Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-12-06


bsen greater than what occasionally passes be-
FIRE Us in snple cities to the regret Of all good
citizens, but without being regarded as Of gen
eral or permanent political consequence.
I Imputed Irregularities in the elections had in
Kansas, like occasional irregularities Of the
same description in the states, were beyond
the sphere or action of the executive. Bot IN
clcnis u actual violence or Of orpanzrd oh
siruc,ion Of law, peflinaciously renewed itom
time To time, have bccn net rs they occurred,
by such means 81 were available and as the cir
cualt'inrrs required and nothing Of this char
actor now remains to affect the general peace
of the uuion, The attempt II part VI the
liehubuauis Of the territory to erect rcyolu
iionary government, though scluonsly encout-
aged and supplied with peculiarly AID from ae.
Tive agents If disorder IN sumo of The states
has completely filled. Bodies of armed men,
foreign To the territory have been prevented
from entering or compelled to leave il. Pre-
daioty hands, engaged in acts " rapinr, under
cover II the existing political disturbances,
have been arrested ur dispersed. And every
well disposed person Is now enabled once more
TO devote himself in peace to ihe pursuits Of
prosperous industry, Tor the prosecution Of
which he undertook to participate in the settle
meni Of the territory.
], affords me unninglcd satisfaction thus 10
announce the peaceful condition Of things iu
k1nls. especially considering the means To
which 1t was necessary IT, have recourse for the
attainment Of that end, ra'nely, the employment
IT part Of tho military iurce " the United
States The withdrawal Of thai force from H.
proper dniy Of defending the country against
foreign foes or the sayagcs " the frontier. to
employ II for the Suppression Of domestic in
snrrec.iun, IS, when the cxircncy occurs, n
matter of the most earnest scliciiudt On this
occasion Of imperative necessity i, has been
done with the best results, and my satisfaction
in ,he attainment, OF such results by such means
is greatly enhanced BIS The consideration, that,
through the energy ~ the presrn, executive Of
kanzas. aud the prudence. hunness and vici-
lance Of the military officers un duty there,
tranquility has been restored without one drop
IT blood having been SIZED in Us accomplish
ment BY the forces Of the United States
The restoration Of comparative tranquility
in that ietri,ury furnishes Tie means Of ohset-
wing calmly, aud approaching al their just val
&c, the events which have occuircd thero, and
the discussions Of which the government Of the
territory has been the subject.
We perceive lhat controversy concerning It's
future domestic Institutions was inevitable
that no human prudcnce no form Of legislation,
no wisdom on the part Of Congress, eoud have
prevented This.
il Is idle 10 suppose that the particular pro-
visions Of ihnif organic Law were the cause ui
agitation lhusr provisions we're bot the &C
easion, or The pfoieTI uf an agitation, which
was inherent ia the nature Of things. Con
gress lsgisl4sed upon ;he subject in such ierins
as were most consonani with tho principle Of
popular sovereignty which underies our gov
erunenl. II eonld not have legisaied other
wise without doing violence to another great
principle Of our institutions. the inprescripnhle
right Of equality Of the several STATES.
We perceive, also, that sectional interests
and party passions have been the great impede
neni to the saluiafy operation Of The organic
principles adopted, and the chief cause of the
successive Disturbances in hanzas. The as
sumption that, because in lie organization oi
the territories Of Nebraska aud kanzls Con
eress absiained from imposing restraints upon
subject, therefore disorders occurred IN the lat.
ter territory, is emphascally couifadicicd by
the fact that none have occurred 10 the former.
Those disorders were not the consequence. IN
kauzls, Of The lfoedum OF self.goycEuneni cou-
cedod to that territory hy Congress, bu. Of uo-
just interference oa the part If persons moi la
habilanis nf the territory. Sach Interference.
wherever II has exhibited itself, by acts Of in
surTecuonary character, or Of obstruction 10
processes Of law, has been repelled or suppress
scd, by all the means which the constitution
and the laws place ia The hands Of the eIecs-
tive.
10 those paris Of The Uui,ed States where,
by reason Of the inaamed stale of the public
mind, false rumors and Misrepresentation have
the greatest currency, it has been assumed that
II vas the duty Of the executive not only to
suppress insurTeclionary movements IN kanzls
but also To see 10 the regularity Of local cleo
lions. Il needs bot little argument TO show
that the PTesideni has no such power. All
government in the United States rests subsian-
TALLY upon popular election. The freedom Of
elections is liable to be impaired by the u,ru-
sion Of unlawful votes, or the exclusion Of law
or by fraud, But the people Of lhe Uoi,ed
States are themselves the all-sulliceni gnardi-
ans Of their own rights, aud to SUPPOSE that
they will not remedy, in due season, any such
incidents Of civil freedom, is 10 suppose them
to have ceased to be capable Of selfgovernmeni.
The President Of the United States has not
power to inlerpose in elections, to see 10 their
freedom, 10 canvass their votes, or 10 pass up
on their legality in the territories any more
than in the states. II he had such power the
government might be republican in form, but it
would be monarchy in fac, aud il he bad
undertaken 10 exercise il in the case of Kanzas
he would have been justly subject to the charge
of usurpalion, and of violation of the dearest
rights of the people of the United States.
unwise laws, equally with Irregularities at
elections, are, in periods of great excitement
the occasional incidents Of even the lreesi and
hest nalifical inetifnfions Ruf all oxnarfooco