The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-02-29
THE KANSAS SQUABBLE.

: The proclamation of the President relative
to the anticipated troubles in Kansas, has
caused fears TO be entertained In some quar-.
tiers that disturbances of serious nature may
happen In that Territory. II is regarded in
the light of a collision between the people of
Kansas and the federal government; and per.
sons of gloomy habit of mind look forward
TO bloodshed, disorder, and porh~ps civil war,
as its natural consequences.
This, snys the Herald, is not in accordance
with the teachings of history. Without
searching carefully for every instance of n
conflict of authority between the States and
the federal government five instances of open
rupture between the two will occur TO every
active memory. All of these, il may be said,
appeared more formidable in their inception
than this Kansas squabble, and all ended in
smoke.
The first is known in history as Shay's re-
bellion. II grew out of the reluctance, and,
in some degree, the incapacity of the farmers
of Massachusetts to pay the excise duties and
State tax required to pay off the debt incurred
during the war. In September, 1855, mobs
assembled and threatened the Legislature Of
Massachusetts,, and also of some of the neigh
boring STATED Congress, alarmed at the phe.
nomenon, voted to enlist 1900 men to put
down the rebellion in Massachusetts, and TO
raise half n million of money to pay them
At this time the constitution had not been
adopted, the government was unsettled the
war was over certainly, but lis bad effects re.
manned, and there was no saying how far the
popular reputation principles Of Shay might
spread, or where the proposed collision might
lead. The danger, boldly grapplcd with, soon
vanished. Shay and his men were put down
by the Massachusetts militia, and the appre.
hended collision never took place.
In the year 1894, an Instruction took place
in the State of Pennsy lvania, known in histo.
ry as the Whiskey Instruction. 1t was so
general and SO well organized that for some
time it held command of the counties where
it arose. Governor Mifflin rather doubted his
own authority TO repress it; upon which
President Washington sent to Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, for n
body Of 10000 men, whom he afterwards in
creased to $4,000. People now said there
would be n collision in earnest. Many com.
mended the cautious inertia of the Governor,
and condemned the action of the President
MS rash, unconstitutional and ll-adviscd The
Secretary Of State, Randolph, was of opinion
that the appeal to force could not but lead to
n general convulsion, in which the national
prosperity and perhaps existence would be
gravely jeopardised. Breckenridge offered to
prove that the rebels could defend thcmselve.
against any force the general government
could send against them. Yet how did til.
squi bible end? Not only was there no con
vulson, no national crisis, and no defeat, bu
there was no fight at all-the rebels gave in
without striking blow, and the expected
rcolsion was again deferred.
Twelve years aiterward, the minds of mcr
were aroused by a new prospect of collision
between the government of Mr.. Jefferson and
the supposed rebels, fiibusters or monarchists
of the West and Southwest, under the com.
mand of Aaron Burr. Letters from the Mis-
sissippi announced the imminent prospect OF
civil war. Ohio, and the territories on the
Mississippi were said to be ripe for rebellion
and armed parties were already observed ia
take possession of River Island, and other safe
spots. MIR. Jefferson, not credting the trea.
sohable designs imputed to the malcontents
issued proclamation warning all men against
filbustering expeditions. At the same time
private instructions were sent to the Cover
nors of Territories to arrest Burr, and to the
commanders of the United States troops to be
ready to act for the preservation OF the peace
Assuredy, no one who is acquainted with the
molly character of the Mississippi settlers, oil
the spirit of the men who were leagued will
Burr, will deny that this was an occasion o
great peril. A very little might really hav,
plunged the territory into war-and such
war! But, in fact, there was no declaration
of war, or feint of my such. Burr was quietly
taken, and his trial, acquitta and subsequen
life are matters of history.
Twenty years afterward, the ownership o
the Indian lands within the State of Geor
gia had very nearly embroiled the Unite,
States with the people of that State. 1t doe
not appear at the present day that the ques
ton of the validity of the treaty with tn
Creeks need have involved quarre! bctwee
, the United States and Georgia; and one can
not help ascribiug large share of the re
sponsbility for the feud to the hot temper O
p Gov. Troup. While it lasted, the dispute wa
warm Arms, wese distributed in Georgia, IN
8 the old forts strengthened; people talked q
5 war confidently, President Adams was wei
fitted to act rs damper to Governor Troup'
zeal: the controversy was settled.
= In 1882, a collision between the genera
government and the people again appeare
s to be the inevitable consequence of the tai
8 ifs Of Is24,-'2s and '32. They drov
4 South Carolina to the verge of rebellion, b
k persisting that the proper Office of governmer
d of the United States was not to tax tn
whole peopel thereof for the benefit of tn
!. Northern factories. This time the belle
8 that disruption of the Union was at ham
- was almost universal. Yet it blew over will
out shot being fired or a. man hurt Th
/ compromise tariff allayed the storm Mt the V,