Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-11-13

Territory would be as much without the pro-
lection OF law to-day as they were year ago,
when you first came amongst them.
Being thus foiled in all your undertakings
disappointed in some of your most hopeful
prospects of gain, defeated in your hopes of
having legislature subservient to your views
and the sword of justice long suspended over
| you; having at length fallen, you moodily re-
tired for the concoction of new mischief You
are first seen in conclave with the most rabd
abolitionists of the Territory putting forth
doctrines subyersiye Of all law and good gov
eminent, denouncing the acts of the legisla
tive assembly, though that body was elected in
pursuance OF your own proclamation, and the
void and of no binding force, and pledging
yourselves to united resistance.
As part of the disorganizing schemes
adopted, and, doubtless, suggested by you a
mock election was determined to be held on
the 9Th inst. for a delegate to Congress- not
withstanding that the first of the month was
the day legally prescribed for that purpose.
AT such pretended election, held not only
without color of law, but in open violation Of
law, you, came forward as candidate and
| suppose some week-minded and vldisposed
persons may have voted for you. How many
| | am not concerned to know. for no numbers
could impart validity to proceeding SO law
less and disorganizing.
! And it is with list of votes thus obtained,
taken and certified to by Judges bound by no
oaths, and recognising no law for their govern
| ment- votes given by persons Of no defined
qualifications, and restrained by none of the
penalties which attach to illegal or fraudulent
yoting-that you will apply to the House Of
Representatives to vacate my seat in order to
make room for you. For carrying out SO
monstrous purpose you calculate largely
upon the political complexion of that body,
| Ia portion of which is known to be infected
with the most loathsome heireses of the times
l confidently predict that you are again
| reckoning without your host, and believe that the
| House of Representatives will regard the mere
suppostion that it could lend itself to so revolu
tionary and high-handed- a proceeding, as a
| libel upon its character promptly to be resented
| You may succeed in engendering illfeeling in
the halls OF Congress, and in gaining for your
self sort of notoriety which, however I'M
enviable, you seem to prefer to the obscurity
which BELTS you; but other advantages you
will not obtain.
In the meantime, you may enjoy the ignoble
satisfaction of having introduced and fomented
an amount OF discordant feeling and insubordi-
nation to law In this Territory which it will
require the labors of many better men to re-
press, and from which your misguided dupes
and followers have everything to fear; for /
| speak not the language of threat and bravado,
but OF sober reason, when ! say to you that the
people OF this Territory are determined to
have laws, and to enforce them whatever may
be the hazards or the sacrifices
submitted my name as candidate, and re-
ceived the votes of the law-abiding portion of
the people, in conformity to an enactment of the
legislative assembly of the Territory Ifthere
was anything in the constitution or conduct of
that body calculated to iuvaidate its acts, it
will be time enough for me to refuse obedience
when court of competent jurisdiction shall
have SO declared. | abjure, as revolutionary,
and destructive of all social order the doctrine
held by you and your associates of right in
the individual to set up his private judgment
IN opposition to constituted authority
As an American citizen, hold it TO be nv
duty to yield obedience to the laws under which
live, and to contribute my aid towards en-
forcing the obedience of others and this with
out reference to my individual opinion respect
ing their moral force or political expediency.
1t is precisely because you are swayed by OPP
posite sentiments that you now seek to embroil
me In harrassing controversy.
In conclusion, will only further say that
this brief exposition is not given as due to
you, but to the end that the attention of the
American people, and of that House of Repre-.
sentatives to which you intend to appeal, may
be directed to the true nature and grounds of
the strife you seek to provoke. And though /
shall pay no regard TO your preliminary move.
ments, you will,yet find that shrink from no
investigation, however searching. If the House
of Representatives shall so far forget its self.
respect and its regard for patriotic duty as to
order scrutiny upon such showing as you will
be able to make, you will find me prompt in
the defence of my own rights and those of my
constituents. j. W. WHITFIELD.
To A. H. REEDER, ESQ.,