Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-09-10

sS5 Il ~ - ii
rs ~ Fshd1ee Heseas 1ss.s;f
Tis nn5ers;gnea u ehedisnce 10 your IA.
sssuetions, waited on President Fierce On he
Both ult, and prsyed his iaferyenaion sgainss
the Siave.O Iigaschsc threatened inyasion af
Kansas The following 4 Z sananary sf the
resaIfs 4
vrEws on rnx rsxsInxxr:
The opiaions expressed By the Excessive are
substantially a. follow.
While Government has been exhausting it,
constitutional powers (which are Emifed) to
maintain order, Kansas Aid societies have been
actively stirring up rebellion. A faetieus spirit
among the people of Kansas respecting snsti,a-
tiols which they need not hare concerned them
selves about. Ind which would have al. come
right IN time, originated the troubles From
the nature, habits and education Of the border
men, it wss natural 70 End them excited By
/ such agitation. At this crisis, the North, IN
stead Of sending armed men, who went about
boasting of their ability TO protect themselves,
should have sent in order-loring andlaw-abiding
citizens; should have sent in peace-seeking men,
! who would have promoted concord by moral
/ agencies-by Bibles rather thar BY Sharpc's
rifles. Such course would have strengthened
the hands Of the President instead Of tying
them as they have been. The sufferings OF the
| settlers are, therefore, of their own seeking,
L aitut leSftiiHtts iTulkS Oh that guDpOWueS-.
bible preaching which they and their supporters
! at the North have Advocated Each side Is
doubtless to blame. Infammatory appeals are
circulated both North and South, and reports
false or exaggerated, put forth by heated parti-
| Fans to stir up sectional strife. If each party
! would only get rid of about one hundred of
their designing and restless leaders, agitation
/ would cease, anda speedy end be put to the dis
/ orders.
j = i - ~ ~ ss
! 1.-THE interposition OF the Executive is claimed
/ by both sides, each party urging against the
other exactly the same charges. At this dis
4 lance from the scene of strife, the President
cannot determine between them. His action
must be guided by official reports. Gen. Smith
| communicates very different condition of
things from the exaggerated reports which have
gone abroad. No apprehension of an armed
invasion need be apprehended. But should it
/ happen, the whole power of the Government
will be cxerted to repcl it, come from arhoteper
source it may. The army in Kansas is not there
| to prevent or correct outrages unless they
| amount to invasion or Instruction. The civil
power alone is competent to this. Application
should be made there. Gen. Smith had no
power to redress the wrongs of Mr.. Strawn.-
| He applied to the wrong quarter. He should
/ have gone to the courts. As to granting him
an escort, Gen. Smith thought if he was smart
| enough to find his way safely to him without
| one, he ought to be able to find his way back!
The courts are 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 pre-
! sented, he would at once have removed the Of
| Tending 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 settlers among, themselves to frowu down
! all agitation growing out OF differences of opin-
| ion as to local institutions. The Executive had
| always felt solicitous about the Territory, and
| had exerted his constitutional powers to their
full extent to preserve order. The affair at Law
renee had given him great anxiety, and he at
| that time telegraphed both to Col. Sumner and
| Gov. Shannon, besides sending special mes
senger. Here the President produced copies
of his telegraphic dispatches, which, we believe,
were made public at the time.) The outrages at
! Lawrence were not done by authority. The
/ President admits that mistakes have been made,
| evidenced By his removal of Shannon. But an
| impartial man 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 Civil Power of the
Territory must be maintained"
OPINIONS OF THE PRESIDENT
l. That Government has not the power to
protect emigrants ca route for the Territory, be-
cause of the jurisdiction of the States; conse-
quently, outrages committed on the highways
Of the nation can only be redressed by the
courts of the respective States on whose soil
such outrages were committed
2. That Government has no power to prevent
or redress outrages committed within the Terri
tory, except through the civil arm, or by mar
tial law.
8. That the military can only aid the civil
power posse commitatus; consequently,
a. Government having provided legal mode
of redress for the settlers, and also strength
ened it by a possec at all times available, the
fault is with the settlers where they have tailed
to get it either because they were not law-abi-
ding citizens, or because they made application
to the military, which was the wrong source
from whence to seek it, i
D.. That the mere possession of arms by emil
grants entering the Ter. itory is not prima tocia
evidence of threatened invasion, and that the
mese possession of arms by settlers within the
Territory is not prinaa facie evidence of threat
ened lnsurrection; that the bearing of arms is
Constitutional privilege which distinguishes
American citizens; and then even Government
itself has no right, under such circumstances, to
disarm them.
REPLY OF THE COMMITTEE.
II, p,,s,nr>,,. D,,r;,,, +bo o;nbtoon ,,o,+h,
= ~ ". VIZ L
VI l'ose ,nas =. pose. .a =;
yainly exerted it would seem from admissions
made, the disorders of that Territory have
grown guy So'ss ~ .i.,s no' an,, ~. an,. aie
more .nfea.enins snan sne., Psaosaa. :oia,ion
ol us troubles SEEMS sun III .nan
a. ah! peraoa y, rs rs iI I.a axtas,oi 81. H. ae
aehs ahrnis anas he 's a eAaus. u,a a n,s con
s.ltulionaI ppNers. 1Ana ~. o.us' - n9s re-
stofeu. oiaef suen sneu .ass., .t nay ~ nos
De worth WINE 10 'hqu'te wse.ue - VIZ ye,m VI
the eslls - NJ. W NC 'ouNu - '"' ef''''''o1 |
up prs ss, ones,;on do not nronose
~ discuss ~ tho ,,resent tima -
= C Sr whatever source. then. sir
.ho aiaionI,ias in Kaneas have or;oinated This
w. th;nr IL 1,atonf 70 tbe country and 70 tho
a-,S r.. sotr;,bstand;nn al, tho effor,s of
~. Gorarn,nent disorders - the most fri@ht.
r., ch.racter have nrevailed. disorders that
ages, disorders so widespread and go atrocious,
so bloody and so internal, SO deeply damning