The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-18
Gov. Johnston'S reply.

Co.. J0hlstons reply
PHILADELPHIA Sept ID, 1851.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter. without date, this af-
tenoon put into my hands by OF the servants OF the
hotel The anx iey which you manifest to maintain the
laws of the land and the public peace fully appreciated
and have great pleasure in informing you that more
than twentyfour hours before the receipt OF your letter
the parties implicated had been. through the vigilance
and decision Of the local authorities, arrested and
now in prison. awaiting an inquiry into their imputed
guilt The district attorney and sheriff of Lancaster
county, acting IN concert with the attorney general OF
the State deserve especial thanks for their prompt and
energetic conduct. This was all done early on Sat,
urday morning. and duly reported to me by the local
officers.
The testimony taken by the United States commits.
printed copy Of which has accidentally reached this
afternoon, confirms me in the belief that the State
thorties had indicated the law and TO a large extent,
arrested the perpetrators OF the crimes.
The cruel murder OF citizen OF neighboring State,
accompanied by gross outrage the laws OF the Uni
ted States in the Resistance OF its process, bad been com
guilty agents ascerained, they will be punished
in its severest penalty by the law Of Pennsy lvania
am very proud that the first steps to detect and arrest
these offenders have been taken by Pennsylvania Off
GERS
Permit me, gentlemen. having thus removed all just
cause OF anxiety from your minds respectfully to suggest
that the idea OF rebellion insurrectionary movement
in the county OF Lancaster or anywhere else in this
Commonwea b, has no real Foundations and is often
slve lmputaon large body OF fellow citizens.
There insurrectionary movement in Lancaster
ty and there would be occasion to march military
force there you to desire, and nfame the pub
lie mind by any such strange exaggerallon do not
wish brethren oil the Union to think that any part
OF this State resistance to the law goes undecided
punished or that there exists such sentiment treason
TO the Union and the constitution.
The alleged murderers OF Mr. Gorsuch, whose crime i.
deep enough without exasgeratng IT, have been arrested
and will be tried, and they and their abetters be made
answer for what they have done in conravenon of the
law. Bai in the time, let invite your opera
ton, citizens OF Pennsyi vana, only that the
law is enforced. but TO add 10 the confidence which
all feel IN me judicial tribunals OF the land by abstain
ing from undue violence OF language and letting the law
take it's course Depend upon H. gentlemen there Is in
Lancaster county OF duty to the laws of the land,
manifested IN the easy and prompt arrest OF these offend
which will on all occasions show itself IN practical
obedience.
The people of that county are Of peace and good
order, and not easily led aside from the path OF duty
which the constitution prescribes They and every Penn
sylvanian love the constitution and the Union. They
will detect, they have done in this and arrest
and punish, all who violate the laws Of the land There
warrant, depend upon il, for representing the men
OF Lancaster county as traitors and participants IN an
'.nsurrectlonary movement" You do them. unnien-
tionaly have no doubt, great injustice.
am deeply indebted To you for Attending me this op.
poriunty OF expressing my views. But tor your com.
municallon myht no, have been able 10 do so. You
and my ieow-citzens at large may be assured OF my
firm determination, all hazards, and under all circum
stances, TO maintain the supremacy OF the constitution
and enforce obedience to The laws alike OF the United
States and of this Commonwealth.
In order that may be that my answer may reach
its destination, your letter having but accidentally come
to my hands. have requested Mr. White to pu, !, IN The
observe, is first
am with great respect your SSsdsn' seysp.
To Messrs John Cadwalader, A l.. Roumiort, James
Page, c. lngersoll Isaac Leech, IT,, h simpson, w.
Deal, Geo r. Martin. Samuel Hays, S r Canadian,
Thos. McGrath, John Swift Frederick McAdams.
To the Governor of Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept Is, 1851.
S: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt OF
your letter OF yesterday, which TO hand this morn.
ing, after its publication in newspapers The
iniormaty which you mention OF the delivery OF our
communication, TO which IL is reply through the SER
want Of hotel, perhaps OF little significance, II may
be explained and excused by stating that we had under
stood that the paper would not reach you addressed TO
the seat OF government We told that you had on
the day after the 10 which we respectfully
solicited your attention. left Harrisburg and bad passed
the scene OF those occurrences without arying there
that you had subsequently been IN this place, and alter
ward at Reading, but were not to return TO Harrisburg
frsm Reading. The messenger ntrusted with our CON
municaton therefore left to his own course in deliv
erng IT. ...s, 8. i, ,-ou.,.... :, ,on, r.n,,, hn,
regret that you had not been able to obtain accurate
information on the subject OF your letter. The mistake
in the general statement which ii contains that the par
ties implicated in the late horrible outrage had been ar
rested and in confinement, is partly corrected in
subsequent paragraph and has been since fully
recled IN your proclamation OF this morning The more
important errors oil your letter will, we trust be as pub
cy corrected when you shall have learned that treason
against the United States was perpetraed successfully
within the territory OF Pennsylvania Thursday last.
You will then, presume, no longer treat the offence
OF the insurgents though the homicide, which all
depore had been committed by than in ordinary tn.
mutt, as contradIsng ushed from armed rebellion
against the law When you shall have learned that the
latter was the ,e character Of the offence committed
YOU will prosaby 10 censure US, or TO invite sym.
pathy Tor the offenders by calling true and SIM
Die definition OF their CRIME offensive impuation
and strange exaggeratlon" The purpose OF our com
munication has been entirely msconceived by you The
crime which had been perpelrated in immediate neigh
borhood preventing, BY an armed Tes,sf
aace, the enforcement of Lato Of he United STATES Our
purpose request your attention 10 this TACT, and not
the local police oil county, IA you suppose
There had been local police strong enough TO resist an
organized band oil armed outlaws who were IN open IN
surecon against the government OF the United States
The local authorities overawed, and, had they re.
sisted intefered, would have been overpowered For.
hours elapsed before they reinforced
to be able to visit the of the disturbance The in
been fatally accomplished When we took leave 10 al.
dress you on the subject, exercised the undoubte
right OF every citizen on such occasion. The dispose
bic military force OF the United States at this post had
then been sent to The pot where The unfortunate event
had occurred Chzens OF Pennsylvania and OF Mary
land were in arms assist in the lawful enforcement Of
The authority OF the general government But nothing
had been been done by the government OF Pennsyvana
10 vindcate the outraged honor OF the Commonwealth.
The first act OF State OF her executive ~ proclamation
issued four days after the opponents OF the law had
openly accomplished their designs Your recaptuatlon
OF the few tardy acts OF prompt Intervention, including
arrests by Individual off ers shows that this proca
nation would proDsbly not have been issued N the PUB.