Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-08-09
GOVERNOR REEDERs Removal.

we conclude to-day the puDHcdtioH OF the cor
respondence between Governor Reeder and the
Administration. This has been subject that has
filed so much of the public mind for the last
six months, that feel it to be DUE alike to our
readers, ourselves, and all parties concerned, to
lay the whole denouen,ent before the public.
The part we have had in the excitaton which
Governor Readers appointment and subsequent
official conduct accustomed throughout the whole
country, was prompted by no other motive than
a sincere desire to see justice administered fairly
to all. No factous spirit to the Administration
no personal or political hostility to Governor
Reeder--entered into opposition, either to his
appointment, the course he deemed fit TO
pursue in the exercise of his gubernatorial
duties. We thought then, as we think now, and
said then as we say now, that the policy pursued
by the Administration in the organization of the
two Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, was an
unnatural, and, in our judgment, a most errone-
policy. We predicted, too, in our earnest
remonstrance against it, precisely the result which
has SO unhappily come to pass. Commotion and
strife, even to the apprehension of much blood
she'd threatened the settlement of the Territory
of Kansas. 1t is to congratulate the country
upon the escape from these frghtful consequences
that we pen this article, and we must sincerely
invoke all parties to forget their dissensions in
the augury of a better state of things under the
change that has been made in the officers of the
Territory. Judge Dawson we know well, per-
sonaly and politically, and we think we may
commend him safely to friends in Kansas, as
sound, constitutional rght-thinking man, and
in all respects worthy their esteem and conf
dence.
We trust through these qualities oil may be
poured upon the hitherto troubled waters Of our
new Territory, and that long we may have
the pleasure of welcoming her into our common
ssterhood.
1t would not be consistent with our habit of
righteousness, from which we hope never tc
vary if we did not refer 10 one of the features in
in the correspondence we publish, and TO comment
upon it in such terms as il seems to MS TO de-
serve.
1t will be remarked that the Administration
ground of his interest in and connection with
land speettlaiions. Now, we say, that the grava-
men of his official offence was in the encourage
ment of the Freesoilers, and the improper treat
ment of the "pro-slapery' emigration We 90
farther, and say that we think 1t not improbable
we can show that several members of the cabinet
rested their urgency for Governor Reeder's re-
moval upon this ground only. We are quite
sure that the Hon. Secretary of War, in his
speech in Mississippi, few weeks ago, and to
which we have referred in previous number of
the Sentinel, did regard his conduct in this latter
respect the chef and sufficient if not only
cause, for his removal. For ourselves, we would
rather he should have bought every acre of the
halfbreed reservations, than that Governor of
Territory should have, with impunity, been
permitted to outrage the rights of any section of
our country, or any portion of our people seek
ing homes within her limits. We fear, therefore,
il is not quite ingenious in the Administration to
have placed their rebuke to Governor Reeder
upon the ground it has done. We cannot be-
heve the Administration has passed over the
graver for the lighter offence, and if it has not,
itwould have given far greater moral force to
its action, had it frankly avowed it.
In the good, however, that we hope il to grow
out Of this change, we will try to lose sight of
this unnecessary error.