The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-07

with the DlOOu OF tne lnnaDltantS OF Lawrence; |
and it was all their leader could do to restrain
them from this. Why, in the name of all that is
sacred, this Internal revenge against the inno-
cent people of Lawrencel Had not the Governor
of the Territory just told these troops that he |
had been in Lawrence, and found nothing against |
the people there-that he was perfectly satisfied |
with them? But this had no effect whatever to |
mitigate the internal atrocity which seemed to |
actuate those hell-hounds who surrounded that |
city. They wanted, still, to burn the place-to |
drench the streets in the blood of the innocent |
men, women, and children, of the town and he |
tells u.s. in this letter. that when they induced
to leave, they left murmuring and threatening
that they would return again.
had hoped sir, for the honor ofhuman nature
as well as for the peace of the country, that this
threat would never be attempted TO be put in
execution; but, alas it has proved too true
These monsters in human shape, who had gone
there, breathed nothing but revenge for fancied
injuries, when they had received none-wishing
to wash their hands in the innocent blood of
strangers who had done them no harm-retred
reluctantly, murmuring and threatening that, at
some future time, they would have their revenge.
Too well, aided by this accused Administra-
ton, have they kept their word, and sacked and
burned Lawrence. Flying men, women and chill
dren, can attest how faithful they were to the
nefarious threat they gave out. They gave the
Administration notice of what they intended.
Three months before we had on our tables these
documents, accompanied by all this proof The
people besought the Executive to interpose the
strong arm of the General Government, to save
their wives and children from destruction, but he
turned coldly upon them. The South sent men
there, armed-not emigrants, with an honest pur-
pose of settlement, but apparently for no other
purpose than to fight the sectional battles of
Missouri against the rights of the settlers. When
these things were done, you find the Executive
of this Government mastering into service, as
constables and magistrates, and arming with
Government arms, this crew from the South, to
let loose upon the devoted inhabitants. ROBBIE
ry, murder, rape arson-all these crimes stain
the garments of this Administration. The blood
of my countrymen is on their skirts / say it
fearlessly. / know it is high impeachment
that make against the President but it is true,
and it will stare him in the face on the last day
1t is true, that the Executive arm of the Govern
ment was used to PROSTATE innocent men, women
and children, in the Territory of Kansas-to
burn, rob, and destroy, the American citizen
despoil him of his rights, and drive him from his
settlement All the noted men who in this ex-
tremty asserted their manhood and interposed
courageously between the defenceless people and
those who sought their destruction, have been
driven. and hunted out of the Territory, though
they were wild beasts. Many of them are in
prison, under mock process of law, to wait a
rifce on the altar of Liberty
This is family the condition to which you have
brought the country. In four short years, this
prosperous Republic-the pride and glory of the
world-has come down to robbery, rape, arson,
and murder of its own citizens Does any man
suppose that the people of the North will rest
quietly under this? Gentlemen of the South do
you suppose that you are going to force Slavery
into Kansas2 You have some reason to think
we are all cOwards-I know we have given you
too much reason TO believe so-but you will
find, after ALL that there is a remnant of the blood
of Bunker Hill yet running in the veins of North
ern men. When driven to the wall, they will rise
in behalf of their slaughtered Ensmen, and pre-
vent those who have committed these deeds of.
atrocty from taking the benefit of their nefarious
acts. say it not by way of threat, but in vindi-
cation of that section to which | belong. You
have driven to the wall not to turn would
be dishonor, shame, slavery, and death You
have forced the issue upon u.s. We must turn
and resist these aggressions, or lie down and be
willing slaves.
Now, Mr.. President, have a few words to say
about the pretended Legislature of Kansas Ny
colleague spoke about a great many technical
principles. He spoke about Governments de fdcto
and de jj,tre, to show that, if man usurped an
Office, and exercised it, his acts could not be trav
ersed collaterally. Very well. Every justice of
the peace understands that. 1t may be well
enough for the mere lawyer but it is sorry argu-
ment for the statesman. The Legislature were
in Office, and Governor Reeder certified to the
election of some of them, and now American Lib
erty must be trampled under foot, in the face of
the whole world, because there is certiorori prin-
ciple in the way. What a bold advocate for
American Freedom, to be hemmed in by the chalk
line of a certiordri! A great, notorious states
man, on whom the world can depend to vindicate
fhasr bart oil opl h.
instated, tells them that he who is doing it has
the certificate of a man calling himself the Gov
ernor; and, although you know it to be a usurp-
alton, he is officer de facto, at all events and
you must lie down under him Thank God, the
evidence at this time does not leave any doubt.
The executive officers themselves have furnished
us enough to show that no freeman on Gods earth,
who intends to be such, would lie down under
laws made by such a tribunal as the documents
show that Legislature to have been.
My colleague and the Senator from Illinois took
much time to show that at all events the majority of
the Legislature had not been impeached by evil
dence of fraud; and although it is as plain as
the MONDAY sun, that this quorum turned out
all those legally elected and put in their old re-
pudiated associates without color of right, Ger
tordrt principle came in, and Liberty must be
trampled under foot The documents furnished
by the Executive show that hands of armed men
came from Missouri, in military array, with drums
beating aud colOrs flying, and took possession of
not less than seven election districts, and drove
of the lawful judges of election. In one in
stance, they gave the judges five minutes to make
up their minds whether they would die at the
polls, or leave them in the hands of the foreign
ers. This was done under the lead Of the much
lsmented Jones, who, by the way, was never shot,
even Ia the back but, if ever shot, will be shot
there.
The proof taken by the committee Of the House
of Representatives ! understand to be perfectly
Overwhelming to rob you even Of the miserable
eereiordri principle. 1t shows that two-thirds of
all those who voted for the Legislature stole il
there by force to rob American citizens Of their
God-given right to the ballot-box. Here stand
the chiefs Of the Democracy saying that freemen
are bound 10 submit to the dongs of those who
have usurped authority, who have driven them
from the polls, and are ready to do the voting
for them. This is said to be great Democratic
principle. ! tell you, Mr. President, that when
ever the American people come to the conclusion
that they will patiently endure to be governed by
laws made for them by force and fraud, they will
not only be slaves, but they ought to be slaves,
and God Almighty made them for slaves, as he
did all those wha are apoiogists for such acts.
1t is Democratic principle to require the people
to abide by the legislation imposed on them by
Legislature elected by the inhabitants of neigh
boring State, stealing in there under the orders Of
secret society, to prevent the real settlers from
voting, by fraud, by force, and by terrorl
Now, sir, what was the character of the legis-
Iaton2 1t was of the same bastard description
with the Legislature itself. 1t was disgrace to
American citizens; a series of laws unknown to
the history of American legislation. know that
the Senator from Tennessee, fMr, JoNKs,1 in a
speech made by him at an early period of the
session, said that the laws In Kansas, on the
crhio If No nf half