Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-02-28
By the President Of the United States
Of america.
Proclamation.

. =
WHEREAS Indications exist that
public tranquility and the supremacy |
of law in the Territory of Kansas
are endangered by the rsprehensible |
acts or purposes of persons, both With
in and without the same, who propose
to direct aud control its political or
ganization by force: 1t appearing
that combinations have been formed
therein to resist the execution of the
Territorial laws, and thus in effect
subvert by violence all present con-
stitutional legal authority: 1t also
appearing that persons residing with
out the Territory, but near its borders,
contemplate armed intervention in
the affairs thereof: 1t also appearing
that other persons Inhabitants of r.
mote States, are collecting money,
engaging men, and providing arms
for the same purpose: And it far
Tther appearing that combinations
within the Territory are endeayoring,
by the agency Of emissaries and
otherwise, to induce individual States
of the Union to intervene in the af-
fairs thereof, in violation of the Con-
stitution of the United States:
And whereas all such plans for the
determination of the future institu-
ton of the Territory, if carried into
action from within the same, will con-
stitute the fact of instruction, and if
from without That ofinvasive aggression,
and viii, in either case, justify and
require the forcible 'interposition 81
the whole power of the General Gov
eminent, as we'll to maintain the laws
iof the Territory as those Of the Un-
ion:
Now, therefore, I, Franklin Pierce,
President of the United States, do
issue this proclamation to command
all persons engaged in unlawful COM
binations against the constituted
authority of the Territory Of Kansas
or of the United States to dispense
and retire peaeeably to their respect
i've abodes, and to warn such persons
thasany ACCOMPLISHMENTS in said
Territory Or aggressive intrusion into
the same, will be resisted not only
by the employment Of the local
militia, but also that Of any available
forces of the United States; to the
end assuring immunity from VIC
lence and full protection Of the per.
sons, property, and civil rights of all
peaceful and law-ab iding inhabitants
Of the Territory,
If, in any part of the Union, the
fury Of faction OF fanaticism, in
famed into disregard of the great
principles of popular sovereignty,
which under the Constitution, are
fundamental in the whole structure of
our institutions, is to bring on the
country the dire calamity Of an arbi-
trament of arms in that Territory, it
shall be between lawlass violence
on the one side and conservative force
on the other, welded by legal author
ity of the General Government.
l call on citizens, both of adioin-
ing and distant States, to abstain
from unauthorized intermeddling
in the local concerns of the Territory |
admonishing them that Its organic
law is to be executed with i'm.
partial justice; and all individual acts
of illegal interference will incur con-
dign punishment, and that any en-
deayor to intervene by organized
force will be firmly wishstood.
] invoke all good citizens to pro-
mote order by rendering obedience to
the law; to seek remedy for tempo
rary evils by peaceful means: to dis
,ountenance and repulse the councils
md the instigations Of agitators and
If disorganizers; and to testify their
attachment to their country, their
bride in its greatness, their determi-
ration that republican Institutions
hall not fail in their hands, by CO.
,perating to uphold the majesty of
he laws and to vindicate the sanetity
f the Constitution.
In testimony whereof | have here Q
INTO set my hand and caused the seal
f the United States to be fixed to i
hese presents. d
Done at the city Of Washington, n
the eleventh day Of February,
in the year of our Lord one thou
/. s. ]sand eight hundred and ffty-six, I
and Of the independence of the :
United States the eightieth. J
FRANKLIN PIERCE IL
BY the President: '
W. L. MARCY, Secretary Of Sta.e. o ,
-%+-<<- y