The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-12-23

Gov. Reeder, of Kansas.
1t appears that Senator Atchison and his
Missouri Slave propagandsts have "caught
Tartar" in the shape of the Governor of Kan
sas. Gov. r. is a stif-necked Pennsylvania
one who appears to think that popular SOW
eregnty in the Territories means something
On the 18th ult., says the Chicago Press,a pub
lie meeting was held in Lcavenworth, conven-
ed for the purpose of urging Gov. Recder to
order the immediate election Of the Legislative
Assembly and Council. This meeting was in
the hands of Missourians who crossed the river
that day in large numbers for the purpose of
controlling, as they had been previously in
strumental in callingit. They evidently de-
sired the Legislative and Congressional elect
ions, to be held on the same day, as a single
inrasion of the Territory from the Missouri side
would be less expensive and attended with less
trouble than t,ro. The meeting appointed a
committee OF five persons to wait upon the
C"rnrnnr and infornas him nf tho action taken
by the meeting. Gov Reeter very properly
demanded copy of the proceedings of the
meeting as that would show conclusivcly who
constituted and controlled it. This the COM
mittee refused to furnish A correspondence
tee. We give so much of the letter of the Tor
mer as is necessary to show who were the par
ties represented by the latter, and which very
clearly, Also indicates the fact of an intention
on the part of MissOurians to control the affairs
of the Territory. The spirit of Gov Recder's
reply is admirable, and indicates the possession
ofqualties which adapt him to the emergen-
cies of his post, He says to the Committee:
Allow me to repeat. you come to me as the
agent of others. who you alleged are citizens or
Kansas. and therefore entitled to reply. |
ask for copy of the proceedings in order that
may he satisfied of the fact. You pcremp,ori,y
refuse to give them. By all the rules of com.
mon sense common courtesy and commo jus
tce, would be justified in refusing to notice
your communication. as had once resolved to
do. have. however. changed my mind. and
VIII proceed to state some facts within the
knowledge OF the whole public in this vicinity
(who VIII decide between us if we disagree)
and which should have proven almost entire.
ly by your own evidence. had you not from
the pinchng exigencies of the case, been com.
PEELED to refuse copy ofthc proceedings.
The meeting acas not OF the citizens of Kan
sas.' as your proceedings will show. if YOU will
produce them. 1t was a meeting composed
mainly of the citizens of Missouri and a few
of the citizens of Kansas. Your own BODY
whom am now addressing contains two I'M
doubted residents of Missouri, one Of whom is
your chairman, who resides with his family in
the town OF Liberty. Mo-. as he has done for
years. and whose only attempt at a residence
in Kansas, consists of card nailed to a tree.
upon ground long since occupied by other set
tiers. who have built and live upon the claim.
The President Of your meeting was Maj. John
Dougherty, a resident and large land holder in
Clay County, Missouri. as he has stated to me
since the meeting and will not hesitate to state
again. as he is high minded and honorable
man above all concealment or disguise. The
gentlemen principally composing your meet
ing came from across the river thrOnping the
road from the Ferry to the town. on horseback
and in wagons, in numbers variously estimat
ed by different persons at from 200 to 300 and
alter the meeting was over they returned to
homes in the State ofMissour. These are facts
as notorious here as any public occurrence can
be, and every man who has eyes to see and ears
to hear, is cOgnisant of them
They were the subject of much remark and
the cause of much dissatisfaction, and even on
the ground In the meeting and in reply to the
speech OF your chairman, who was Chief spokcs-
man OF the occasion, this invasion of our Ter |
ritory was loudly complained of by some ofthe
outnumbered citizens of Kansas and has fire.
quently since been made the subject of indic.
nant complaint to me. Such is the meeting
from which you derive authority. and such The |
title by which you assume to interfere in the
of our affairs. Few men with all
the facts before them, would he hardy enough
to say that the assumption is entitled to any |
respedt. The law guarantees to us the right to
manage our own affairs. 1t il the great
much discussed features Of our Territorial Gov
and one which our people highly
prize--under the pledges of which the nhabi.
ants of the Territory have come and staked
heir future fortunes on our soil
The pledges of that law must be redeemed.
and it were poor and pitiless boon to have
escaped from the domination of Congress. if we
ire only to pass under the hands of another
et OF self-cOnstituted rulers, foreign to our soil
md sharing none of our burdens, no matter
What may be their virtues Or their worth as men
md citizens at home. 1t may be very desira-
lie for gentlemen to live among the comforts
II the States. with all the accumulated con-
einces and luxuries Of an old home. and make
q occasional expedition into our Territory to
range our affairs-instruct our people and
Ulcers, and control our Government: but II
oes not suit ~ and much mistake the peo- ,