Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-21

Kansas and its proper settlement. The settle
ment OF that Territory involves the highest and
most vital questions that can occupy the rehec.
tons of our statesmen. The settlement Of
Kansas is but the sequence Of the Nebraska
bill. That bill commanded the attention Of
the whole country aud was the especial object
OF the attention of our statesmen. Every body
who had the power Of reflection saw that it re.
vlved the grave question involved ia the old
ordinance Of 1887, and brought up for final de-
cision the vital question involved in the Mis-
souri, Compromise. Great men voted for that
restriction-some good men recorded their
names in its favor. But they made great and
grievous political mistake. This age felt il.
The great men Of this age felt it. They were
persuaded that under terrible pressure the
Constitution had been violated and they deter
mined TO restore that Constitution to its pris-
tine purity They resolved that they would
legitmately undo what ilegiimaiely had been
done. lnpursuance Of this purpose they passed
the Nebraska Kansas bill, which repealed I'M
lawful compacts and obliterated unconstitu.
tonal lines, This bill was passed in no sec.
topal spri'. 1t did not originate with south.
ern man. 1t was proposed by an honest, able,
and intrepid statesman, from a non -slavehold.
ing State. He felt that the wrong had been
done by the non-slaveholdng States, and it was
meet that representative from that section
should repair that wrong.
In the face of the whole country, the Senate
and the House of Representatives of the United
States passed the Nebraska. Kansas bill, which
repealed unconstitutional legislation BY the
passage Of this bill, the two Houses Of Congress
showed that they wished Kansas 10 determine
Tor herself the great question of slavery
In the organization Of that Territory it de-
voved on the President to appoint a governor
and other functionaries 1t was the duty of
this governor and these functionaries to see
that the intent, purpose, and spirit Of that act
organizing the Territory should be carried out.
Governor Reeder was appointed. Governor
Reeder heralded himself with great flourish
OF trnmpets. Pennsylvania is noble old
State, and he came from Pennsylvania. But
the President should have given to Kansas a
governor from a Southern State, and to Ne.
braska a governor from Il non slaveholding
State. lie chose to do otherwise-to do ex-
exactly opposite. He gave to the Territory
that must, will and ought to be slave State.
an Anti slavery Governor, and to the Territory.
Nebraska destined to be, in all likelihood.
nl at &c aulla cd
ernor. What he meant by it. he himself best
knows. But one thing is certain, and that
thing IS, That it was impoltic in the extreme.
What the President meant may perhaps be
gathered from Governor Reeders conduct. APP.
pointed by the President, it is to be supposed
that he knew the Presidents wishes. and de-
sired to carry them out. He commenced his
administration in Kansas by opposing the pro-
slavery men and favoring the freesoilers. So
far has Governor Reeder carried his hostility
to southern institutions, that if he held his
office at the hands of the people of the Terri.
tory over which he presides, we doubt if he
could get the vote of single sound constitu.
tional Democrat.
What the people of this stamp think of him,
may be gathered from the newspapers published
u Kansas. We subjoin two articles from the
q"atter Sovereign, Of Sd of April, which is
published in Atchison, By Stringfelow and
Kelly. They are as follows:
GOVERNOR REEDER.-In forwarding to the
Judges of Election the names Of The legal
voters in this District, Governor Reeder was
careful to put on the list the name of no per
son south OF Independent Creek. Out of the
two hundred citizens of Atchison, we could not
lind one recorded upon that paper. Even we.
who have not been out Of the Territory since
the election of Whitfield, were not honored
with place on that precious document; but,
through the kindness of the judges, we were
allowed to deposit vote in the same box that
received the tickets of those whom the Gov
ernor appointed to do the entire voting of the
District.
Such Partially in the Governor Of a State
or Territory is Of too serious nature 10 be
permitted to pass unnoticed. II the present
Administration does not look into the actions
OF this WORTHY official-judge him according
TO his works. and mete out his punishment ac-
cordingly, we shall be forced to admit, as has
been charged, that 1t IS as UNJUST and DIS
HONEST, as Reeder is ROTTEN and CORRUPT!
GOVERNOR REEDER's Popularity. = We
venture the assertion, that out Of the three
hundred and forty.six votes polled at the
precinct in this District, not five out Of the
number could be induced to endorse Governor
Reeder. We have never seen in any comtnu-
nifty, such feeling against an executive officer.
What is the hardest, we have no means of re-
dress. Unlike the citizens in our neighboring
States, we have no say-so in the selection Of our
olhcers, and have to put up with any broken
down politician the President may saddle upon
us. We look upon Governor Reeder as the
tail end of a miserable broken down set Of
politicians, who had been boring the President
for Office since his inaugural, and who was sent
here to Kansas, to be killed off, and his suppl.
cations for office put an end to. Pierce looks
upon Kansas as a political slaughter pen. and
free soil candidates for Office of long standing
are assigned the Governorship Of this territory
with the understanding that the Administration
is not responsible for life or limb If the feel
ing against the Governor is not soon uled, the
storm will raise to such a pitch, that a vacancy
ho he's. "A n.