The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-11-29

people! have we cause OF gratitude,
because, in the absence of valid Leg
islature, we are exposed TO all the dan
gers of invasions from without, and
eonvulsions within? Shall we thank
God, that Franklin Pierce has eem-
bined with Border Rufians, to subject
us to jurisdiction foreign to our Con-
stitution and unaeknowleged by our
laws-for giving his assent to acts of
pretended legislation-for protecting
from punishment by mock trials those
who have committed murder upon our
lnhabitants-for cutting off our trade
with different sections of the country
for imposing taxes upon US without our
consent-and for causing some of our
noblest and most upright men to be
tried for pretended offences?
Shall we thank God that the agents
of Franklin Pierce have plundered our
property, ravaged our fields, burnt our
dwellings,. and destroyed the lives of
our people? Are we grateful that they
have sent thither from Missouri large
bodies of armed mercenaries, to COM
plete the work of death, desolation and
tyranny, already begun with cireum-
stances of cruelty and per6dy, scarcely
paralleled in the most barbarous ages,
and totally unworthy the head of civ
ilized nation? Shall we thank God
that this same Franklin Pierce, has as
sisted in establishing slavery in this
Territory, and that our humble and re-
peated petitions for redress have been
answered only by gross and repeated in
juries +? What say you, fellow-citizens );
do you see in any or all of these things,
cause of gratitude to God I" We
have peace says Gov. Geary, there
fore We ought to be thankful" Peace I
what is our peace? We have the peace
of the man who sits in fancied security
on the orator of raging volcano p
We have peace" says the Governor.
But is there not ON our borders, yea,
scitsin our borders, deadly foe, pant
ing, thirsting, and perhaps, at this very
moment, plotting our destruction? We
have peace. But have we laws of our
own choosing7 We have peace. But
have we freedom of speech and freedom
of press We have peace. But are
our dwellings secure from unwarranta-
bic search, and our property from ille-
gal seizure I? We have peace But it
is the peace of death. Shall we be CRATE
full to God for such a peace? mol
No! Let US rather thank God that He
has given above us beautiful skies, and
beneath us fertile soil, and that the
hope yet remaineth in us, strong and
abiding, that we shall be able success
fully to maintain our rights to this
glorious air which we breathe, and to
this fruitful soil which we tread. we
have abundant reason to thank God,
not for what the government at Wash
ington has done us, but for what we
are, and for what we hope to be, in spite
of that government.
We are thankful that a noble sympa-
thy, not of words merely, but of deeds,
has been generously extended to US by
our friends at the North. We are
grateful that there are millions of hearts
now beating high with hope that the
people of Kansas meet all their trials |
and discouragements, especially under
the almost desponding pressure of that
last unrighteous verdict of the Ameri-
can people, the report of which has just
come to our ears that yet the people
of Kansas still stand firm, and present
an undauted front to the attacks of
their foes, believing that so surely as |
God has made Liberty strong and
Slavery weak, so surely as the one bears
in its bosom the hopes of m ankind, and
the other the seeds of It's own destruc-
ton, so SURELY as Heaven is,the ally
of Right, and the enemy to Wrong
surely shall Freedom be finally esta6s|
lished in this beautiful Territory.
MIR. BRowN being called forward, re-
responded briefly to the toast published
in the official proceedings. He said some
had remarked that they were at loss to
know for what to return thanks on this |
occasion. 1t reminded him of the pc
riod when the treaty of peace had been
signed betwe the thirteen colonies and |
the mother country. George the Third
isued proclamation, ordering a day of |
general thanksgiving and prayer,
throughout the British empire. "For
what" inquired courtier, shall We
return thanks? is it for the thousands
of our brave soldiery who have been
slain in battle? Is it because our ma
tional exchequer has been bankrupted in
carrying on this war? Or is it for be-
ing dispossessed of our principal pos
sessions in America P' The king
gravely replied mo, for none of
these, but let us thank God that we
have not been dispossessed of our entire
possessions, ali, and of our crown, too.
which was in such imminent peril"
1t seems to me proper, on this occa-
sion, to return thanks TO God for the
few privileges remaining to us, that
we are not robbed of everything. our
personal liberties included. While /
many of our fellow citizens have been
driven into exile, murdered, or shut up
in filthy prisons, we are at liberty to
gather around this festive board, and /
partake of the dainties of our goodly !
land. Whilst others are desponding, |
surrounded by the innumcrabIe priva-
tions incident to new home, we, in |
Lawrence, have measursbly passed |
through those trials, and are looking
forward with ardent hope to 3 day of:
peace. Let us, then, be greatful for
those privileges, especially to that Al |
mighty preserver of individuals, and of
nations, who causes the wrath of man
to praise Him, and who, in the dispensa-
tions of hls Providence, overrules evil
with good. The speaker remarked
that he was truly thankful for the com
plimentary allusion made to the HERALD
OF FREEDoa. 1t was established here,
on Kansas soil, TO defend the great
principles ofciviI and religious liberty.
It always had been, as he was deter
mined it always should be. true to fhe
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