The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-03-22
From tie n. Y. Csurisr aad Eaqus,sr.
What viii Congress do?

Gov. Shannon has returned to Kansas
with orders what orders He is in
structed to call upon the United States
troops for service in certain contingen-
cies Z but what contingencies Ali adj
vices from Washington thus far, leave
the this matter indefinite, and yet it is
one of extreme public interest. Has the
President taken upon himself to enforce
the enaetments of the usurping legisla-
ture, or not That is the question:
The President, in his messages and proc
lamation, expresses the determination to
suppress disorder and enforce the laws.
But he does not explicitly state whether
he considers the enactments of the late
so-salled Legislature to be laws or not
Has he resolved to carry those enact
ments into effect? If he has, we may
as we'll prepare at once for civil war in
Kansas. 1t is as certain as that the sun
will rise tomorrow, that the majority of
the people of Kansas will not peaceably
submit to the abominable ediets of that
pack of Missouri interlopsrs who pretend
ed to legislate, the other side of the river
from Wesiport. It is not in American
blood to submit to it /; and the President
is infatuated if he thinks he can compel
submission. He is incurring fearful
responsibility if he attempts it.
1t avails little for the President to sat-
isfy himself by Cabinet discussions at
Washington that the body at the Shaw
nee Mission was a veritable territorial
Legislature, while the great body of the
settlers of Kansas affirm that it was not.
The orgaaie law under which they live,
establishes the principle of squatter SOW
ereignty, and notOf executive sovereign
ty, aud there is little danger of their for
getsing 1t. They will not obey what
their souls revolt from, and what they re-
ligiously believe has no binding efficacy
The Administration may have yet to
learn that squatter soyereigns are less
easily unmade than made. The laws oil
the spurious legislature have thus far,
through the greater part oftlie Territory,
remained dead letter. They have been
mere paper transactions, and of little
practical account any way. If the Pres
idept, through Gov. Shannon, now un-
dertakes to give them validity and effect,
where and how is he to begin p
Will he, for instance, commence with
this law?
"If any person print, write, introduce
iaso, or publish, or circulate, or cause
to be brought into, printed, writ
ten, published or circulated, or shall
knowingly aid or assist in bringing into,
printing, publishing or circulating with
in this Territory, any book, paper, pam
phlet, magazine handbill. or circular,
containing any statements. arguments,
opinion, sentiment, doctrine, advice or
inuendo, calculated to produce diserd-
erly, dangerous or rebellious disaffeetion
among the slaves in this Territory, or to
induce such slaves to escape from
their masters, or to resist their authority,
shall be guilty of felony, and be pun
tshed by imprisonment at hard labor for
. term of not less than five years.
Will he send Sheriff Jones, armed with
search warrant from one ofthe federal
judges Of the Territory, to make decent
upon the dwelling of every Free State
man, in search of q copy of the New York
Tribune, or of Uncle Toms Cabin, or of
some of DR.. Canning's volumes, or OF
Bryaat's. or Longfellow's. or Cowper's
poems. or any of the thousands of news
papers and productions of modern itera-
tuFe which contain statements. argu-
n,ents. opinion. sentiments, doctrine. ad-
vice, or inuendo, calculated to produce
> disafection among the slaves. .
Is il expected that Sheriff Jones viii
make haul OF ali men in whose posses
sloa are found any such publications p
Even had he the strength ofthat Sampson
who " found new Jaw bone Of An ass,
and put forth his hand, and took it, and
slew thousand. he would be hardlJ
able TO do this: and We are not sure thai
even with the help ofthe gallant Colonel
sumner and his eighthundred dragons
ne would succeed in performing the bus.
mess to the Presidents satisfaction. i
sapity he could not resort to the old
henan expedient Of putting the wholt
country under the Hsesdict of FIRE and