The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-09-13

&c. &C. sss4e THJ Il 4 s.'Sa So -
To the National Kansds Commitee
The undersigned, in obedience to your in
structions,, waited on President Pierce o
the Both ult., and prayed his ihterpositio
against the threatened Slavc-O ligarchic in
vasion Of Kansas. The following is sum
mary of'the results:
VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT.
The opinions expressed by the Executive
are substantially as follows; seas1 i.
} w bile government has been exhaustin
its constitutional powers (Which are limited
to mai tain order, Kansas Aid Societle
have been actively stirring up rebellion.
factiOus spirit among the people of Kansas
respecting institut ons which they need no
have concerned themselves about, and which
would all have come right in time, original
ed the troubles. From the nature, habits
and education of the border-men, it was ma
tural to find them excited by such agitation
At this crisis, the North instead of sending
in armed men, who went about, boasting' b
their inability to project themselves, should
have sent in order-loving and lawabiding cit.
liens should have sent IN peace seeking
men, who would have promoted concord by
moral agencies Bibles rather than by
Sharpe's rifles. Such course would have
strengthened the hands of the President in
stead Of tying them as they have been. The
sufferings Of the settlers are, therefore, o1
their own seeking, and the legitimate fruits
of that gunpowder-bible preaching, which
they and their supporters at the North have
advocated. .s'Hs; w
Each side is doubtless to blame. Inham.
matory appeals are circulated both North
and South, and reports, false or exagcetat-
ed, put forth by heated partisans to Stir up
sectional strife! # ca h party would only
get rid of about hundred IF their designing
AMI restless leaders agitation would cease,
and speedy end be put to the disorders.
The interposition' of the Executive is
claimed by both sides, each party urging
against the others exactly the same charges,
At this distance from the scene of strifS, the
President cannot determine between them
His action must be guided BY official re-
ports. 2lfIi. : ii
/" General Smith communicates very DIFF
ferent condition of things from the exagge.
rated statements which have gone abr DAD
No apprehension of an armed invasion need
be apprehended. But should it happen, the
whole power of the government will be ex-
erted to repel it, come from sahateues source 4
may. 10 q. st.. --.,., =. i -,ts 80.
q" The army in Kansas is not there to
prevent or correct outrages unless they
amount to invasion or insurrection. The
civil power alone is competent to this. Ap-
plication should be made there. General
SpoffE Nod H., =
of Mr.. Srrawn. He applied to the wrong
quarter. He should have gone to the courts
AS to granting him an escort, Gen. Smith
thought if Mr.. Strawii was smart enough to
find his way safely..to him without one, he
ought to find his way back p The courts
ale open to all classes of citizens, without
distinction. No authentic information has
ever reached the Executive of an individual
who has sought redress Of wrongs at the
hands of the civil power in Kansas, and
failed to obtain it. If one such case had
been presented, he would at once have re-
moved the offending official.
If the majority Of the people in Kansas
had wanted peace and quiet they could have
had it. The way to get it was for the set
tiers among themselves to frown down all
agitation growing out of difference of opih-
ion as to local institutions. The Executive
had always felt srlicitous about the Terri
tory, and had exerted his constitutional
powers to their full extent to preserve order
The affair at Lawrence had given him great
anxiety, and he at that time telegraphed
both to Colonel Sumner and Governor
Shannon, besides sending Special messen.
ger. (tiere the President produced copies
of his Geographic dispatches which, we
believe, were made public at the time The
outrages at Lawrence were!not done BY au.
thority. The President admits that mis-
takes have been made, as is evident by his
removal of Shannon But an Impartial mai,
has now gone there, who will see justice
done to both parties. If he should catch
either party in acts of violence, they shall
be hung up on the spot: The OWL power OF
the Territory must be maintained p
OPINIONS OF THE PRESIDENT.
]. That the Government has not the pow
err to protect emigrants en- route for the Ter
ritory, because of the Jurisdiction of the
States; consequently, outrages committed on
the highways 'of the Nation can only be re-
dressed "by the COURTS of the respective
States on whose soil such outrages were COM
mitted,, : :,
e. That Government has no power to pre-
vent or redress outrages committed within
the Territory except through the civil arm,
or BY martial lay. -. - "s'l 81,
3. That the military can only aid the civil
power as posse comitatus; consequently, !
\. Government hav ng provided legal
mode Of yedress for the settlers, and strength
ened it by posse at all times available, the
fault is with the settlers; where they have
failed to get protection or redress th:y have
failed to get it either because they were not
iaw-abiding citizens, or because they made
application to the military, which was the
wrong source from whence to seek it. r -.
5. That the'mnre pobsesEioyt of arms by
emigrants ensering'the Teffitory is not. pt;-
ma fIcie evidence of threatened invasion, and
that the mere possession of arms by settlers
within the Territory is not prima fszcie evil
dence Of threa' ened ,insurrection; that the
bearing If arms j. q Constitutional privilege
which distinguishes American ritizens, and
then even Government itself has no right
undar such circumstances to d.sarm them.
- REPLY OF THE COMMIT IL. - -. u.
Mr.. ,PREs1bENr:-During the eighteen
months or more that executive power has
been exerteg, sas it is ssleded, to preserve
peace in Kansas, and vainly exerted it would
seem from admissions here made, the disor-
ders Of that Territory have only grown worse
At tins moNcnt they are more threatening
than ever; apeaceful solution of it's troubles
seems still more uncertain than at any period
Of its former history. The President affirms
that he has exhausted ~ his constitutional
powers. And yet order is not restored Tn