Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-11-09
The Governor of Kansas.

The Governor of Kansas.
Mr.. REEDER Of Pennsylvania, the newly
appointed Governor of Kansas Territory, has
been received by the people of the Territory
with much cordiality. On his arrival at Fort
Leavensworth the people for many miles
around assembled to greet him.. They called
upon him at the quarters of Capt Hunt and
general introduction took place, during which
many kindly expressions Of welcome were in
dulged on the part Of the people and recipro-
Gated by the Governor with the republican
frankness and honest Cordially, so agreeable
to western men. After general interchange
of courteses, DIR. Charles Leib addressed the
governor in an eloquent Speech in which he
spoke of the beauty Of the country, the fertility
Of its soil, and the glowing prospect of power
and prosperity before the settlers Of the new
territory, and their qualification at selection
made by the President of chief magistrate to
preside over this land Of promise, 10 which
governor Reeder replied -
6" / thank you, sir, and those whom YOU
represent on this occasion for the cordial man
ner in which you have welcomed me to your
territory and for the encomiums which you
have so eloquently bestowed-encomium
which | must be allowed TO say are attrbuta-
bic more TO your own courtesy and partially,
than to any merits of mine. Coming. as do
come, into position of high and solemn re-
spOnslblllty IN a strange land, to exercise
most important functions among men who as
yet know me not, you may well imagine that
| am cheered and encouraged by the foreshad-
owing of confidence and kindness exhibited in
this our first interview. | am sensible of the
difficulties that may beset my official career,
and | must rely on the friendship and kindly
feeling which you have protested. for indulg-
ence to my DEFICIENCIES. But whilst | shall
now claim in advance your leniency for my
inexperience of your country, and your peo-
pie, for your shortcomings in wisdom and abil-
ity claim no margin, and ask for no indulg
eRce, in respect to the earnestness and sinceri-
" Of my efforts, 10 make the great good of the
territory and the advancement ofitS substantial
prosperity and welfare, the chief end of my
official action. 1t shall be my pride and pleas
ure always to keep in view that single end,
despite all sinister considerations, or adverse
circumstances. Our territory is indeed land
Of great interest, and of glorious promise, and
although now frontier country demanding at
our hands strong continued effort and no small
privation, vet we are cheered on by the con-
victon, that another frontier is approaching
us from the Pacific, and that when the inev-
liable destiny of this Union shall have filled
up its limits with civilized population and
thrifty enterprise, Kansas will be territorially
the very heart Of the Republic, and in the
highway Of its trade. Much of it, progress,
its prosperity and its future destiny, will de-
H. ck,1
upon its early developments. That we shall
have difficulties to meet and overcome, varied
in their character, and formidable in their
number and extent, it were worse than folly
to deny and conceal. Whatever they may be,
however, there is no fear that they cannot all
be solved by prudent care-by tolerance and
charity for difference Of opinion among our
selves-by calm but unquailing moral courage
in asserting our own rights of action or opin-
ion-and by the most scrupulous care to avoid
encroachments on the rights of others.
First Of all Kansas must and with Gods
help it shall be, country Of law and order.
No man must be allowed to cast contempt
upon the aw-to unsettle the foundations of
society, to mar our future destnes-to cause
us to be Stunned and avoided by good citizens
and to turn US upon the retrOgrade path
coward barbarism by substituting his own I'M
,,rided passions for the administration of JUS
ice, and by redressng his real and imaginary
wrongs by the red and cowardIy hand of as
sasslnatlon, or The rufianism Of the outlaw.
30 far as it shall come within my province to
deal with this spirit, / pledge You that | will
crush It out, or sacrifice myself in the effort.
Every one OF our millions of fellow citizens
who may choose to exercise his unquestonable
right to plant himself, his family and his
property on our soil, TO swell its strength and
develop its resources, must feel that the broad
egis Of the law shelters him and his from out
rage, and that its sword is keen and ready 10
punish him summarily and unfailingly, for
outrage of the rights of others. We must,
too, do our duty in cementing and preserving
our glorious Union, by the strictest adherence
to our constitutional and legal obligations, and
constant readiness to aid our fellow citizens
OF other states, in securing to them all the
rights which that constitution and those laws
have sacredly guaranteed to them for the man
agement OF their own affairs, whilst at the
same time we must with the most vigorous
ana determined irmness, preserve unmpaired
and unquesuoned, to every citizen of our terri
tory, freedom of opinion In the regulation of
our own. The principle of the bill for erect
ing our territory, need scarcely tell Won has
my hearty approval. Fiercely as it has been
assaulted, it has its foundation deep in tho
doctrine Of true republicanism. Under these
doctrines the whole Union, north, south. east
and west, has invited us to come here and
mould our own Institutions, as to us it shall
seem good. We have accepted the invitation.
and with Popuh Voce Nata on our banner, we
are prepared to give one more proof Of the
ability of our people for self government, BY
going to the ballot box-there concedng to
each other the right of free discussion and
opinion which we claim for ourselves, and
sacrificing to the all powerful will of the ma
iority all our interests, and feelings, and pref
udices, whatever question may be involved in