, 1856-05-02
By the President Of The United States Of America


n j.
Whereas, indications exist that public
tranquility and the supremacy of law in the
Territory Of Kansas are endangered by the
reprehensible acts or purposes of persons,
both within and without the same who
propose to direct and control its political
organization by force. 1t appearing that
combinations have been formed therein TO
resist the execution of the territorial laws,
and thus, in effect subvert by violence all
present constitutional and legal authority :
1t also appearing that persons residing
without the Territory, but near its borders,
contemplate armed Intervention in the
affairs thereof: 1t also appearing that
other persons, Inhabitants of remote States,
are collecting money, engaging men, and
providing arms for the same purpose +; And
it further appearing that combinations with
in the Territory are endeavoring, by the
agency Of emissaries and otherwise, to in
duce individual States Of the Union to in.
tcryene in the affairs thereof, in violation
of the constitution Of the United States :
And whereas, all such plans for the deter
mination Of the future institutions of the
Territory, if carried into action from within
the same, will constitute the fact Of insur-
rection, and, if from without, that of inva-
sivc aggression, and will, in either case,
justify and require the forcible interposition
Of the whole power Of the general govern
ment, as well to maintain the laws of the
Territory as those Of the Union: r,D
Now, therefore, Franklin Pierce, Pres
ident Of the United States, do issue this
my proclamation to command oil persons
engaged in unlawful combinations against
tue constituted authority of the Territory of
Kansas or of the United States to disperse
and retire peaceably to- their respective
abodes, and to warn all such persons that
any attempted insurreetoh in said Territory
or aggressive intrusion into the same will
be resisted not only by the employment of
the local militia, but also by that Of any
available forces of the United States to
the end Of assuring immunity from violence
and full protection 10 the persons, property,
and civil rights of all peaceful aud law
abiding inhabitants Of the Territory.
II, in any part Of the Union, the fury Of
faction or fanaticism, inaamed into disre-
gard of the great principles Of popular
sovereignty which under the constitution,
are fundamental in the whole structure Of
our institutions, is to bring on the country
the dire calamity of an arbitrhment Of the
arms in that Territory, II shall be between
laWless violence on the one side and CON
servatiVe force on the other, welded by
legal authority Of the general govern
ment.
l call on the citizens, both Of adjoining
and Of distant States, to abstain from un-
authorized interneddling in the local Terri
tory, admonishing them that its organic
law is to be executed with impartial justice
that all individual acts Of illegal interfer-
ence will incur condign punishment; and
that any endeavOr to intervene by organ
lied force will be firmly ,withstood.v ;g.
invoke all good citizens to promote
order by rendering obedience to the law
to seek remedy for temporary evils BY
peaceful means to discountenance and
repulse the counsels and the instgations OF
agitators and of disorgpnizersi and to testify
their attachment to their country their
pride in its greatness, their appreciation ol
the blessings they enjoy, and their deter
mination that republican institutions Rball
not fail in their hands, by cooperating to
uphold the majesty Of the laws and to
vindicate the sanctity of the constitution
In testimony whereof, / have hereunto sci
my hand, aud caused the seal Of the United
States to be affixed 10 these presents. =
/ Done at the city of Washington, the
eleventh day Of February, in the
year Of our Lord Que thousand eight
SEAL hundred and fifty,six, and of the in
indepepce oflthe United States the
4 eightieth,
4 FRANKLIN PIERCE,
] BY the Presidents f. '7a'.
! NV oc CAaEnfe Frr