Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-12-19
Gov. Reeder on Appropriation for the
PConIp In Kuusns

WAsniNcToN CRY, Dec. 5, 1856.
Hon. NJ. f. CONWAY Dear SRI am
truly gratiGed at the legislative appropria- |
ton for Kansas which has been made by the /
State Of Vermont, and sincerely hope that |
the e1nmplc may be generally followed by |
our friends in other States. If the men VINO .
have go long carried on this struggle upon |
the soil of Kansas for free labor and the
rights Of the North are to be sustained-ii
Kansas and the regions beyond are to be
saved from the curse of slavery extension,
the example inust be initiated. The cause OF
Free Kansas has been for the last two years
my sole occupation. and there is probably no
view of the case which | have not diligently
and anxiously considered. Kansas if left to
its natural course under the present rule OF
Missouri, will as certainly become slave
State as that an object will drift down the
current and that, too, although there Is
large majority of free State citizens; Tor the
government is not that n majority, but OF
minority perpetuating its own rule, and pro.
tected by league with the people of Missou-
ri. From this state of things the majority
have no immediate escape except by revolu-
ton, which the general government prevents,
and in which the free State men would have
70 conquer not only the usurping minority
who now govern them, but also their Missou-
remedy is to sustain those already on the
soil, and fill up the territory with new set
Tiers until they shall outnumber the thous-
Gnds Of men from Missouri who invariably
vote at our elections by the connivance OF
those who hold and control them, aud under
cover of the infamous election law enacted for
that very object Nothing will do this and a.
the same time protect our present population
from the relentless policy Of imp)yerislment.
persecution and determination, pursued, as
you know. in every conceivable form hereto
fore land destined to be carried hereafter as
far possible into the operations of the land
ofice,) except most vigorous and continuous
effort, backed by a liberal supply Of funds
Moneys raised by individual effort must b.
limited in amount, and require immense
labor and no small expense to collect. The
field has already been largely gone over and
considerably exhausted. Without legislative
aid it is highly probable that we cannot ac>
comrlish much beyond what we have already
done. Why, then, should not Northern le.
gislators aid the enterprise The prcserva
ii N of those vast regions for the absolute
necessities of our surplus and emigratng
labor, which cannot dispense with them,
except to the great injury of the Northern
States, will, in pecuninry point OF view
alone, make such appropriations wise in
49,
advantages ortrade and commerce and railroad
enterprise which would flow from the rapid
filling up of that country to the Pacific Ocean
with Northern people, and which in the
necessity OF the case must he drawn to the
Atlantic through the Northern States, drop.
ping is riches along the route. Dedicate it
to slavery and the wasting labor Of the negro,
and for all the benefit to be derived to the
North 1t might as well be sandy desert |
will not discuss the considerations of patriot
ism and humanity and civilization, for these
are too obvious and too extensive for this
letter ] repeat then. what objection can be
raised against the action of "a State Lcgisl-
ture can sec none which would sustain
my vote for an instant, and trust would be
one Of the last men to advise any one to cast
n legislative vote which would hesitate to
cast myself
The object is not one which contempates
the least interference with the functions Of
the federal government, but is simply a dom
alton of money to relieve the necessities of
late fellow-citzens now settled in the Terri
tory,and to aid men to emgrate and settle
there, with view to advance the power and
glory Of our common country-to promote
incidentally the progress, and the welfare of
every Northern State, and at the same time
legally and peacefully, by unohiectionuble
means, to counteract the vile despotism and
oppression which is striving by force and
fraud to stay and pervert the natural course
and consequences of our countrys institu.
tions. 1t is too plain for argument that such
appropriations would violate no provision of
the federal constitution, 10 provision of any
State constitution, and no federal. State or
territorial law; and not only this, but neither
the general government nor the territorial
government nor State government have the