The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-31
THE MEssAGE-ANoTHER COUP D'ETAT.

Against common sense and usage, the Presi-
dent, on the 3lst December, knocked at the door
of the House Of Representatives, then, as now, in
a state of disorganization, demanding hearing
for his Annual Message. The members of the
House, as well as everybody else, were aston
ished at the cool impudence of the thing; but
impudence is allied to courage, and courage is
always admired, so the coup Petat was sue
cesstul. The Message was received, in vo-
iation OF the plain letter of the law, which for
bids the transaction of any business until the
House is organized by the election of Speak
er. 1t is therefore no matter of special wonder
that similar inroad upon the privileges of the
same disorganized body met with equal success
on Thursday last.
The Message relates to Kansas. We are
told that circumstances have occurred to dis
turb the course of governmental organization
in the Territory of Kansas, and produce there
a condition of things which renders it incum-
bent on me to call your attention to the subject,
and urgently recommend the adoption, by YOU,
of such measures Of legislation as the grave
exigencies of the case may require" After
reading this startling announcement, we were
prepared to expect highly important informa-
ton from Kansas, communicated By special
express to the Government, and not known to
the public. But no such revelation accompa-
MES the Message, and there is-not an allusion
in it to events which were not well known in
this city at least week before the communi-
cation of the Annual Message to Congress on
the 3lst ultimo The country will therefore
naturally inquire, why this extraordinary Mes
sage, at this time? In the Annual Message,
when the crisis still existed in the affairs of
Kansas, the country wondered that the Presi-
dent should deem the matter of so little conse-
quence as barely to refer to it at all, while now
that the immediate difficulty has blown over,
for the present at least, he magnfes it into an
affair ofthe gravest nationalimportanoe threat
ening civil war and a dissolution of the Union.
The President, after making the startling
announcement referred to, then proceeds to
make I" a brief exposition of the circumstances
referred to-" 1t turns out, that instead of any
recent news, the President refers to the whole
history of the organization of Kansas, or to
such portions of it as suits his purpose He
defines the principles of the Kansas Nebraska
bill. 1t has two objects-frst it defines the
boundaries, and "makes provision for their
political organization and administration as
Territories; and, secondly it leaves the inhab-
itan's of the Territories the right to determine
for themselves their domestic institutions. The
President fails to explain how it is that a peo
pie, in virtue of squatter sovereignty, have the
right to establish Slavery, and are debarred the
less important privilege of electing Governor.
lie then proceeds TO recite the leading features
OF the bill, and to specify the time of appoint
ing, and the duties of the Governors. in regard
to ordering census and holding elections; and
argues at considerable length to show that all
the difficulties in Kansas have resulted partly
from "local maladminstration," and partly
from the unjustifiable interference of the in
habtants of some of the States, foreign by resi-
dence, interests, and rights, to the Territory"
Light is thrown upon this vague allegation in
subsequent part of the Message, in which it is
averred that certain "persons and parties"
who were "thwarted in the endeavor to impose,
lar views Of social organization" had recourse
I" to the extraordinary measure of progagandist
colonization" with such views" saws the
President, associations were organized in
some of the States, and their purposes were
proclaimed through the Press, in language
extremely irritating and offensive to those of
whom the colonists were to become the neigh
boris. Those designs and acts had the neces-
sary consequence to awaken emotions of IN
tense Indignation in States near the Territory
of Kansas, and especially in the adjoining |
State of Missouri, whose domestic peace was
thus most directly endangered but they are |
far from justfying the illegal and reprehensible |
cou'.Jer-movements which ensued" The whole |
blame is here laid at the door of the Northern
freemen who chose to exercise the constitu-
tional privilege Of emigrating to Kansas
Graceless and INSCRIPTIONS as is the tone of
this Message, the President has not ventured
to charge the Northern people with violation
of the law; yet he lays all the blame on them,
at the moment he admits that the Missourians
were guilty of illegal and reprehensible coun-
ter-movements." 1t is well known that the
people of New England and other Northern
States formed associations, called /" Emigrant
Aid Societies. to promote the settlement of
Kansas by freemen. This they had a clear
constitutional right to do, and they would have
been recreant to freedom and right if they had
not done so. They had no other means of
rescuing Kansas from the curse of Slavery, to
which the perfdy of President Pierce and his
coadjutors had doomed it. 1t was not this
generation, but the last, which " endeavored to
impose, through the agency of Congress, their
particular views of social organization" upon
the territory west and north of Missouri. That
imposition was accomplished chiefly by South
ern votes, on condition of admitting Missouri
into the Union with Slavery. The South adj
hered to the bargain as long as she had any
thing to make by it; but when it came to the
turn of the North to receive her consideration,
the South, with Punc faith and with indehble
flew the contract. She not only did
so, but purchased sufficient number of North
ern men to aid her in its annulment. The
treachery of General Pierce and his friends.
therefore, made it necessary for the Northern
people to resort to Emigrant Aid Societies. in
order to people Kansas with freemen. 1t was
charged, when the effort was first made to repeal
the Missouri Compromise, that the object was
to secure the extension of Slavery: but the
friends of the measure denied the allegation.
like Peter, with an oath Ruf wbat ,v;u 49,. !