The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-08-02
From the New York Times, 22d inst.
A Curious Revelation.


Kansas Territory by President Pierce, was
afterwards removed from that Office by him,
professedly because he had engaged in un-
lawful and improper estate speculations.
Every man of ordinary political sagacity
knew at the time that this was a mere pre-
text and that Governor Reeder's removal
was really effected by the Border Ruffians of
Missouri, because the course he had taken
interfered with the accomplishment of their
plans.
The authentic history Of this transaction
is given in another part of this mornings pa
per, as sworn to by Governor Reeder him
self, upon examination before the Congress
sional Committee appointed to investigate
the affairs of Kansas. It is a curious chap
ter of the secret political history of the
times.
From this statement it appears that Pre-
sident Pierce informed Governor Reeder, in
personal interview in the spring of 1855,
that the most urgent demands had been
made for his removal-and that 4" General
Atchison pressed it in the most excited man.
ner, and would listen to no reasoning at
alb
He farther assured him, after full explana-
tions had been made that he was perfectly
satisfied that his purchases of the town lots
were all right, and that all his proceedings
in Kansas met his entire appreciation.
At subsequent interviews he repeated
these assurances-but at the same time, in
Consequence of the pressure upon him from
General Atchison and others, he desired
Gov. Reeder to resign.
He endeavored to work upon his fears,
saying it would be unsafe for him to return
to Kansas, that his life might be taken and
that the whole North would be inflamed.
Finding these hints Intellectual, and that
Gov. Reeder would not resign, he then pro-
posed to reneoue him, in way to obviate his
objections asking him to send him memo
rial on the subject, and promising in his let
ter Of removal, to place it upon grounds to
exonerate him from all blame, to express
the most unqualified appreciation Of his
official conduct, and to give him the mission
to China
Finding that this last engagement could
not be kept, in Consequence of Mr.. Nc
Lanes intention not to return, he promised
to give him some other office, equally or
more desirable.
A good deal of time was consumed in
these negotiations President himself
preparing drafts of letters which be wished
Gov. Reeder to sign, and the latter declining
to sign them because they were evidently
intended to put him in the attitude of con-
senting to his own removal.
The result of the whole was a declaration
on the part of the President, that if be re-
moved him it would be, not on account of
his official action, but of his land specuiations
those very acts of which he had expressed
his approval.
In all this President Pierce was endeavor-
ing to obtain a colorado pretext for doing an
act which his own judgment condemned, but
which the Pro-Slavery propaganda required
at his hands.
Mr.. 'Atchison had demanded Reeder's re-
moval the President had promised it -
and the next question was, how it could best
be done. He sought to intimidate, then to
coax, and finally to bride Governor Reeder
into consenting to his own removal. This is
but one of thousand instances where the
patronage Of the government has been used
directly to promote the designs of the slave
holding interest. The disclosures made in
this testimony of Governor Rceder convict
President Pierce of degree of pusillani-
nous subserviency and of unprincipled
treachery of which even his best friends
hitherto have not deemed him capable.