Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-08-28

e'l "ii HaAdIus' haVe reaO Tue speech OF
Gov. Reeder as reported in the proceed
ings of the Big Springs convention, in a
printed copy now before me. cannot say
that it contains all his speech He spoke
for an hour, or little over an hour l un-
derstood him distinctly to say this: that he
wanted them, if they had any regard for
their rights, not to appeal to the laws for
redress. nor answer others if appealed to-
He called them "bogus" laws. meaning
thereby the territorial laws. That,
think, is about the substance Of what he
said
81 came down home, believe, in COM
pany with Judge Johnson, who disapprov-
ed of 'he course adopted. l had CONVEX
sation with Gov. Reeder afterwards, but
we held our respective positions
"a proclamation was issued by what
was called the executive committee, calling
an election for State officers and legisla-
ture. convention to form a State consti-
tuition having met and formed State con-
stifution. talked with Lane and Robin
son often about this matter There were
freeState men in Lawrence who opposed
this course, and oppose it yet. I myself
co-operated with the free-State party until
they took these revolutionary steps, and
then left them
Il lived in Illinois twelve years before l
came to this Territory"
Indeed, the undersigned affirmed, upon
the testimony. that either before the meet
ting of the Legislature, or during its ses-
sion, or alter its adjournment, there were
organizations formed to resist by force of
arms the execution of any laws the lcgsla-
ture might pass, or any which they had
passed, at all hazards, even to the destruc-
ton of the territorial government and the
dismemberment of the confederacy itself.
X y
While in session, however, at Pawnee,
the governor recognized them as a legally
constituted Legislative body, as will be more
fully shown by reference to his message to
that body; but, after they removed to Shaw
rec Mission, he vetoed all the bills they
passed, of every description. upon the
ground that they were sitting then at place
not authorized by law--the only ground
alleged
Meanwhile, "the governor, instead of
exercising constant vigilance, and putting
forth all his energies to prevent or coun-
teract the tendencies to illegality, which
are prone to exist in all imperfectly organ
lied and newly associated communities.
allowed his attention to be diverted from
his official obligations by other interests,
himself set the example ola violation of law
in the performance of acts which (as it
seems rendered it the duty of the Presi-
dent of the United States, in the sequel, to
remove him from the office of chief execu-
tive magistrate of the Territory
After the removal of Gov Recder cha
grined as he evidently was, he is found an
active member of the Big Springs conven-
ton, held on the 5th and 9th days of Sep
tember, at which convention, as it is prov
ed by the testimony Of Marcus J. Parrott,
free-State man, and member of the free
State Legislature, taken before your com
mittee. the following resolutions. drawn up
in the handwriting of Governor Re ,der, |
were adopted. They are taken by the un
dersigned from a certified copy of the pro
ceedings of said convention, in evidence
before your committee, and ase as fol
lows:
"Resolred, That We owe 10 allegiance
obedience to the tyrannical enactments
of this spurious legislature; that their laws
have no validity or binding force upon the
people of Kansas, and that every freeman
amongst us is at full liberty, consistently
with all his obligations as a citizen and a
man, to defy and resist them, If he chooses
tc do so.
''Resoiyed, That viii resist them pri-
marily, by every peaceable and legal means
within our power, until we can elect our
own representatives, and sweep them from
the statute book; and as the majority of the
supreme court have so far forgotten their
official duty, have so far cast off the honor
of lawyer and the dignity Of the Judge, as
to enter, clothed with the judicial ermine,
into partisan contest, and by an extra
judicial decision. given opinions in viola
ton of all proprlety, have prejudged our
case before we could be heard and have
pledged themselves to these outlaws in ad
to decide in their favor, we will
therefore, take measures TO carry the ques
ton of the validity of these laws to higher
tribunal. where judges are unpledged and
where the law will be admin
istere1 in its purity, and where we can at