Kansas weekly herald., 1855-06-01
'W.lsO are the snssglifers9

W,lsO are the .1sssggi1fers?
The telegraphie wires bring the news
to us not unexpected that the Legislature
|of Massachusetts, by vote of 230. to 76,
have passed what they call the personal
liberty bill, over Governor Gardner's veto.
This bill vlrtuallylrepeals the fugitive slave
bill and sets at defiance the laws and con-
stitution of the United States. Sheets In
our midst can designate the people, Of Mis-
souri, who have determined to make Kan
sas slave State .atchison's ru6Eidns, and
yet we hear not from them one word of
condemnation against the freesoilers and
abolitionists of Massachusetts, who, not
content with dispatching their hordes to
Kansas to war against the institutions of
Missouri, have at home raised the stand
ard of rebellion and treason. T ist7'
A sovereign State of the Union, by its
constituted authorities, by. an oyerwhel-
ming majority of its Legislature has de-
ciared open war against the institutions of
the South and the supreme law of the land.
By this action Massachusetts, as far as she
is concerned, has virtually dissolved the
Union. She has done what South Caro-
lima threatened to do in the tariff excite-
ment of '32. She has declared that she
will not submit to law passed by the Con-
gress Of the United States. She, at any
rate, cannot complain if the people of
Missouri regard her and her people as out
of the pale of the laws and of the Union
| if we meet her hordes as enemies, and her
emigrants asl our dstermedin foes. She
has now herself drawn the sword and made
an open declaration of war, and we are
thrown upon the right of selfdefence-the
| first law of our nature. 1t is said, indeed,
that the present Legislature de, not, repre-
sent the sentiments of a majority Of the
people of Massachusetts this and
many other of their acts will be repudia-
ted by popular vote. Nevertheless, the
immense majority which carried the bill
over the Governors veto, more than three
to one, would lead us to an. opposite con-
clusion. 1t is contrary to human nature
to expect that the slave-holding States will
| tamely submit to. such Legislation. If one
State sets at naught the constitutional
guarantee of the federal compact, we may
be sure that others will not be slow to fol-
low the example. Massachusetts who has
been prating of her devotion to the Union,
and hypocritically Wanting her regard for
the constitutions the first to prove faith
less to both, and formally and authoritively
to nstllity the supreme la.U of the land.
| The northern press has continually villi-
fed the South, and has stigmatised her
sons as fire eaters, ;lltras and nullifers, for
no othar reason than that they have stead
fastly maintained the rights of the South
and the constitutional guarantees of the
Union, and that they have declared they
would prefer disunion to submission to
Iusurpation and a surrender of eur rights.
This charge of notification has been
echoed by presses In Missouri, whose
voice in no instance has been raised
against the assaults and Vaccinations of
northern frcesoilers. 1t is time that this
should have an end. The issue, as pre-
sentsd- by the Legislature of Massaehu-
sets, rises above all party politics. Leg
lialation Of this kind must be met by prompt
and energetic action, and it will never dc
for any southern: State to present a divided
front. We must act and speak, not as
Democrats, or Whigs-nota as Know n 9TH
ings, or anti Know n sthings, but as Mis-.
sourians-and citizens of State whose
rights have been assailed, and whose con-
stitutional guarantees have been invaded
While we respect the laws and the ,consti.
tuition ourselves, let us insist upon others
doing the same. Not that we advocate vi.
iolence bIoodshed, or disruption Of the
Union on the contrary, let US bear and
forbear as leng as patience is a virtue
Let us appeal to the second sober thoughts
| of the people of Massachusetts,, but In the
meantime let us take such action as viii
protect our rights and our property. Il
the law cannot and will not defend US
we must defend ourselves.-H- LOUIS .Nsr.
tToT.i IL
i Posr OFFICES IN KANsAs.-The fol.
/ lowing Post Offices haye been established
| in Kansas Territory. One at Atchison