New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-14

in Missouri. Ids bogus LrEiSiN'uiN '"u' '"V''"
had assumed to appoint local officers for the Terri
tory for Tx years to Gomez bad undertaken so to
regulate the right Of suffrage as virtually to e1-
cude all sbe Free State voters from the polls, aud
had pa..ed other laws Of the most strocious char
gcer arsDst the liberty Of speechand OF the press
All ,bese things had happened; but the only inter-
ference On the part Of President Pierce had been
the removal of Coz. Reeder from ofice-undsr
other pretenses, indeed but, as everybody under
stood. because he would not give his Official coun-
tenance and recognition to this Border Raiian
Legislature.
Thu. encouraged. the Border Rdfians went fur
Their. Hitherto they had confined themselves to
threats and assaults; they now began to murder.
Dow was killed in cold blood; and that murder
committed by one OF their own number, was made
q pretense for an invasion Of Kansas with the
avoved intention to burn down Lawrence and to
drive of the inbabitanss-which would have been
done had not the Free State men stood to their
arms and resolved to defend their houses with their
lives SO. after siege Of ten days the Border Ruff
fans retreated. leaving behind them a cannon,
which. with other arms, they had obtained from the
United States Arsenal at Liberty, Missouri with the
consent. a. it would seem, of the officers in com
mand there, who perhaps had express orders from
Washington TO that effect, or who at least knew
what would suit their superOrs. Does not the
circumstance that no inquiry has yet been instituted
into this employment Of the arms of the United
States, fully justify Us in these suspicious The
Rufflans, however, did not retreat without more
bloodsbcd Barber wa, shot down in cold blood
and near bis own house; and the leader in this
atrOcous murder is understood TO have been one
Clarke. q United States Indian Agent and who
still holds that office, apparently endeared to the
President by this innocent blood on his head.
All this had happened before the fret of Janu-
ary but sill the President then declared that
nothing had vet occurred in Kansas to require the
interference Of the Executive.
On the 9th of January last, the President sent
a special message to Congress on the affairs OF
Kansas, in which much the same ground was main
tanned We are told in that message that 81 Is not
the duty Of the President Of the United States to
volunteer interpOsitOn by force to preserve tho
purity Cf election, either in a State or Terri
tory" nor, if We are to Judge from hi' conduct,
TO prevent the inhabtOnts from being plundered
and murdered by rufans who invade the Terri
tory on the invitation OF the Presidents own
officers, under pretense of enforcing the laws.
Such was the duty of the President and the
extent of his authority up to the Goth Of January
last. But on the 18th II February the President
issues proclamation, in which he informs the
public that combinations have been formed in the
Territory to resist the execution Of the Territorial
laws, (meaniDg the pretended laws of the bogus
Border Rufian legislature); that persons residing
without the Territory but near its borders, (mean-
ing the Border Rufians,) contemplate armed
Intervention in the affairs thereof; and that
other persons, inhabitants of remote States,
are collecting money, engaging men, and providing
arms for the same purpose (mcaning the arms,
money and men sent to Kansas to enable the Free
State men to defend themselves from being mur-
dcrcd and driven out of the Territory by the Border
RufIans). And whereas" continues the pro-
clamation, "al such plans for the determination OF
"the future institutions OF the Territory and OF
cour.e the Border Rutfan inyasions among the rest
eff carried into action from within the same,
"will constitute the fact Of instruction, and if
from without, that of invasive aggression and
evil in either case justify and require the forcibe
"nterposition of the whole power of the General
"Government," Therefore |, Franklin Pierce,
president of the United States" &c, &c.
Here we have distinct and explicit admission
that the three Border. Ruilian nvasions of Kansas
or at least the last of them, which was distinct
" an armed invasion for the determination Of the
future institutions of the country by driving out
the Free-S,ate men-were invasive aggressOns
such as justified and required the forcible nterpO
sitiOn of the whole power Of the General Govern
ment Now, if such was the fact-and We are not
disposed to dispute it-what is TO be thought of the
conduct of President Pierce up to this time or Of
bis two messages to which his proclamation stands
in such fragrant contradiction While the Border
Rufians were the sole invaders, and while arms
from the United States arsenals were she only ones
carried into Kansas the President, We are told
had no right nor power to interfere. That right
and power are only discovered when the President
begins to fear that arms and men may be supplied
rot 10 murder or drive off the Free-State people,
but 10 protect them in their most sacred rights
sOVTH FLORIDA--THE sRnINOLBs.
After years of quiet and of peace, the war-whoop
once more reechOes among the pines and cypress