Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-05-12
Gbe 1aiIp Spp,
MONDAY, NAY I2, 1856.
Pierce Democracy and Border RufHan-
lam Identical.

ism Identical.
The Boston Post, the leading organ of the
Pierce administration in New England, has at
last admitted what everybody knew before, that
border rufianism, as embodied in the Missouri
elected Legislature for Kanzas, is one and the
same thing with the administration authorities
ofthe United States. Here is what it says:
It is all idle, delusive, false, and downright
cheat to draw distinction between theEerYitorial
government and the United States authorities
They ARE IDENTICAL. The Kanzas men cannot
resist the territorial government without resisting
the general government
eve thank thee, Jew" for that admission
Now, let us see what is the nature of this terri-
torial government, whose edicts are thus official
ly proclaimed to be identical with the mandates
of Franklin Pierce and his coadjutors. That it
was instituted by invasion from without, and
against the federal authority we have the admis-
sion of the Post itself which said, the other day,
in its argument in denial of the right of the peo-
pie of Kanzas to frame Constitution for them
selves, as the people of several other territories
have done:
"When the Topeka movement was commence
ed, not single case of oppression had occurred
in Kazas under the territorial laws, IF WE Ex-
cEPT THE MONETARY INVASION BY MISSOURI
ANS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONTROLLING THE
ELECTIONS"
Here the Pest grudgingly admits that Missouri
ans went over into Kanzas, ''for the purpose of
controlling the elections" and that this was an
"invasion" of the rights of the people there, and
that it lasted during the "momentary" period of
a day or SO at time pending the election of Off
GERS for the territory. But what if these Missou-
rians did drive the rghful voters from the polls,
and vote themselves in their stead, and thus in
stall over Kanzas legislative and other officers in
utter defiance Of her win, men representing the
''peculiar' interests of border State?
The "invasion" was only "momentary ;" it did
not take long to do it; the d" Missourians
could start from their homes at early dawn" or
during the dusky evening previous, and doup
their business in season to return, many of them.
the same day at farthest, two or three days were
amply sufficient to cover the whole job. This is
the sum and extent Of that momentary inYa
SION" 1t didn't amount to much,-it was mere
ly an exception to the general peace of the terri
tory up to the time of the assembling of the
Topeka Convention" Of such, import, is the
language and reasoning of the leading admins
tration organ for New England.
Now, to see what sort of " laws" these terri
torial acts of the border rufian legislature of
Kanzas are, which the Post proclaims to be
identical with the authorities of the United
States, and to be enforced as such by President
Pierce, at the pont of the bayonet, we give the
last two sections specimen:
SEC. IL. If any free person, by speaking or
by writing assert or maintain that persons have
~ n A
TERRI TORY, or shall introduce into this Terri
tory print publish, write, circulate, or cause to
be introduced into this Territory, written, print
ed, published, circulated in this Territory, any
book, paper. magazine. pamphlet, or circular,
containing any DENIAL OF THE RICH OF
PERSONS TO HOLD SLAVES IN THIS
TERRITORY, such person shall be deemed
guilty of felony, and punished by imprisonment
at hard labor for a term of not less than TWO
YEARS.
SEC. Is. No person who is CONSCIENTI.
0USLY OPPOSED TO HOLDING SLAVES,
SLAVES IN THIS TERRITORY, shall sit as
juror on the trial of any prosecution for the vio-
laton Of any of the sections of this act
Other sections are still more UNANIMOUSLY severe,
and opposed to all principles of true democracy,
strict construction of the federal Constitution.
What democrat can now deny that this admins
tration is exerting all its energies in the enforce
ment of such laws, for the extension-and spread
of slavery in the territories /? Here is Franklin
Pierce, threatening to send to the Penitentiary,
for two years, as guilty of an infamous
crime, any person who may dare deny the right
full existence of slavery in territory Compare
these edicts with the Massachusetts democratic
doctrine of lS49, as laid down by Benjamin F.
Hallett, and you have the difference between true
democracy, and the border rufian sham which
passes current in some quarters under that name
now.