M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-11-06
IMPORTANTyTAT
OFFICE OF Scr. OF STATE, !
WAsnNGlON, D. c.. Oct. 1855.


August 30 tn, addressed to the President las
been referred by him 10 this department with
instructions to repiy as follows. The Plesi-
Idenl regrets that you should shave ben re.
ceiving letters, memorials and 6tidaviis
from former citizens OF Iowa in Kansas Tor
a whole year all'dgiug that they ale not
protected By the UnueI States Officers in the
lenjOyment Of their liberty and property. -
That your Excellency should be suhjtried 10
such an annoy Bnce is the more painful wien
we consider, that you have 10 power to grJlt
redress.
The state OF affairs in Kansas is to be re.
gretled deeply by all American citizens -
The President is not les> sensitive than YOU
are as to the rights OF the citizens in Kansas
Ills power, however, is only Executive and
that which he is sworn to execute. 1t there
lore becomes his duty to see that the laws
are faithfully executed. lie has 10 power
10 disrsgur amend or set aside laws as un.
| just or unconstitutional; lor to do So would
be To invest him with the law making pow
er. 10 make him an absolute und iTespUusi-
be pOweT--tU make him not the President
Of Republic, but the absolute Monarch of
lhr country, a position 10 which the Pres.
dent does not aspire.
The President hitherto has been, and now
is using all the meaus in his power TO sup.
press oulgdges in Kansas upon private rights
and TO sustain and enforce law aud order.-
The difficulties in Kansas have mainly arisen
from spirit OF ebeiiOn against the cUmsli.
tuted authorities, and determination to re-
sist al authority aud all law; which by its
general dissemination has subyerled civil
government and rendered the law powrrless
and by destroying tIe power Ol the ldw las
Opened general field Tor rdpine, murder and
tie " hole Catd lOgue OF crimes 10 be commit.
ted with impunlty aud to 90 unedrtss.
ed.
The President has taken every effective
measure To secure 10 the citizens Of Kansas
domestic tranquility aud security against
foreign aggression. The suppression ol in
surIeCtlUndry movements is Within his pow.
er, but he cannot, aud will not attempt 10
control traitors 20 their county. lie will
protect with the national arm, all who Bre
disposed to gather ar0unl the standard ol the
law and 10 obey lis beIlestS. The President,
conscious OF having performed his Whole du.
~, is at loss to know By what authority
your EXceIency claims to arralgn him Ur 10
call upon hun Tor an explanation.
Assuming that the General Government
has lalied tU perform its duty, you assert,
THAT it is manlestIy tie right Of each olihe
States to adopt measurrs to project lis iOr-
ner CilIzeGs." loudrmand again ana again
protection, but conclude with what seems tu
be the burden OF all your griels-nUt de.
III md Tor protection to Cill2eus III kansas,
bul demand that the military lorce OH the
line oI emigration be dispersed The pie,i-
dent CalliOt crafty you III this matter. He
will not permit armed invasion from NJ ssnu-
ri or lOWaUr any other source. Peaceful
immigration lie never does aud never will
interrupt.
The President is not dispJs d to except
to the style OI your address when you say TO
him "as the Erecuiire Of Ioua demand,
for her CiliZens III hnIsus prOe, tluu IN Tie
enjoyment ui their properly, their liberty and
their political rights" but would suggest TO
your excelicncy that such lan.u ,gc i'm pl es
u right 10 enforce Ubedmce and The power to
compel ii. Neither ol these are entrusted 10
your ExteIency, aud the President therefore
pardonS to your zeal what could not be ior-
given 10 your good breeding.
In conclusion you rrupuse the following
issue: "ln the event o la Noncompliance IN
my view case will clearly have arisen with.
i'll the principle !ail down by Mr. Madison
in the Virginia resolutions Of 1913. when it
viii be the duty OF the States, TO nterle,e 10
arrest the progress vi tie events in that terri
tory"
1t is not strange that Governor with such
limited powers, as are conceded by the Con-
Slitutiun oI the U. s. and conferred by tile
Constitution Ol Iowa upon you. should over
estimate himself. The doctrine that the TX
eculive Of Iowa can project her citizens be-
yond It's borders or that M has any aulhlriry
beyond the limits OF his STATE, is all ubsurLl-
ty.
The constitution defines the rights of all
citizens Ol Iowa going 10 Kansas or elsewhere.
They cannot carry there the laws or The pTu-
tee ton ol iowa, any more Than citizen at a
slave Stale Gun carry his slaves ami hold
them there. When lie goes to Kansas. The
constitution guarantees 10 him the protection
uf The Laws ul Kansas, and all the nights
which the cit zens there enjoy. AIT. 4.
Sec. 2. Cuns't U. 5.
The President believing that little reflec-
tion will convince your Excellency, That
your jurisdiction oI tie citizens. oi Iowa is
confined to the limits OF your own Stale,
still IeelS solCllous, lest your Ex' ellrmcy be.
comes excited end attempt sJm" QniXotlc re-
dress, Tor the Tetl or lancled wrODgS al cili-
zens ul Iowa IN kansas, and Therefore invIeS
your utlsnlun 10 tnis clause in The con,llu.
lion. Art |. Sec. TO- mo State shall,
without tie cOn,eut vi Congress. 10y any du-
ty vi lunage, keep troops or ships VI war, III
time peace, enter into amy agreement or
compact with another State, or with lur-
rien power. or tngDgc in icar, I'm less actual
" invaded, UG IN such Imminent danger as
will not admit of delay
Under this restriction Ul the constitution,
the President hop, that you will not mder-
take any rash or lIl-cunsldered enterprise nl q
war.like character without the im's Of
your own State, but lhal you will eud lOur
n1luence, your example and your counsel
10 maintain law and order in accordance
with The constitution and That you will he.
come all efficient aid to him n faithfully dis
charging the swOm duties OF his Office,
Win high consideration,
remain YOUR Obi Serv't,
WM l.. MARCY, Sec. ofState.
To JAS. w. GRIMES, GUvernur oi Iowa.
A SORRY SIGHr.-We have not says the
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