Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-01-31
CONGRESSIONAL.
wAsHlNerox, Jan. %.

SENATE.-Mr. CLAYTON presented com
municston which had been received from
the President in Executive session, and
from which the injunction OF secrecy had
been removed, transmitting a copy Of the
letter ot Lord John Russell to Mr.. Cramp-
ton, dated Jan. 18th, 1854, in which it 10
declared that the British government in
tends strictly to adhere to tho treaty Of
10th April, 1850, nnd not to assume nny
sovereignty in Central America.
Clsyto moved that the letter be trans
ferred rom the Executive TO the Legisla.
tive journal, aud printed. Clayton then TX
patidtcd on the usurpltOns of Great Britain
and the tortuous diplomacy Of her ministry.
Mr.. Clayton expatiated on the usurPitions
OF Great Britain, and the torluous diplomacy
OF her Ministry, stigmatizng it as mons
trous and disgracelul.
A message was received from the Pre-
sidcnt, which says circumstances have oc
Cured to disturb the course of government
| IN Kansas, producing a condition Of things
to which it is incumbent on him to cali
| the attention Of Congress and he urgently
recommends the adoption Of such measures
as the exigency Of the case demands. lie
aludes, eulogtsically, to the principles of
the kansas-Nebraska uct, and the sy stem
of COVE nment and Nws passed to put into
0perdtion while Nebraska was successfully
organized, the organ zaton Of Kansas was
borg delayed by a series of difficulties aud
embarrlssmenrs, partly rom local ms-od
ministration and partly from unjusifiib,c e
: Interference by Inhabitants of other States,
with views foreign to the lights o! the ter
ri.ory.
Gov. Reeder instead of constant vigilance
in exercising his duties, objects himself,
setting the example of violating law and
duty, viii h impelled the President to re.
move him. He alludes to the misdlrected
zeal of the propagandist emigration, and
chasing of slavery and anti-slsvery interests
as the cause Of mischief and as empha;cal-
ly condemns the effort to anticipate or
force the determination of that question.
The FIRST legislative assembly, Whatever
may have been the informaities in the
election Of members, was, for all practical
purposes, lawful body, aud in this con-
nection the President reviews Reeder's con.
duct, regarding the removal Of the seat OF
bills passed by that body. The il-leelng
in that territory has now reached such a
point that it threatens the peace, not only
of Kansas, but Of the Union. Relative 10
the recent convention which formed free
state constitution, he says, it WAS by party
and not by the people, who .hus acted
contrary to the principles of public law
practice under the Constitution Of the u.
s., and the rules Of right and common
sense. The movement in opposition To the
constitutional authorities in Kansas is re-.
voutionary, and if it reach the point OF or
ganized resistance, it will be reasonable
insprrection, and will become the duty Of
the Federal Government to suppress it. It
is not for the President to define the duties
OF the states and territories, or to decide
whether the law is wise or IN wise, just or
unjust, it is his duty to Cause it to be ex-
ecuted.., The great prerogatve Of self
government must be respected.
The President saws It is his duty TO
preserve order in the Territory aud vindicate
the laws, whether Federal OF local, and
protect the people in the full enjoyment of
Sc ef-government from oil cncrouchmrnls
from without. Although serious and threat
ening disturbances. announced 10 him bv
Cav. S1,nnon in Dec. last. were o,ia,cd
without efru.ior of blood. there is reason
to apprehend renewal of disorder unless
decided measures are taken to prevent them.
lie concludes by saying, i the inhabitants
OF Kansas Shal' desire state formation
o"u DC OF .suhnc'eh' numbers, inc proper
course WIN De 10 appoint Cn"VeN''on "i
D''eSa'es 10 prepare CONSTITUTION an"
recommends Inc enactment OF III" 10 tha'
gn'o' IN oruer 70 gam "cm'Ss'oh INTO 'he
u"'"" VI 'a"'u' ana proper manner ana
toot SPrc''' appropriations ne maze 10 ae'
""y ""y expenses ""'e" "'ay oeco'he ~
qu''''o !" the execution o, laws or mann
'a'"ahce OF ot'er !" 'ha' ierrtory'
Hovsr.-Mr. Fuller withdrew. In Dem.
ocra,ic caucus, Mr.. Richardson having with
dawn, and Mr.. Orr of South Carolina,
having been unanimously nominated tor
speaker upon the ,rincipIes, but not upon
tha nl,,C,r,, ,,hi,h ,x,,.r,,,l ,h c,..,o.