The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-14

with the Presidential seal Really. the Presi
dents mighty flourish, in his message, TO rea-
son down and quell agitation" to curb the
invincible spirit of the People, has not been
matched since Dame Darlington" according
to Sidney Smith. undertook to mop back and
quell the enraged Atlantic! GRANITE.
To tic Editor oftAe n. Y. Tribune:
SIR: The Special Message of the President
of the United States, communicated yesto rday
to Congress, assais not only myself personally,
but also my constituents, whom inclination as
we'll as duty imperiously demands of me to
justify and protect. Entirely satisfied as | am
with the course adopted, up 10 this time, by
the people of Kansas-conyinced that it has
been dictated by desire to preserve the peace,
the reputation, and the glory of our country
knowing that it has, at every stage, been charac-
terized by the most conservative moderation and
laudable regard for the rights of others-having
seen at every step the plainest manifestation Of
the anxious desire to avoid even the semblance
of encroachment or aggression, | should he
false to every manly Impulse and every sense
sage to pass unnotced.
Unless the Message shall incite and stimulate
new invasions of our Territory and fresh cut
RACES upon our citizens, it will produce to Us
no regret, as it has caused no surprise. After
having seen our people trampled on. oppressed,
and robbed, on the one hand by the invaders Of
their soil, and on the other bv the influence,
the authority, and the officers of the present
Administration; after having witnessed the
coldblooded murder of an unarmed and unof-
Tending citizen by an officer of the Administra-
ton, who is not only unmolested by the laws
and unrebuked by the President who appointed
him, but who has, perhaps, strengthened his
official tenure and enhanced his chances of
promotion by the act, it is not at all surprising
that we should, by the head of that Administra-
ton, be misrepresented and perverted. After
! having seen the Chief Magistrate during five
organized invasiOns Of our Territory, unmoved
by a single sympathy in favor of an unoffanding
people, innocent of all wrong and laboring only
to carry out faithfully for themselves the doc
trne OF self-government, and to build up and
extend the greatness Of our cOuntrv-after hav-
ing seen our invaders coming upon us armed
without reproof, if not with official permissionl
from the contents OF the Arsenals of the United
over life and property, regulated only by the
uncontrolled will of vndictive and irresponsible
men-a system under which life was taken and
property destroyed; the highways obstructed;
travellers seized, searched, and detained: all tho
pursuits OF lite paralyZed, and the destruction
and determination of whole settlements threat
ened, and evidently intended-backed up by
the sanction and authority Of the Federal of.
tcers, who pledge publicly the cooperation Of
the President, and all based upon the fact that
man encouraged, perhaps aided, by his friends,
had made his escape from an arrest on a con
stables peace warrant. After having thus seen
our natural and legal protectors joining in the
most atrocious measures of oppression and
wrong, it is no matter Of surprise to see mis-
representation of our position and our objects
emanating from the same source.
This Is not the mode nor the time in which
to discuss the themes Of this Message. Ex-
pecting, as | have a right to expect from the
cearness Of the exclusive title / am prepared
to show, that | shall enjoy a seat and a voice
on the floor Of the House. / am willing patient
ly to bide my time" At the proper time and
place, however, pledge myself TO meet and ex-
pose the misstatements of facts and the errors
Of law and logic which it contains. | will show
that there is nothing but cold cruelty and insult
IN the request of an appropriation to pay an
army or a posse to prevent the people 0 hdisSds
from the commission of outrage and treason. |
will show that the movement for State Govern
ment is misstated as to the facts of its origin
and progress, and that all we have done in this
direction has been under the sanction of the
precepts and examples Of all the great men ofthe
country for the last fifty years-of the legisa-
ton OF Congress and the action of the Executive
in repeated and well considered cases, and of a
deliberate opinion of high and distinguished
Attorney General Of the United States, and
which, as it IS part OF the archives of the Ex-
ecutive Department, it is to be regretted the
President did not consult before the delivery Of
the Message. If it is illegality and incipient
treason for new State TO be formed without
an enabling Act of Congress, will show that
fourteen Senators Of the United States hold
their seats, aud seven States stand in this Union,
by virtue of illegal and reasonable proceed.
ings-that Congress has sanctioned revolution,
illegallty, and treason, again and again; and
that the rank and noxious weed has even
flOurshed in the White House and the Executive
Department; and, having indicated INV peo-
pie, | will also, with the utmost confidence Of
success, proceed to the minor and secondary
task OF vindicating myself in such a manner, L
trust, as to show the attack to have been ILL
advised and unfortunate
As to the discussion in the Message Of the
meet them when the is heard and as the
House is the sole constitutional Judge Of the
qualifications Of its own members, | trust that
the minds Of members may be kept open and
unprejudced until they shall hear the law and
the facts of the case and that whether the dis.
cussion by the Executive of some of the points
involved has been made because they were in
cidental TO another subject, or aimed and in
tended to PREJUDICE my claim, hope in either
case that both sides may be heard before a
decision.
This hasty note has swelled to An unpremed
itated length. Its object is only to solicit from
the House and the public a suspension of iudg
ment as TO the position and action of our peo-
pie, as to my right to a seat, and as to the
charges against me in the Message, until can
be heard. Very respectfully, yours,
A. III. REEDER.
Washington City, January %, 1856.
POLITICAL MOVEMENTS.
NeU Tork.-The State Central Republican"