New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-07
KANSAS AT THE CAPITAL.

RA,toi,.l ConespondeDe Of The NJ 7. Tribune.
WASHINGTON Wednesday, Dec. 5, 1856
When Gen. Cass invented the dodge of Popular
Sovereignty TO elude the dilemma which required
him 10 AXE gIoupd either for or against Slavery
Extension, he can hardly have foreseen the issues
Of thst famous device-the new perplexities in
which be and bis associates were doomed to be To-
volvsd by it,
Popular Sovereignty" vas extended over Kan
sas By the passage Of the Kansas Nebraska act.
Up to that time, that Territory had for thirty years
been shielded from all ag'a'ion or collision
respecting Slavery by stipulation of the Missouri
compact That compact gave rest to the Far
West under the agis of Impartial Freedom; but
Douslas and Pierce proclaimed that regime at war
with the inherent right Of every community, even
in embryo, to govern itself, and substituted the
popular Sovereignty" f their famous act,
whereby the widely scattered settlements of a
few thousand squatters on the great western
plains, though dominated by Governor, Secre-
tsry, Marshal aud judges sent out to them from
the Federal metro polls, were to be enabled and
required to govern themselves.
Well: they undertook to elect delegate to
Congress,
endowed with political rights, but supplied with
neiehbors ready to come over and show them how
they must be exc cised. Kansas bad the reputa-
ton of sending Whitfield to the last House, but
the men who elected him went over on purpose
from Missouri
Next they tried to elect Legislature, with the
same result Some thousands OF armed Nilsson
rians surrounded and took possession OF the polls
voted TO their hearts content, and changed the
iudpes of election when not sufficiently pliable
thew carried even Lawrence, where the Free
State residents are and were at least ten to one
and swept the Territory from end to end. And
the Legislature so chosen has pretended TO legal
lie Slavery and enact the severest penalties for
oil manner of opposition to its sway.
new election of Delegate was ordered by this
legislature; but the settlers had by this ti~e
crown tired of this sort of Popular Sovereignty
Thew denied the authority Of the Missouri usurp-
ers. refused to vote at their election, and allowed
the Missouri moss troopers and their few confeder
ates in the Territory to return Whitfield without
contest. Then the settlers, on day duly apPoiaF
ed by themselves, held an election aud chose Gov
Reeder; choosing also Delegates TO Convention
which has formed Free-Sate Constitution
Of course, this brings the Popular Sever
ecrty of the Ksasas settlers into COLLISION WIFI
that of the MssouIisn Propag lndisss OF slavery
One or the other must give way. The People
,5bsre TO the or, anism of their own choice and
repudiste that imposed on them from MISSOURI
The Federal ofice-holders, Missourimade func'
toparies ard their little faction OF Slavery ffopa
osndists. have no hope Of being able to sustain
Themselves in the joust; so they call on the Mis-
souri.us for aid. But the disposition to go over
and 6ght seems not so general and eager as was
that TO 20 over and vote. Many go, but more
hang back: so there are not enough to attack the
zeal ropular soyereisns in their headquarters al
J.xrence. Hence Gov shannon calls on the
United States commandment in that vicinity for aid
10 enforce the acts of the ProSlavery asnrpers VI
Lei.lstive authority aud telegraohs 10 the fres'
dent here for authority 10 precip'tate tue federa
soldiery on the devoted heads Of the Freemen OF
Kalsas.
Here il popular Sovereignty" with ven
eeance! The President is sorely bothered py IT,
He hates to turn back, but breads to go on Inc
FIRST impulse at the White House was 10 nope
that the dispatch was forgery. Conhrmatory
advices eispe the least chance that this may have
been the case Unwelcome as is the truth, the
dispatch is Wilson shannon's and no mistake.
What shall be done about it,
The President cOnsults his Cabinet, but nothing
comes of that Gov. Marcy Gays it does not per-
tain TO his department, (the State.) Gov. Nc
ielland il is well understood, if it is adjudged to
belong to the Interior, will be slow to employ
Federal troops to uphold the Missouri usurpstOn
But let it be referred to the War Department and
Col JEFF. Davis will order every man aud every
gun to the support of Atchison and strinsfel'ow.
So II ia understood that the knotty case s left for
the present with Attorney General Gushing, who
for once, has evinced no eageraess to magnify bis
Office. Meantime the President Is understood to
have telegrsphed to Shannon that he (Pisrce) will