Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-05
THE PEOPLE or KANSAS vs.. GOV.
REEDER.

in Kansas il bids fair to be yet more so in the
| future. The determination by the people,
whatever may be that determination, Of the
\ question Of slavery there must Of necessity
interest, excite, and inname politicians and
people throughout the length and breadth Of
the confederaey, M
This, thepehemence and passion evinced in
and the rejoicings of It's friends and the groan.
ings and hootings OF its opponents among the
people, sufficiently indicate. 1929
Was it the mere fact Of new territory be-
ing opened to the enterprise Of our citizens
that provoked this passion and vehemence?
No; this was not the cause The cause was
in the Abolitionists opposing themselves to the
incorporation into the bill of principles estab-
/ lished by the compromise acts of 1850, and
which were supposed and intended to be a final
settlement Of vexed question.
II was the opposition of the Abolitionisis
and their aiders and abettors, to the following
words Of section 20: and the same is hereby
enacted into temporary government by the
name OF the Territory of Kansas and aohen
admitted as a State or States, tie said Terri
tory, or any portion Of tlesanae, shall be re.
ceiccd into tie Union Nth or icithom slarc,y
as therein prescribed at tie time Of their adj
mission And 10 the following words Of sec,
ton 80:
| 'SEc 30. That the Constitution and all
i laws of the United States, which are not locally
inapplicable, shall have the same force and
effect within the said Territory Of Kansas as
elsewhere within the United States, except the
9Th section of the act preparatory to the ad-
mission of Missouri into the Union, approved
March 9th, 1920, which, being inconsistent
with the principle of non intervention by Con-
gress with slavery in the States and Terrific
ries, as recognized by the legislation of 1850,
commonly called the Compromise measures, is
hereby declared imperative and void; it being
the true intent and meaning Of this act not to
legislate slavery into any Territory or State,
nor to exclude it therefrom, 6at 10 leare the peO
| pie Hereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions In their o,cn ray
subject only to the Constitution Of the United
| States. Propided, That nothing herein con-
tanned shall be so construed as to reverse or
put in force any law or regulation which may
| have existed prior to the act Of 9th Of March,
/ 1920 either protecting, establishing, prohibit
ing, or abolishing slavery"
The Nebraska Kansas act left the PEOPLE
perfectly free to form and regulate their do
nestle Institutions IN their oacn acay. The
Abolitionists, and the opposers generally Of
the principles Of the Compromise measures of
1850, we're in favor Of depriving The people Of
their perfect freedom to regulate matter solely
l ~ - l. Il
was the great point of interest in the act
All the world knows this.
Whether or not the "squatters" should be
Sovereign" in the matter of slavery, which
affected them alone, was the single point which
so divided Congress and the country. Let not
this be forgotten in trying the question Of THE
PEOPLE or KANSAS VS.. GOVERNOR REEDER
Let US review the history Of the contest in
Kansas from the beginning. Soon after the
signing by the President of the Nebraska
Kansas bill, it became known that society,
called the Emigrant Aid Society" was formed
in that State, which has recently so thoroughly
disgraced itself by its Legislative action against
Judge Loring, martyr to his firm performance
Va Mo uuhl ubdSA lhC SOHo1ANuAlOh.
In Massachusetts, then, a society was formed,
and large capital subscribed and paid down,
having for its avowed object the abolaionizing
Of Kansas. The more violent Of their presses
declared that their intention was not only to
abolitionize Kansas but through it to aboli-
tionize Missouri, and with Missouri as full
crum, and Kansas as the power, to upturn the
"hated institution" in the entire South.
The excitement that the knowledge of such
a design created in Missouri, may be easily inn
agined.
How stood matters in Missouri at the time
Of the approval Of the act? Then, and for
years previous, the settlement had pressed west
wardly to the extreme verge Of the State. The
western line Of Missouri was marked by CON
tinuous line of fences, extending fifty or hun
dred miles, without interruption. Settlement
had adva1 as far as the law permitted it.
The Indian intercourse act damned up its farther
progress. On one side Of the line of fences
we're houses and cultivated fields, and on the
other, Indian territory, not subject to settle
ment. The border inhabitants Of Missouri had
long looked forward to the day when they
would be permitted by law to enjoy the rich
lands Of Kansas, upon which their cattle grazed,
and their young men hunted. Each one had
his selected spot, with its spring and diversified
timber and prairie.
i As soon as the Kansas-Nebraska act opened
the country, the unpent stream Of emigration
poured over the State line Of Missouri. Late
as the season was, many put up cabins the
FIRST year, and cut grass for their stock Others,
the many, with their crops seeded in Missouri,
could do no more than mark out their claims,
owing to the lateness Of the season, and the
stern drought Of last year. They we're bona
Jide settlers, and inhabitants Of Kansas, tempo.
rarily absent in Missouri, reaping the benefit
Of their growing crops thereon. II has been
| assorted that Of tho en,ioranlq for,pa r1ed he