The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-02-18
A FRESHMAN wanted
AT rEF1S. GFFHCE HmMEDAATELY
me presldsnt and the kansas Legislature.

The President and the Kansas Legislature
President Pierce has come out boldly for
the legality Of the Kansas Legislature. Ele
! appears as well pleased with the acts of this
Legislature, as though they contained the very
spirit Of Republicanism and freedom, and as if
the Legislature itself had been formed by the
81 people of Kansas instead of by Missouri
mob. Indeed from his hearty endorsement of
Whtfeld's claims under the laws of this Leg
aziature, and from his endorsement of the Leg
isiatIire ITSELF we have every right to infer that
he considers this body the true exponent of
g Democratic principles. Now to illustrate in
part the principles of this Legislature its
Democratic principles, we extract two sections
Of one of the laws Of this legislative assem-
sembly, made in the 55th year of the 18th
century in territory of this sRepu51ic:
SEC. IL. If any person print, write, intro
duee into, printed, written, published or cir
culated, or knowingly aid or assist in bringing
into, printing, publishing or CIRCULATING within
this territory, any hook, paper, &c, contain
ing any statements, doctrines, &c, calculated
10 produce disaiIection among the slaves Of
this Territory shall be punished By tnprlsoa-
saat at hard An5or for not less than tfUe years.
Sec IL. IF any free person, by spcaSS>ng or
writing. assert or maintain, that persons hare not
bseriglt to hold slaues in the Territory or shall
introduce into Kansas, print, write, circulate,
or cause to be introduced into the Territory
written printed, published or circulated in
this Territ ~, any book, paper, magazine orcirs
cular, containing any denial of the rights OF
persons to hold Slaves in this Territory, SUCH
PERSONS SHALL BE DEEMED GUILTY
OF FELONY, AND PUNISHED BY I'M
PRISONMENT AT HARD LABOR FOR
A TERM OF NOT LESS THAN TWO
YEARS.
Here is law declared legal by the Presi-
dent of the United States, and the body which
enacted it. legal body, although every intel
ligent man in the country knows the members
of this body were elected by people living out
side of Kansas This law declares that any
Ihan.who shall dare by voice or pen declare
his opinion in Kansas, that persons have nc
right to hold slaves in that territory or shall
introduce into Kansas the written or published
opinion Of any person outside of that territory,
denying the rights of persons to hold slaves in
Eansas-shall be deemed guilty of felony, and
punished by Imprisonment in the penitentiary
at hard labor not less than two years. We
need not say this law is disgrace to the age
and to tho country-eyen disgrace to the
morally coward wretches who modelled and
passed it. What then shall we think Of the
President of this Republic, who over his Of
fcial signature declares this Legislature legal
2 and all its acts legal? He thus participates in
the disgrace, and for the paltryest political mo-
tive-to secure strength in the South. But
he insults the South when he uses such degrad-
ing means to secure popularity there. His
policy may be admirably adapted for securing
favor with the lawless people on the borders Of
Missouri, but all honorable and intelligent and
chivalrous Southerners, must regard him and
his policy with sovereign contempt.