nevertheless seen indications of a reaction in popular opinion, which
promised hopefully for the future of Democracy, _hopefully_, it might