The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-05-24
RICHMOND, WAYNE COUNTY, IND, MAY "a 1855.

tempt to disguise the fact that the question OF
making Kansas a Free or Slave State IS at tie
bottom of this movement, and that the men
who thus invade our soil and rob us Of our
liberties are from the pro-Slavery men Of Mis-
souri,. who are unwilling TO submit the ques
tion 10 the people of the Territory. and abide
the compact between the North and South,
which tile Kansas \ ebraska bill contains
The compact we want carried out, and by
that test we want the question settled, if it
can be; but there are few things that we
would not prefer to the domination of ire
sponsible invaders from Missouri The en-
actment is not only law which States and
indiA4duals are bound to obey, but it is com
pact between the North and the South sol
emn covenant between the sovereign States Of
our Cnlon which none can violate without
becoming recreant TO the principles of honor
and iustce-wthout the betrayal Of the con-
fidence reposed-without such breaking of
plighted faith, as, in an individual, would
load him with scorn and contempt, and drive
him from the society of honest men. The
bill which Northern statesmen, backed by
Northern votes, had obtained for Southern
rights, is made by men who invade our soil,
the very instrument for depriving of our
dearest privileges, and stabbing to the heart
those who magnanlmously gave 1t into their
hands for other ends
That bill is made TO mean popular sove-
reignty to them--serfdom to us. The doc
trine of self-government is to be tramplcd un-
der foot here, of all other places in the world,
on the very spot which has been hallowed and
consecrated to its most signal vindication.-
The altars which had been reared to it on this
chosen ground, and around which. at least,
the Democracy of the whole Union had sworn
allegiance, and to which we had come as pill
grim worshippers in the wilderness. to be
ruthlessly demolished. The compact is to be
baselv broken, and the ballot of the freeman
Tin etfect) torn from hands almost before
the ink of the covenant is dry. Not only,
too. is the principle Of popular sovereignty to
be blotted out, but more than this, even the
object of the contest is TO disappear. The
question of negro slavery is to sink into insig
nifeanee and the great portentous issue is to
loom up in its stead whether or not we shall
be slaves and fanatics who disgrace the hon
orablc snd chivalric men of the South, shall
be our masters to rule US at pleasure.
With feeble and scattered community, Just
struggling into existence, without organiza-
tion, and almost without shelter, we are pow
erIess to resist an old. strong and populous
State full of men and arms, and resources
and we therefore appeal to you aud through
you to the people OF the States Remedy here
We have none.
Our Executive has, with manly deermina-
ton and persistent fidelity stood by his peo-
pie, aud endeavored to carry out the prinei
plies of popular sovereignty, and secure Us the
privilege of MANA ,lng our own affairs and
governing ourselves, until his reputation has
been assailed and his life ~rer,l,- shre-.e-~d
with bitterness almost unparalleled and, al
though as chief mag istrate he is all that We
could desire aud has fearlessly pursued the
path Of duty amid storm of menace and de-
traction, under which many men would have
quailed, yet he is powerless like ourselves.
We now make this last appeal, not to the
North. not to the South, not to any political
party-but to the representatives of the whole
Union. We beg that no men will sport with
our fearful condition by endeavoring 70 make
political capital or build up party at the ex-
pense of our civiland physical existence. We
want the men of the North and the men of the
South to protect us Through yourselves,
their representatives, we appeal to their hon
or-to their iustice-to their patrIotsm-to
their Sympahies. not for favor but for rights
not for trivial rights, but for the dearest
rights guaranteed to us by the constitution Of
the Union--by the declaration ofindependence
by the law of our organization-by the sol
emn compact of the States, which You pladg-
ed to us as the condition of our coming here.
Communities are no. to blame for the con-
duet of their fanatics. unless they sanction
them We cannot believe that the States of
the South will sanction the ourages that have
been perpetrated upon US, will allow them
to be continued And although might
reason the matter as question of policy, and
show that II is contrary TO the laws of nature
and society, and opposed TO all human expe-
riencc, that good can come from such an evil
although We might prove that it is SOW
ing the wind to reap the whirlwind,' and
that the reaction will be fearful vet we feel
that this unnecessarv-that is enough TO APP
peal to their honor and their sense OF Justice,
and TO rely upon their plighted faita.
Inside our bounds we shall have no serious
trouble. Northern and Southern men mingle
together in harmony and good feeling, and in
mutual dependence and assistance in the hard
ships and privatons of pioneer life As We
learn To understand each other, friendships
are engendered. and preiudices melt away, so
that We shall be able 70 meet all questions that
may arise in spirit Of justice and kindly
feeling, which will secure the rights Of all and
cheerful acquiescenee in the decision Of the
majority. From foreign oppression. however,
we ask for relief Of that power which passed
the Kansas bill, and pledged 10 Us is benefits
if we would ccme here. We have right "a
ask and do ask is enforcement. Il remains
for your honorable bodies TO decide whether
YOU will keep the compact between YOU and
Us which exists bv that bill. and on emigra
tion--whether vou will vindicsse the sacred
doctrines Of the Government. or whether vou
will leave Us in a state of vassalage and op
preston. We canno: doubt that you viii IL
some way give Us justice and protection.
rE- The Wanierer of Vienna relates tbs
following anecdote: A Jewish Banker. q
Frankfort, while proceeding TO Vienna By rail
way not long since, fell into conversation with