Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-02

or the land or naval force of the United States.
And if the Territory he invaded by the citizens
of other States, whether for the purpose of de-
Gliding elections or for any other, and the local
authorities find themselves unable to repel or
withstand it, they will be entitled to, and upon
the fact being fully asccrtained they shall most
certainly receive the aid of the General Gov
ernment.
But it is not the duty of the President of
the United States to volunteer interposition by
force to preserve the purity of elections either
in a state or Territory. To do so would be
subyersive of public Freedom. And whether
a law be wise or unwise, just or unjust, is not
a question for him to judge. If it be c~onstitu-
tional-that is, if it be the law Of the land-it
is his duty to cause it to be executed or to
sustain the authorities of any State or Terrific
ry in executing it in opposition to all i%nsurrec-
tlonary movements.
Our system affords no justification of rcvolu-
t%ionary acts for the constitutional means of
relieving the people of unjust administration
and laws, by Il change of public agents and by
repeal, are ample, and more prompt and effcc-
tive than Illegal violence. These constitution
al means must be scrupulously guardcd-thiS
great prcrogatlve of popular sovereignty sac
rcdly respected.
1t is the unidentified right of the peaccable
an orderly people of the Territory of Kansas
to elect their own Legislative Body, make their
own laws, and regulate their own social insti-
t~utions, without foreign or domestic moleSta-
ton. Interference, on the one hand, to pro-
cure the abolition or prohibition of slave labor
in the Territory, has produced mischievous in
reference, on the other, for its maintenance OF
introduction. One wrong begets another
Statements entirely unfounded or grossly eX-
aggerated, concerning events within the Terri
tory, are scdulously diffused through remote
States to feed the flame of sectional animosty
! there and the agitators there exert themselves
indcfatigably in return to encourage and Stimu,
late strife within the Territory.
The inflammatory agitation, Of which the
present is but a par, has for twenty years pro-
duced nothing save mmitigatcd evil, North
and South. But for it the character Of the
domestic institutions of the future new State
would have been a matter of too little interest
to the Inhabitants ,,Of the contiguous States,
personal or collectively, to produce among them
any political emotion. Climate, soil, produc-
ton, hopes of rapid advancement, and the pur
suit of happiness on the part of settlers them
selves, with good wishes but with no ~intcrfc,
renee from without, would have quietly deter
mined the question which is at this time of
such disturbing character.
But we are constrained to turn our atten.
ton to the circumstances of embarrassment as
they now exist. 1t is the duty Of the people
OF Kansas 10 di>countcnancc every act or pur.
pose of resistance to its laws. Above all, the
emergency appeals to the citizens Of the States,
and especially Of those contiguous to the Ter.
ritory, neither by intervention of non-rcsidcnts
in elections, nor by unauthorized military force,
to attempt to e%ncroach upon or uSurp the au-
thority of the inhabitants Of the Territory.
No citizen of our country should permit him
self to forget that he is a part of its govern
mcnt, and entitled to be heard in the dctcrmi-
nation of its policy and its measures and that,
therefore, the highest considerations of person
al honor and patriotism require him to main
tain, by whatever of power or influence he may
possess, the integrity Of the laws of the Re
public.
Entertaining these views, it will be my i'm
perative duty to exert the whole power of the
Federal Executive to support public order in
the Territory to yindicate its laws, whether
Federal or local, against all attempts of organ
izcd resistance and so to protect its people in
the establishment Of their own institutions, un-
disturbed by cncrolchmcnt from without, and
in the full enjoyment of the rights of sclfgo-
yernmcnt assured to them by the Constitution
and the organic act of Congress
Although scriou and threatening distur-
Dances in the Territory Of Kansas. announced
to me by the Governor in December last, were
speedily quoted without the ~cffusion of blood,
and in Il satisfactory manner, there is, | regret
to say, reason to apprehend that disorders will
continue to occur there, with increasing ten.
dency to violence, until some decisive mca.
SurcS be taken to dispose of the question itself
which constitutes the induccment or occasion
of internal agitation and Of external iuterfc,
renee.
This, it seems to me, can best be accomplish
ed by providing that, when the inhabitants OF
Kansas may desire it, and shall be of sufficient
numbers to constitute a State. a convention OF
delegates, duly elected by the qualified voters
shall assemble to frame a Constitution, and
thus to prepare, through regular and lawful
means, for its admission into this Union as a
State.
l respectfully recommend the enactment Of
a law to that effect.
/ recommend, also, that a special appropria,
ton be made to defray any expense which may
become requisite in in the execution of the laws
or the maintenance of public order in the Ter
ritory of Kansas.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.