The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-09-24
A Letter from Gov. Reeder on the Ap-
preaching Election of President, and
the Candidates.
New YORK CRY. Sept. is. 1856.

NEW YORK CRY. Sept. is. 1856
To the Editors or the EreRiag Posi-:
GESrLKMEN-The letter OF your correspon-
dent H and your editorial comments upon il
Of the 10th inst, seem IN common courtesy 10
demand reply. Your correspondent does
not err in saying that l desire the success Of
the Republican party and the election of their
candidate, and that | am ready TO contribute
any honorable effort to bring it about. This
is not the result of snv preference to men.
but in spite of it. With Col. Fremont | am
unacquainted. l have never seen him, nor
had any communication with him, direct or
indirect, verbal written. On the other
hand, my feelings of friendship and sdmira-
ton for Mr.. Buchanan, as man, are OF no
ordinary character. and are strengthened BY
years Of friendly intimacy and reciprocal acts
Of kindness, uninterrupted TO this time by =
single misunderstanding or unpleasant feeling;
and | would at any time defend him promptly
and indignantly against personal attacks upon
his reputation | believe him TO be man of
distinguished ability, of high integrity and
valuable experience. He is surrounded. too,
in Pennsylvania, by many political friends,
whom personally love and esteem, and TO
whom am united by ties of long cherished
political and social intimacy, and the loss Of
~ L a
calamity. For more than quarter of a cen
turv have steadily labored with the Demo
cratic party, and never doubted that | should
do so during my life. For years | have ex-
erted myself to bring about Mr.. Buchanan's
nomination. In lG48 and 1852 was one of
those who carried for him the delegates of
our district. and was his Jealous and ardent
supporter. On each occasion | was IN the
National Convention as one OF his delegates.
These ties are exceedingly strong and hard
to sever, especially with one who is naturally
of a conservative cast, and slow 10 change old
habits OF thought and action; and | have re
sisted for months the convictions that were
urging me TO my present declaration l have
diligently sought reasons and argument to save
myself the pain of breaking up old associations
and alternating invself from my old friends,
but all in vain. Ny love of country and hat
red of oppression would not allow my feelings
and inclnations either to delude my judgment
or still my conscience, and | am compelled 10
forfeit my self-respect by committing what
believe to be palpably wrong, or else enroll
myself in opposition to the Democratic party.
| see no reasonable hope Of justice and
sympathy for the people OF Kansas in the
success of the Democracy. In its ranks, and
with the power to control its action. are found
the Border Ruffians of Missouri and their
accompces of the South, who have tramped
upon the Constitution and all the essential
principles of our Government robbed Kansas
of its civil liberty and right of suffrage, laid
waste its territory with fire and sword, and
repudiated even civilization itself.
I In lis platform | find the enunciation of
principles which would put the rope about the
necks of men for exercising the constitutional
right of petitioning Congress for State Coy
ernment. or redress of grievances far worse
than those which led to the war of the Revo
luton and declaration stigmatzing as "'arm
ed resistance to law the moderate and lusti
fable self defense Of men shamefully and in
famously oppressed by ruffian violence and
outrage, beyond all human endurance.
find the whole party of the nation assem-
bled in National Convention, with but one
Individual dissent, expressing It's "unquated
admiration" of an Administration which has
lent itself the tool and accomplice of all the
wrongs inflicted upon Kansas, and by its
venality and mbeciity brought the country
70 an intestine war.
fad all its Representatives in Congress.
with three individual exceptions, laboring in
earnest zeal, by speech and vote, to cover up
the iniauities of this Administration and the
Border Ruffians of Missouri, and to suppress
a fair investigation of outrages which shock
both humanity and republicanism, and defy
the Constitution and the laws
| find these same representatives, after the
truth elected IN spite Of their efforts, still
refusing to relic Ie the people from code Of
laws imposed upon them by fore gn army,
and still refusing 10 admit them into the Union.
only for reasons which, in the eases Of nine
existing States, had been declared untenable
and Of TO account.
l fad them disregarding Free Constitu
J -,
sanctioned manner, land which no man can
doubt to have reflected the will Of tie people,
and supporting a law to produce substitute
which it is easy to show woald have perpetu
ated in the State Government, the usurpation
which had by force already seized upon the
Goverumen: Of the Territory.
l tai them refusing to make appropriations
for TIE army, unless that army IS to he used
TO enforce code Of laws violative their
face, Of the Constitution. enacted by Le.is
Iature in violation of the laws OF the United
States. and imposed by foreign force upon
conquered aud subjusated American citizens.
| find them, In word steadily aiding BY
all their congressional action to make Slave
State in northern lautudes, and that. too,
against the will of lis inhabitants.
| find that one member, who more than
any other stood out against the enslavement
Of his white fellow citizens is refused re-
nomination by the Democratic party OF his
district.
l find in the canvass now going on tha, the
whole tone Of their party press IS in the same
direction. When the first startling ntelli-
genoe OF the outages in Kansas reached the
States. their editors denounced the foul wrong
in terms Of fitting indignation. 1t was but
spasmedic effort, however. and in Difference
10 the South aud the prevailing sentiment OF
the party, they have dropped off, one after