The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-31

a more calm and sober state of pubic feehng,
and avert the danger of violence or outbreak,
he aooutd eronerote me from all blame IN pro-
datcing that excitement; that, IN order July to
testify the sincerity Of has appreciation, he
a0outd confer upon me some unmiStdkd0te marx
of has .faoor, and scent on to say that the mas
sion TO China aoould be 0ery shortly oacaRt Gy
the return Of Mr. AcLane, TO tctich cacdncy he
acOuld appoint me at once. To his written an
swer he proposed that l should reply by saying,
in effect, that / was not prepared to say he had
acted unwisely. After considerable discussion
and much reflection upon this proposition,
finally answered, that if we could both agree
upon the terms of the entire correspondence
between US, and if / could be satisfied that our
people would be as fully cared for and protect
ed as if l remained in office, and successor
would be appointed who would resist the ag-
gressive invasions from Missouri, / would CO.
operate with him. He assured me that the
latter conditions should be complied with, and
said there would be no difficulty In agreeing
mutually upon the correspondence. He re-
quested me then to prepare my communica-
ton, which did, and submitted it to him. He
retained it one day, and then suggested various
notifications. After discussing them, it was
agreed | should re-write it, which / did, and
submitted it to him second time. This did
not entirely meet his appreciation, and he again
suggested alterations and notifications. He
then informed me that dispatches had been re-
ceived from Mr.. McLane in England, which
seemed to indicate the necessity of his return
ing in person to China, and expressed has fears
that aoOuld be ont o. his potoer to confer upon
me that appointment, but that he soould find
some other IN leat Of 1t, ,ohich soould be equally
or more desirable. told him that the obtain
ing of that or any other Office was to me mat
ter of indifference, in the condition OF my fam
lily and private affairs, and constituted no part
of the inducement to me to agree to his propo-
sition that preferred rather TO 60 on and as
certain whether we could adj ust the matter in
its other aspects; and if we could agree upon
them, the matter of another appointment would
be no obstacle to their adjustment"
After much discussion, and after Gov. Reed
er had three times written out statement in
vindication of his course, and of the conditions
on which he would consent to decapitation, all
turning upon the admission on the part of the
President of the integrity and propriety of his
conduct, and the duty of protecting the Terrific
~ from invasion, it was found impossible to
agree. The President was requested to specify
his objections to the written statement of Gov
Reeder.
"He declined doing so; he said that the
whole spirit and tenor of it was unsatisfactory;
that Il appeared to cast too much responsibility
upon him. | replied, that it had been distinctly
understood throughout all our negotiations that
l would neither resign my Office nor invite re-
moval; and that did not see how could, short
of this, say anything less than / had written"
After some further conversations, it was found
that the parties were getting wider and wider
asunder. The President began to mouth about
the Emigrant Aid Societies, and to show want
of the candor with which he first approached
the subject.
any reflections that night brought me to the
conclusion that if l were removed our people
would be left entirely at the mercy of their in.
vaders, and that unless / could have some dis
tinct and positive security for their protection,
/ would proceed no further with the present
negotiation. saw him again the next morn
ing, and so informed him. Our conversation
then, though entirely courteous, did not have
that same amicable spirit which had character
lied all our preceding interviews except that
of the night before. l said to him that it was
evident to me that he ioos about TO make con-
cessions IN the scrong direction; that he was
timen had favored The c5% nS fsHtssgT WITCH
had satisfied the South, and had secured their
rights against the clamor of the Anti-Savery
men that considered this q clear case of a0.
erosion on Northern rights; in whatever there
was to be OF concession or compensation, it
should be made to the North, and not to the
South. The interests of the North, the interests
of the Democratic party, and the principles of
trut md To- .ra1 =
if he would boldly and promptly take that course
at this time, before the mass of the Southern
people had taken any position upon the cues.
ton, he would be largely sustained, even at the
South; and that the longer the evil was allowed
to progress, the more perplexed and complicated
would the case become and the more difficult
of remedy. failed to convince him of my views,
which he rather evaded than answered: and
finally told him that, as he could not agree,
there was nothing left but for him to take the
responsibility of his acts, and of mine. He
spoke of the dangers OF my returning to office !;
to which replied, that they had no terrors for
me, so long as felt was in the performance
of my duty. He said, Vel, shall not renaope
you on account Of your official action If L re-
more you at oil, IL ioiH be on account of uour
speculation IN lands Of the Territory / told
him they were not speculations, but simply pur.
chases.
"After had risen to leave the ROOM remark.
ed to him that the additional papers relating to
the purchase of halfbreed lands were now be-
fore him; that he had the whole case, and nv.
self and colleagues we're very anxious to have
his confirmation or rejection of them before the
LIST of June, as several of the contracts expired
on that day by their own limitation. He re-
marked that he had not had time TO examine
the papers. / then alluded to the town of Paw.
nee and the military reservation, which was an
important matter in its bearings upon the polit.
ical parties of the Territory, and in regard to
which he bad promised me to speak to the Sec
rotary at War and the Secretary of the Inte-
rior. He replied, he would have no time to
think of the matter or attend to it, but that, if
the vacation of my Office could be satisfactorily
adjusted. he thought all these matters could be
arranged in such q shape as to promote my pri-
rate interests. felt insuted by the proposition
to such an extent that / dared not trust nv
self to reply. l was conscious OF state of
temper so angry and excited as to leave only
the alternative of silent contempt or an angry
and indecorous reply. l chose the former, and.
as l was standing near the door, with nv hat
in my hand, bade him good morning, and left
him."
There are other matters of interest in this
testimony, but we are compelled, for want of
space, to omit them. We dismiss the matter
with the single remark, that these revelations of
Presidential weakness, not to say corruption,
show the utter unftness of the man for the sta
ton.
SHANNON REMOVED his SUCCESSOR AP-
POINTED.
The President has at length yielded to the
demands of public justice, by the removal of