The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-09-01
The Removal of Gov. Reeaer.


''Instead of .Eindicating the majesty of
the laK-instead of protecting the rights
and lives of the settlers In kansas-in-
stead of rebuking the lawlessness of the
Missouri mob, he comes to their aid. and
removes the only obstacle in the way of
the consummation of their foul designs.
In Utah Brigham Young is retained in
Office, because licentious mob demand
ed it. In Kansas GOV. Reeder is removed
because lawless band of armed ruffians
demand it. Instead of meeting out pun
iShment to those who commit great pub
lie crimes-crimes against law and hber-
ty-they are ewarded-while those who
stand by the right are punished In what
a contemplate, humillating light do such
things place our country before the
.SForld-"
The above is from the Chicago Demo
crat on the removal of Gov. Reeder. 1t
is butt fair expression of the sentiments
even of the more conservative of the
Northern press, not in the service of the
Pierce administration, respecting the ex-
tfaordinary course pursued by the Pres
ident. Gov. Reeder was a regular Ne
braska Democrat. He has signified his
approval of the overthrow ofthe Missouri
Compromise. He cared little whether
slavery or freedom triumphed. The SUI
premacy of his party was to him OF more
worth than the success of the just cause.
He was and is a good specimen of the
better class of Northern Deughfaces; OF
men who wish to stand by party, right
or wrong; and for seryility look for pro-
motion by their party. Even after all the
ontrages in Kansas, the open defiance OF
law, Justice, and the ordinary amenities
of civilized life displayed by the pro -sia-
very party, he attempted 10 curry favor
with the admins traiion and with his enc
mics by venting stereotyped denuncia-
tions against the destructive spirit ot
abolitionism" in his late message, at the
opening of the Kansas Legislature
Thus there is little to admire, little with
which we can sympathise in the charae-
ter of Gov. Reeder. But all this only
adds to the ''deep damnation of his taking
off," 1t was not that he cared straw
| for freedom; it was not that he gave any
encouragement to the opponents of slaE-
cry that brought about his removal. Iii:
fault was this. With Northern educa-
ton he had imbibed some little reverence
for law, and bad as was the act organic
ing the territory, wrong In principle anf
dangerous in policy, he could not see ever
that law trampled upon by Missouri
mob, and its provisions set aside to make
way for others vet more Infamous, witt
appreciation. He took the law as it ap
/ peared upon the statute book, and refused
fully to recognize, as valid, the private
arrangements for the fercible establish
ment Of slavery in Kansas, which may
have been made between sucn democrat
ie dignitaries as Douglas, Atehison and
Stringfellow.
TO exhibit its disapprosal of thi:
slight regard for decency, the admins
tration has removed him,-so exacting is
/ the slave oligarchy of its servants.
This is the feature in the removal o
Reeder which drenches the whole trans,
action with the blackest hues of infamy
the sanction of mob law by the Presi
dent of the United Siates-ihe encour
agement vonchsafed by the Chief Magis
trate of the Republic of Infringement:
upon the right of suffrage and the liberty
of speech. 1t was deemed that the low
est deep, of baseness had been attained
when the Compromise of 1929 was swep
away, but the mere violation of solemn
compacts appears comparatively trifiins
by the side of the bottomless profound
that has been opened to the public gaze
by the subsequent operations of the sup
norterS of thai ACT IIis. tStGke .Ioar.