The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-12-12

it is at once charged with aiming to extend
slave labor in all the new Territories Of the
United States.
or course, imputations on the intentions of
Congress in this respect, conceived as they
were in prejudice; ana disseminated in passion
are utterly destitato of any justification in the
nature of things, and contrary to all the fun
damental doctrines and principles of civil
liberty and sefgOvernment.
While, therefore, in general, the people Of
the Northern States have never, at any TING,
arrogated, for the federal government the
power to interfere directly with the domestic
condition Of persons in the Southern States
but on the contrary have disavowed all such
Intentions, and have shrunk from conspicuous
aflilation with those few who pursue their
fanatical objects nvowedly through the con-
templated means of revolutionary change of
the government and with acceptance of the
necessary conssqurnces--a civil and servile
wur-yet many citizens have suffered them
Ives to he drawn into one evanpscent pOllt-
cal issue of agitation after another, npperlain
ing to the same set of opinions, aud which
subsidri us r, pidI ~ ms the, arose when it came
to BE- seen, rs It uniformly did, that they
were incomp ible with the compacts Of the
Constitution and the existence of the Union.
Thus, when the acts of some of the States
TO nullify the existing eXtmditiOn law impos
ed upon Congress the duty of passing new
one, the country was invited by agilators TO
enter into party organization for its repeal:
but that agitation speedily ceased by reason
of the mpractcability Of its object So, when
the statute restriction upon the institution of
new States, by geographical line, had been
repealed, the country was urged to demand
its restoration, and that project also died al
most with its birth. Then followed the cry
of alarm, from the North against imputed
Southern encroachments; which cry sprang in
reality from the spirit of revolutionary attack
on the domestic institutions of the South,
and, after troubled existence of a few
months, has been rebuked by the voice of n
patriotic people.
OF this last agitation, one lameRtable fea-
ture was, that it was carried on ut the imme-
dmte expense of the peace and happiness of
the people of the Territory of Kansas. That
was made the battle field not so much of
opposing factions or interests within itself.
as Of the conflicting passions of the whole
people of the United States. Revolutionary
disorder in Kansas had its origin in projects
of intervention, deliberately arranged by Ger.
tain members OF that Congress, which enact
ed the law for the organization of the Terri
tory. And when propagandist colonization
of Kansas had thus been undertaken in one
section of the Union, for the systematic pro-
motion of its peculiar views of policy, there
ensucd, ms matter of course, counteraclion
with opposite views, in other sections OF The
Union.
In consequence of these and other Incl
dents, many acts of disorder,i it is undeniable,
have been perpetrated in Kansas, to the oc-
casional interruption, rather than the perma-
nrnt suspension, of regular government
Aggressive and most rrprehensble ncursions
into the Territory were undertaken, both in
the North and the South, and entered item
its northern border by the way of Iowa, as
well as on the eastern by way Of Missouri;
and there has existed within it state of in
surrection against the constituted authorities,
not without countenance from incOnsiderate
persons in each of the great sections of the
Union. But the difficulties in that Territory
have been extravagan;ly exaggerated for pur
pose of political agitation elsewhere. The
number and gravity of the acts Of violence
have been magnfed partly by statements
entirely untrue, and partly by reiterated ac-
counts of the same rum0rs or facts. Thus the
Territory has been seemingly filled with ex-
treme violence, when the whole amount Of
such acts has not been greater than what oc
casionally passes before us in single cities to
the regret Of all good ciuzens, but without
being regarded MS of general or permanent
political consequence.
Imputed irregularities in the elections had
in Kansas, like occasional Irregularities, of
the same description in the States, were be-
yOnd the sphere of action of the Executive
But incidents of actual violence or of organ
lied obstruction of law, pertInaciously renew
ed from time to time, have been met as they
occurred, by such means AZ were available
and as the circumstances required; and moth
inu of tins character now remains to affect the
peace Of the Union. The attempt of
n part OF the inhabitants of the Territory TO
erect revolutionary government, though
sedulously encouraged and supplied with
pecuniary aid from active agents of disorder
in some of the States, has completely failed.
Bodies of armed men, foreign to the Terrific
nv, have been prevented from entering or
compelled to leave it. Predatory bands, en-
gagged in acts of rapne, under cover OF the
existing political Disturbances, have been ar
rested or dispersed And every well disposed
person is now enabled once more to devote
himself in peace To the pursuits of prosperous
for the prosecution Of which he un
dertook to participate in the settlement of the
Territory.
1t affords me unmingled satisfaction thus
to announce the peaceful condition of things
in Kansas, especially considering the means
to which it was necessary to have recourse ioi
the attainment of the end-namely, the EN-.
pIoyment of part of the mi itaryforce Of the
United States The withdrawal of that force
from its proper duty of defending the country
against foreign foes orr the savages OF the from
tier, to employ it for the suppression oil domes-
tic nsurection, is, when the cxlgency occurs
n matter of the most earnest solleltude. On
this occasion of imperative necessity IL has
been done with the best results, and my salts.
faction in the attainment of such results by
such means is greatly enhanced ty the con.
sidrration that, through the wisdom and en-
eruy of the present Executive of Kansas, and
the prudence firmness and vigilance of the
military officers on duty there, tranquility has
been restored without one drop of blood
having been shed in its accomplishment by
the forces of the United Slttes.
The restoration of comparative tranquility,
in that Territory furnishes the means Of ob
serving calmly. and appreciating at their just
value. the events which have occurred there,
and the discussion Of which the Cover nment
of the Territory has been the subject.
We perceive that controversy concerning
it's future domestic institutions was ineyta-
ble: that no human prudence, no form of le