The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-03
Rufiian Sovereignty I'm Kansas-The New
Biu e Mr.. Douglas.

Ruiiian Sovereignty In Kansas-The New
Blll 81 Mr. Douglas.
The report of the Congressional committee de.
tailed to Kansas to inquire into and collect the
facts concerning the political disturbances in tina
Territory was laid before our readers yesterday
They have doubtless, without solitary excep-
ton, risen from the perusal Of this astounding
report, this historical document, with the most
painful emotions and convictions. The names,
dates, figures, facts and specifications of this re-
port, however, silence all doubts and all prevari-
cations as TO the dongs Of The "border ruffians.'
Explanations, apologies and denials may be piled
mountains high upon each other, but here are the
acts facts dates, names and places, all the mate
rails of legal testimony as before court of JUS
tice, and they cannot be displaced. Upon such
evidence the President Of the United States be-
fore an honest jury could hardly escape imprison-
ment for life.
What picture! We have read with incredu-
lity the atrocities of English civil wars Irish re-
bellions and French revolutions, from shrinking
dissemination to believe in the possibility of such
examples of human depravity but we are incre-
dulous no longer. When any portion of peo-
pie belonging to the most civilized enlightened,
and law and order loving race under the sun, can
descend to such scenes of systematic rufianism as
those which are set forth in this Congressional
report, we are reduced to the conclusion
that the general repupance of mankind
to pirates and highway robbers to burglars
and midnight assassins, is but a mockery and o
DEUS on-that the securities which the laws Of
the land and the usages of civilized society
throw around us and over Us, like strong
shield are subject like Kansas to the law of
rlffianism and the chances of the hour-that
man, after all, is but savage cannibal, and that
his social political, moral and religious elevation
is but humbug and cheat. Upon one point
there can be no mistake-the unanswerable facts
OF this Kansas report establish it beyond the
possibility Of dispute-and the point il this
that squatter sovereignty is ruffian sovereignty
that the Kansas-Nebraska law, leaving the
people OF the Territory free to regulate their
own domestic affairs in their own way" under
the auspices Of Mesrs. Douglas and Pierce,
means organized rufiansm, whiskey, spoliation,
robbery, murder, fire and sword.
Such are the fearful and bloody fruits Of an
mbocile, indccisive, but reckless aud unscrupu-
lous administration, representing demoralized,
unprincipied, corrupt and thoroughly rotten po-
litical party. The seeds of this prolific crop Of
poisonous fruits which have so rapidly matured
and ripened in Kansas were planted by Mr..
Douglas and his confederates in the kansas-Ne-
bTaska bill but they need not have spronted
had they not been 20 carefully watered and
cultivated by this Pierce administration
AT the outset, under the management
of Mr.. Forney and Governor Reeder. the
plan of Mr. Pierce was to recover his
lost ground in the North, and the plaa OF For
ney Reedcr d Co. was 10 make the most money
that could lie made Of their Kansas land specula-
tons In this view II was natural enough that
they should prefer a non-slaveholding to slave
holding body of settlers A slaveholding com
mGnity is agricultural, and does not build up
manufacturing towns and villages; but colony
Of free soil squatters is developed, a. il increases
into villages towns aud cities including all sorts
Of manufacturing enterprises Hence, to the ORR
ginal owners Of city sites town plots and. mill
seats, free soil community Is just the thing; aud
thus The original Kitchen Cabinet land spccu-
ls'ors in Kansas directed their movements, by
and with the advice and consent OF the admins
tration, to the great financial ultimatum OF
making Kansas free State.
But the South took the alarm, and soon NUT
tcring thunders began TO he heard in that direc-
ton. The administration was frightened, iccder
was dismissed. and as il had become too late ~
carry water On both shoulders, Mr.. Pierce "
solved to cut the North entirely: and by frater
nizing heartily ard actively with the border
rufisns,' he hoped at least to secure the neces-
cary Southern support In the Cincinnati Couvcu-
ton to bring the Northern democracy to sur
render. Mr.. Douglas boldly played the same game
or the same stakes. They lost--,hey both lost;
but they must 90 on. In for penny, in for a
pound II il too late FOR the back track. Though
as generals they are repudatod by the Niger driv
ing leaders Of the democracy Of the South
they must be content 10 serve in the ranks. With
Mr.. Pi,r~e, Il il bu, the show OF consistency. for
he can have no hope of the future; but with NJ
Douglas il IL the campaign OF 1860 and the
voice Of the South which he failed to secure in
1856
II j. not surprising, therefore. after inroduc-
ing one scheme, requiring the federal ratio Of
$4,000 population in Kansas before calling a
Convention to form State constitution that Mr.
Douglas, month later, should consent TO drop
The question Of population and propose the ne
cesssry steps for the immediate admission OF
Kansas. The South have pointed out the way.
The new bill Of Mr. Douglas Is nothing more than
the discovery Of Mr.. Toombs. II il simple and
to the purpose. Under the suspices Of Mr.. Pierce
the border rufiians," by FIRE, sword and terror
ism have expelled tho bulk Of the abolition and
free coil squa,ters from the Territory. They are
scattered all over the North; and even II invited
back. Il would take them some weeks or months