Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-02-07

power DIS lildtO HoN Cldliilcu ny HUI pt'i
ty in the Territory. In fact, what has been
done is of revolutionary character. 1t is
avowedly so in motive and in aim as re-
spects the local law of the Territory. 1t
will become reasonable instruction if it
reach the length of organized resistance by
force to the fundamental or any other fede
raj law and the authority Of the general
government.
In such an event the path of duty for
the Executive is plain. The constitution
requiring him to take care that the laws OF
the United States be faithfully executed, il
t..ey be opposed in the Territory of Kansas
he may and should place at the disposal OF
the Marshal any public force of the United
States which should be within the jursdic-
ton, TO be used as portion of the posse
comitatus:: and, if that do not suffice tc
maintain order, then he may call forth the
militia of one or more states for that object
or employ for the same object any part oi
the land or naval force of the United States
So also if the obstruction be to tho laws Of
the Territory, and it be duly pre- scntcd t.
him as 4 case of instruction, he may en-
ploy for It's suppression the militia of any
state or the land or naval force of the Uni
ted States. And if the Territory be inva
ded by the citizens of other states, whether
for the purpose of deciding elections or any
other, and the local authorities find them
selves unable to rcpcl or withstand it, they
will be entitled to, and upon the fact being
fully asccrtained, they shall most certainly
receive the aid of the General Govern
mcnt
But ii is not tie duty of the President o
the United States to volunteer interposi;ior
by force to preserve the purity of elections
either i'll a State or Territory. To do st
would be subversive of Public Freedom
And whether 4 law be wise or unwise, JUS
or unjust. is not 4 question for him to
Judge If it be consiitutional-that is if i
be the law Of the land--it is his duty t.
cause it to be executed, or to sustain the
authorities If any State or Territory in ex-
ecuting it iii opposition TO al insurrec,iona-
ry movements.
Our system affords no JUS iica.ion OF
revolutionary acts; for the cons .itutional
means of relieving people of unjust admin
istrations AMI laws, by a change of public
agents and by repeal, ample. and more
prompt and effective than illegal violence
These constitutional means must be scru-
pulousy guarded-this great prcrogativc
of popular sovereignty most sacredly re-
spccted.
1t is the undoubtcd right Of the pcacea
bic and orderly citizens of the Terri DRY OF
Kansas to elect their own legislative body,
make their own laws, and regulate their
own social institutions, without foreign or
domestic mocsation. Interference, on tie
one hand, TO procure the abolition or pro
hibitlon of slave labor ill the Territory, has
produced miSchievous Interference on the
other, for is maintenance or introduction
One wrong begcts another. Statements
entirely unfoundcd or grossly exaggerated,
concerning events within the Territory
are sedulously ditfuseI through the remote
states, To feed the flame of sec ional anmos-
ity there; and the agi;a'ors there excr;
themselves indefatigably in return Ia en-
courage and stimulate strife wi hin the Ter
ritory.
The intlamma'or1 agitation, # which tie
present is but a part, has for twenty years
produced nothing save ayi.a.cd evil, North
and South. But for i; the character Of the
domestic ms buttons of the future new
State would have been Il matter Of too little
interest to the inhabitants of the con;iyu-
Gus states, personal or collectively, to pro-
ducc among them any political emotion
Climate, soil, production, hopes of rapid
advancement, and the pursuit. of happiness
on the par, of settlers themselves. with
good wishes but with n Interference from
without, would have quietly determined
disturbing character.
Bat we are constrained 10 turn our a.ten-
ton to the circumstances embarrassment
As they now exist 1t IS The duly Of the
people OF Kansas to discoultcnancc every
act or propose of resistance to It's laws
Above all the cmergenc,' appeals to the cit
liens of the states, and especially of those
contiguous &c the Territory, neither by in
tervention ofnonresi lents in elections, nor
by unauthorized military Drce, to attempt
TO cncroach upon or usurp the authority of
the inhabitants of the Terri orv.
No citizen of our country should permit
himself to forget that he is part of It's
government, and entitled to be heard in tn
determination of It's policy AMI is meas
ures, and that, therefore, the hi CHEST con
siderations of personal honor and patriot
ism require him to maintain, by whatever
of power or influence he may possess, TIE
integrity of the laws of the Republic.
Entertaining these views, it will be my
imperative duty to exert the whole power
of the Federal Executive to support public
order in the Territory; to vindicate its laws,
whether Federal or local, against all at =
tempts of organized resistance; and So to
protect its people in the establishment of
their own institutions, undsturbed by en-
croachmcnt from without, and in full en-
joyment of the rights of government
assured to them by the Cons tuition and
the organic act of Congress.
Although serious and threatening dis
turbances in the Territory of Kansas, an
nounccd to me by the Governor in Docem-
Der last, were speedily quictcd without the
ctfusion of blood, and in a satisfactory
manner there is, regret to say, reason t.