Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-02-14
BY the President Of the United States Of
A PROCLA AM


Whereas Indications exist that public tran
guilty and the supremacy OF law in the Terri
tory of Kansas are endangered by the repre-.
hensible acts or purposes of persons, both
within and without the same, who propose to
direct and control its political organization 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 constitutional and legal
authority: 1t also appearing that persons re.
siding without the Territory, but near its Dor.
ders, contemplate armed intervention in the
affairs thereof: 1t also appearing that other
persons, inhabitants Of remote States, are col
lecting money, engaging men, and providing
arms for the same purpose. And IL further
appearing that combinations within the Terri
tory are endeavoring, by the agency of ennis
saries and otherwise, to induce individual States
of the Union to intervene in the affairs thereof
III violation of the Constitution Of the United
| States:
And whereas all such plans for the deterni-
nation of the future institutions the Territory,
| If carried into action from within the same,
will constitute the fact Of instruction, and, if
| from without that of invasive aggression, aud
will, in either case, justify and require the for
| chile interposition of the whole power of the
| General Government, well TO maintain the
laws of the Territory as those Of the Union:
Now, therefore, i, Branklin Pierce, Presi.
| dent Of the United States, do issue this my
proclamation to command all persons engaged
in unlawful combinations against the con.
stituted authority Of the Territory Of Kansas
or of the United States to dispense and retire
peaceably to their respective abodes, and to
warn all such persons that any attempted in
surrection in said Territory or aggressive in
trusion into the same will be resisted not only
by the employment Of the local militia, but
also by that Of any available forces Of the
United States; to the end Of assuring immunity
from violence and full protection to the persons,
property, and civil rights Of all peaceful and
law-abiding inhabitants Of the Territory.
II, in any part Of the Union, the fury Of fac
ton or fanaticism, inhamed 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
arbitrament of arms in that Territory, it shall
be between lawless violence on the one side
and conservative force on the other, welded by
legal authority of the general government.
call on the citizens, both Of adjoining and
Of 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 impartial justice !;
that all individual acts Of illegal interference
will incur condign punishment; and that any
endeavor to intervene by organized force will
be firmly withstood.
invoke all good citizens to promote order
by rendering obedience to the law; to seek
remedy for temporary evils by peaceful means ;
TO discountenance and repulse the counsels and
Investigations of agitators and Of disorganizers;
and TO testify their attachment to their country,
their pride in its greatness, their appreciation
Of the blessings they enjoy, and their determi.
nation that republican institutions shall not
fail in their hands, by cooperating to uphold
the majesty Of the laws and to yndicate the
sanctity Of the constitution.
In testimony whereof, have hereunto set
my hand, and caused the seal Of the United
States to be affixed 20 these presents.
Done at the city of Washington, the eleventh
day Of February, in the year of our
rsv,, Lord one thousand eight hundred and
t'AAl ffy-six, and Of the independence Of the
United States the eightieth.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
BY the President,
w. l.. MARCY, Secretary Of State.