New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-04

Independence dawned upon the Republic, but
never amid circumstances Of such peculiar solem-
nifty as the present We have had foreign wars and
dome agitatols, but through them all tn, fun
dameDtal principles OF the Government have been
safe from attack and the objects for which the ma
ton was organized have remained the same. Bat
10 day all is changed. We find ourselves sur
rounded by the busy forces Of revolution whose
audacious purpose is to subvert this noble system
of republican liberty, to erect the will of an oil
gar.hy of shareholders ss the controlling pivot OF
the nation in place of the democratic majority Of
fieemen, and to apply all the powers of the Gov
errment to the supreme end of extending the Arena
Of human boz dsge, and subduing the spirit OF
Freedom among the people. We are in the midst
Of this revolution, with the Federal Executive pros
titutiIg it, authority to the overthrow OF liberty
with great party, which yet dsres to call itself
Democratic, pledged to the contamination OF the at
tempt, and with another party, arrogating to itself
the title of American, indirectly lending its aid to
the coDspirator', who alarm its cOwardice if they
do not enjoy its sympathies.
Such is the state of the nation on this Fourth Of
July, 1856. The Repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise was followed by legal and peaceable emi-
grafton Of freemen into the Territories where,
for the purposes of heartless demagogues, the
lopg.standlpg prohibition of Slavery had been re-
moved. Free laborers, in the exercise of their
constitutional rights and relying Cd the protection
prom sed them by the very act Of Repeal went to
settle and cultivate the disputed territory and to
convert it into the blooming home Of freemen.
But they we're not TO be allowed to do this. The
slayebreediDg oigarchy would not allow it ; Mr..
Atchison would not allow it; Mr.. Douglas would not
allow it Mr.. Caleb Gushing, Mr.. jeff Davis, Mr.
President Pierce would not allow it. Absorbed in
their great object Of extending Slavery, neither the
Constitution nor the acts of Congress could stand
in their way. The free settlers of Kansas were
invaded by military force from Missouri Armed
bands, with music and banners and cannon, camped
about the ballot. boxes drove from them the peace
full and unprepared citizens, and elected Legisla-
ture from among themselves. These facts were
notorious at the time. Everybody knew something
of their enormity, though its extent and blackness
have but now been fully revealed. The Admins
tratiOn knew it as we'll as the journalists and the
public, but did President Pierce take any steps to
rebuke and redress these unprecedented wrongsl
Not at all On the contrary he adopted them, in
dOrsed them, approved them, and even removed
Gov. Reeder because his honest and manly soul
revolted at the atrOcity and refused to be the III
strument of carrying it to its contamination.
Well: this Legislature met and proceeded with
the conspiracy. by passing la w, which even Alr.
Csss has now described in the Senate as disgrace
full to the age; laws prohibiting free discussion
with the severest penalties, laws providing for the
suppression of the peoples will in all future cleo
tions. But none Of these things met with any ex-
preston of disapprObatiOn from the President or
any of his advisers. On the contrary, Mr.. Pierce
and his Cabinet perfectly identified themselves
with this mOnstrous legislation, stood forth before
the country as its advocates and apologists, and
pledged the whole resources of the Government for
| its execution.
| Of course the Free people of the North lad not
| looked on with indifference while these trans
| actions were going forward, and some email and
| made auate efforts were made to send aid to the
Free settlers. These drew forth proclamation
| from the President, who, as We have said, had
looked on with appreciation and complacency as
and coad tutors, but who now seemed to fear that
their victory might yet be taken from them. OF
this proclamation, the only aim and the exclusive
! effect was to encourage the consplrators, and to
weaken and depress the Free settlers and their
friends. And now the time had arrived for new
development OF the scheme; and as soon as prePa-
rations could be made in the Spring, the final
ka,u An ipva1inu tya hrauohs
| from Georgia and Carolina, and on arriving in the
| Territory each man was furnished with U. s.
| musket from the Federal arsensals. Auxiliary
| forces were simultaneously brought in from Mis-
souri, Along with these, the Federal Courts, which
| are Immediately under the control of the Presi-
dent were set in motion no doubt with the advice
| and consent of himself and his Ministers. Indict-
| men.s for high treason were found against promi
nent Free State men, and found, Of course, in de-
| fance of every law but that OF brute force. OF
| the parties indicted, some We're arrested, others
we're driven from the Territory and then hotels
and newspapers were presented as nuisances and
destroyed, because their propriesOrs and editors
preferred Freedom to Slavery! Then civil war
was let loose upon the unhappy settlers. Their
nOuees were utsHo!cu, iaIms ucNoeliitu,
themselves outraged and often murdered, because
they dared to cherish the same preference. After
submitting to the utmost to these acts of violence,
knowing as they did that they were performedwith
the sanction and connivance Of the Federal au.
thortes the settlers at lat in desperation to
| de.erd themselves and to retaliate, Even then