Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-09-26
Gov. Reeder's Letter.


States il exactly in the condition. speaking
politically, of tho poor white trash !" as
the negroes in the slave States ,all the nom
slaye.owning whites around them, who do
not possess the power and influence Of slave.
holders, bat are so degraded, besotted and
dependent that they are always ready to echo
their words and obey their orders for any
evil work, just as if they had been bought in
the market with their money and were
afraid Of the lash if they should refuse.
The depth which this loathsome degrade
ton has reached as seen in the action Of
their conventions, representatives, Office
holders, presses, speakers, and every thing
else that charactcrizes the party in the
northern States in its present condition, is
shown by Gov. Rccder with equal ability and
truth.
'Ihc-c tics are cxcocdingir strong and hard
to -aycr, especially with one who j. naturally
ofa conservative cast, and slow to change
old habits of thought and action and have
resisted for months the convictions that we're
urging me to my present declaration. have
diligently sought reasons and arguments t.
save myself the pain Of breaking up old as
sociatlonS and alternating myself from my
old friends. but all in vain. My love Of coun-
try and hatred Of oppression would not allow
my feeling and inclination either to deludc
my judgment or still my conscience, and I
am compelled to forfeit my self-rospect by
committing what believe to be palplbly
.gts,
to the Democratic Party.
can see no reasonable hone OF Justice and
sympathy for the people of Kansas in the sue
cess OF the Democracy. In its ranks, and with
the power to control it's action, arc found
the Border Ruliians OF Missouri and their
accompliccS Of the South who have tramp
led upon the Constitution and all the essential
principles of our Government, robbed Kansas
of its rivil liberty and right Of suffrage, laid
waste its territory with fire and sword, and
repudiatca even civilization itself.
In its platform | find the cnunciation Of
principles which would put the rope about
the necks of men for exercising the Consti-
tutonal right of petitioning Congress for a
State Government, as Il redress Of grievances
far worse than those which led to the war of
the Revolution, and a declaration stigma
tising as EARNED resistance to law" the mo-
de~ate and iustifable self defence of men
shamciully and intamously oppressed by ruff
fan violence and outrage beyond all human
''''"t a'I a., ,,lo,o 4or. .,o ,.;,
ii'' .,'e ".;o.o P1I'S y, t:o "a.;on ;,u ,. "'
IN ontt r,i.tuT, ",vm
os'o ','I', f ~,
hns isrt ;tSoic"s tbo toai a,d anonr,rl;o, -
all tho ,,rorgs inGictc1 n,,nn Kans,a and ,,y
IL, yonniitv and imbcci,itv brought the coun.
trv II an Intestine war.
find all its representatives in Congress.
with three individual executions. laboring in
earnest zeal, by speech and vote, to cover up
the iniquities Of this Administration and the
Border RuiIans Of Missouri. and to suppress
fair investigation of outrages which shock
both humanity and republicanism. and defy
tie Constitution ana the laws
find these same representatives. after the
truth WAS elected in spite Of their efforts,
still refusing to relieve the people from Il
coIe oi laws imposed upon them ny iorelEn
amy ana stIi refusing to admit them into
the uhion' only Tor reasons which, IN the
cases oi hiho existing States had been de-
dIrcu uI'c'apic ana OF no account.
nhu 'hcIi 'lsreGardihg iree Cohsttu-
loh auopted IN legal constitutional and
l'he sanctioned manner tanu whlcn no man
can count 70 have reflected the Will OF the
people) and supporting law to produce a
substitute, which 1t is easy to show would
lave perpetuated In the State Govern
ment the uSurpation which had by force al
'eady SeHed upon the Government OF the
Territory.
ma them refusing to make appropra-
ton; Tor the army unless that army Is to be
used to enforce code OF laws violativc, on
their lace, OF the constitution, enacted by a
legislature in violation Of the law Of the
nitcd States, and imposed hy foreign force
upon conquered and subiugatcd American
.ciizens.
| find them in word steadily aiding by all
their Congressional action to make Il Slave
State in Northern attitudes, and that, too,
against the Will ol It's inhabitants.
find that one member who more than any
ther stood out against the enslavcmCnt of