Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-20
o. 0 m m II nit
FoR THE SENTINEL.
FOR THE 6ENTINEL.
THE KANSAS LEGIsLATURE-HAs TT
DIsGRACED THE COUNTRY!

For THE SENTINEL.
THE KANSAS LEGIsLATURE-HAs 1T
DIsGRACED THE COUNTRY
In the National IntelLigeacsr, Of August 25th,
under its editorial head, and in the leading column
is the following from the Baltimore .american:
'hansas Legislation.
"When the affairs Of Kansas were forcibly inter-
Tered with by lntruders from Missouri we could
not, IN the face OF the evidence establishing the
fact, deny its existence, Justify it, because
1t had been provoked by an almost as criminal in
reference upon the part of the abolition emigrant
aid companies of the East. We then expressed
the opinion that the acts OF the Mssourans would
be preiudicial to the South, placing il IN false
position, and making it the volator of laws
which it was specially interested in unfolding for
its own protection. The course pursued by the
Kansas Legislature is already confirming what
we then predicted. Its ultra radcalism upon all
subjects that call into exercise its legislative func
tons, and the violence with which it proscribes
opinions not squaring with the ideas of its leaders,
have already made it disgrace to the country,
and thrown upon the cause which it pretends TO
uphold an onerous degree Of responsibility. An
instance of this is seen in bill on the subject of
slavery now before it., and which had passed
through the preliminary stages of consideration
without opposition. The 18th section of the bill
provides:
'"lf any free person, by speaking writing,
assert or maintain that persons haze not the right 10
hold slapes in the Territory, or shall introduce
into Kansas, print, publish, write, circulate, or
To be introduced into the Territory, written,
printed, published, or circulated in this Terri
tory, any book, paper, magazine, pamphlet, or
circular containing any denial OF the rights of
persons to hold slaves in this Territory such per-
son shall be deemed guilty of felony, and punish
cd by imprisonment at hard labor for a term not
less than two years.
claws of this complexion, which undertake to
punish as penal offence differences of opinion,
can have but one effect, and that is to provoke
opposition, to keep alive excitement, and ulti-
matey to secure their own repeal by the very
strength of the objections which they put in the
mouths of their opponents. '-Bat. american.
When papers published in slave holding States
do SO great injustice to the people of Kansas, it
not strange that the fanatics of the East and
North should urge their ignorant followers to re-
sist the laws enacted by the Kansas Legislature;
resistance which, if once attempted will bring
upon the heads OF its authors quick and signal
punishment If evil should come, such papers
as the american and Iteligencer may be thanked
for it,
In what has the Kansas Legislature disgraced
the countryi Of all its acts, but one is pointed
out-that single section Of an act for the
protection OF slave property--the section above
quoted
That section is copied from. laic Which has been
in force, if mistake not, thirty gears in the
quiet, hgnifed, higky respectable old State Of Pr
gnia She was never charged with having dis
graced the country May not her sons and grand
sons in Kansas adopt, for the protection Of their
property, a.law enacted by their old mother
refer TO this, not as justification OF the law,
that | put ON higher ground than their example;
but to show that the people of Western Missouri,
and the pro-slavery settlers in Kansas are de-
nounced for that which done by others is harm
less, or even approved.
might cite many other like instances.
If the people of Missouri meet and quietly adopt
resolutions pledgins themselves to protect. their
property, it is heralded from end of the
Union to the other as treason, notification, dis
union On the other hand Abotionists in Maine
and Massachusetts can assemble, and boldly pro-
claim their purpose to drive shareholders from
their homes in Missouri, and not word is uttered
20 condemn
If the people Of Kansas or Missouri expel
thief or incendiary from their midst without any
serious injury to his person, IL is denounced as
mob violence, the people as "border rutians.
Yet from Portland to Cairo, the houses of help
less females may be violated, men and women
murdered in the streets, officers murdered while
discharging their duty, voters shot down, their
houses burned or pulled down, ballot-boxes broken
oper, and excuses alone are otfered!!!
Why is this so is il that canting Puritans
have peculiar privileges That, what would be
vice. ruflianisIn on the border, is virtue in the
the frontiers men were the purest and best in our
land, and we accept the latter explanation? Yes,
take ten thousand Abotionsts with their abetters
and sympathzers; extract the best parts OF each;
distil them-bieach them; and then you could not
make the equal of one of those truc-hearted, gem
erous, kind. but independent men, so glibly cali
ed border rutiians!!
But have wandered from my purpose. IL was
to call your attention TO the act of the Kansas
Legislature, one section of which is so denounced
by the Baltimore american.
As 10 that section and the pretence Of the fine
rican that il is TO punish differences of opinion,
need say no more than that il IS usual 10 punish
for "diGtrencs Of opinion" The thief who
thinks he was right TO steal my purse, the muir
derer who thinks he has right 10 kill, the trait
or who claims the right TO fight against his coun-
try, are each punished for difference Of opin-
ion" To advise slaves 10 run away, TO tell them
their masters have no right TO hold them, is more
than a mere difference of opinions" Il is an act,
positive and criminal would be the placing
Of poison in the way of CATTLE the seducing sol
dcr from his post, and its evil is no less. IL
should be heavily punished as the stealing
slave-morc heavily than to steal a slave for
gain, and to keep him in slavery This last is TO
the master but a loss Of SO much property the
former will induce slave not only TO escape,
but TO murder him whom he is taught TO regard
a tyrant and oppressor.
This hrstah section is effective, and it is not
strange ludN ADonAloulslH HOWL 0NtI ~ ~ Wtt Uc
enforced, TOO; Of that tell Them 70 be assured! We
hare not Recder for Gorernor, but ,Cho has
declared that he tciH, Ne has 10 sUear, the iaos
rigidlu enforced And he has the people TO enable
him TO enforce them! We owe Mr. Pierce thanks
for his appointment, whatever induced him TO
make il.
But there are other sections Of this same act
not less important, which, too, are original, not
having been adopted heretofore even in the
South refer to the 9th and 9Th sections, cspe-
cially TO the latter. II is AZ follows:
"SEc. 8. If any person in this Territory shall
aid, or assist, harbour, or conceal any slave who
has escaped from the service of his master or
owner in another State or Territory, such person
shall be punished in like manner as IL such slave
had escaped from the service Of his master or
orner in this Territory"
Here we have "fugitve slave law" not en-
acted by Congress, but the result Of recognition
Of simple justice by one State TO another. This
law, If enacted by the non-slaveholding States,
especially by those bordering on the slaveholding
States, would at once put an end TO negro steal
- md AL rnadc ,,roduca rood