The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-08


freedom curtaled and restricted Who can wonder sir
that the South in Contemplating the prospect Of having
her citizens thus Disseminated against thus thrust down
from their station of equality should feel her proud spirit
chaie within her. and should every energy of her
mpulsiva but resoute 10 the assertion OF her full
rights and the rejection Of odious badge OF nteorty
The northern people would understand this better II the
strength OF the sections were reversed and the SOUTH
having full control of Congress should seek by federal
thory to force slavery into the Territories There as clear
right to do this there is 10 force its exclusion Would
the North submit If such right claimed and
csed But the South makes preenson to such right
and would be forbid to exercise 1t because Of her position
that Congress has concern in the matter way
another Yet the opposite position could be easily ust
fed for her under the contingency supposed as 1t can be
Tor the section which is at this time tho stronger
Let how this spirit of aggression is display
ing itself in the present smergencyn the bitter strife
about Kansas The effort there sustained by those who
befriend the movement hore, is to do by ndirecton
what the enemies OF southern institutions failed to
pish directly The questions thus raised may be consd
cred with view to show how wrongs Of aggression
grow greater BY evasiye struggles that lead 10
wrongs. \. n,
There is first question as to the governmental oondi
ton of Kansas Is she Territory without organization,
and without law and struggling for both she already
under both and acting by competent authority Much
this question has been numbered by multitude of aega-
ons it is easily answered by few simple facts, Every
body admits that from some source or other Congress has
authority to frame temporary governments for the Terrific
es Of the United States Congress in pursuance OF that
authority did frame government for Kansas 1t is not
pretended anywhere that the act by which this done
is not Of valid force and hence there be doubt that
her government is OF Legitimate character. Whatever
mistaken policy that government may have pursued, if
any whatever irregularities may have practised any
whatever wrongs il may have done permitted if any
these would not aside the fact that she has government
and legitimate government subject in its exercise all the
conditions belonging TO other American governments.
But alleged that has grossly abused its functions
and should therefore be made surrender them and give
place to another Then the further question: whether
Congress, from when this government emanated shall
recognise and uphold it shall take by the hand and
courage those in that Territory who for this alleged
act independently of and in derogaton and defiance Of
transient character admittin for arguments sake the
charge1 had the abuses been long persisted in as TO
have become permanent evil without hope remedy by
ordinary methods there might be reasonable ground for
cutting away the government and substituting one
and il Congress- having authority to this end should
fuse the people subject the government ght
the right of revolution and protect themselves But
such condition be asserted. The chief wrong
planned of single in its nature perpetrated upon
single occasion, never repeated and not Of charac-
ter be sustained by those who said to have
been benefited by it. l aude to the alleged armed in
vason by nonresidents to control the elections n the
spring Of 1858. Admit all that has been said
this subject, and ! then aver that the wrong it
self is but paltry thing compared with the danger
Of using it pretext for revolution Society could have
no stability nor could government command either respect
support il the people upon the first wrong done with
out waiting to see whether may not be corrected or rem
which should be taken only by those who suffering the
hxea bonds Of oppression II the wrong were one flowing
e would ss then the not
simply in the act done but is inherent lasting and subject
frequent display But It is not pretended Of this in
stance that the was induced by vice In The form
character Of the The force at the election
thing ended and did not proceed from any prompt
ing sanction spirit Of aequescence by that
whether considered in reference those who had charge
Of it in reference to its nature and principles Would
this force be used again Would IT be repeated
authority Of the gren by Congress and who
openly rspadiate il as having forfeited any righul
force them, would not stay their radical opposition
till second trial could be made; but before another
election round to test the working Of the gov
ernmen they had already determined TO resist IL and TO
II s hsepr % s own " neo
dictates OF just indignation, to sanction such extraord
nary for giving relief from grievance which
of yesterday and which has root in the govern
nent under which it perpeated. Destroy authority
which for aught that has been may be good in ITSELF
because in solitary instance It has failed to manifest
proper vgor Destroy organized system OF society
which has vicious element proved upon II by trial and
experience because wrong has escaped is checking
hand That would be monsrous, and no will justify
IT, Yet what less than this is proposed by the Topeka
convention men
1t may be supposed that do injustice to those by
narrowing their ground OF complaint nasmuch they
also charge that the action Of the first Legislature Of Kan
oppressive and against liberty. hope sir even
granting this TO be true IL Is not seriously adduced su
hcient before further trial justify resistance TO consu
ted authority amounting to revolution The American peo
pie have enjoyed the forms of free to little pur
pose fthey viii easy and legitimate remedy
for such evils where the elective franchise h not taken away.
They have but to select new legislators and repeal the OBJ
noxous laws The balotbox is certain cnre for wrongs
4
majority Of the Territory could have used 1t to
leve themselves Why not this relied on, instead OF
striking destroy the government itse and thereby raise
commoon threatening the grayest disasters TO all the
Union? Ii would insult the intelligence of country
suppose necessary 10 argue that evils should be
borne for short while, when peaceful remedy can be
found rather than risk greater by hasy dsloya and yo
le,t action How different from this though has been the
conduct of the eeStato Of Kansas II will not do
for say that the ordinary and easy remedy would
not have been available for them because Of interference
by armed invaders for they made no experiment to ascer-
tain whether this would be not II il once
that made rule for the future. At any rate one
could Justly conclude such would be the rule without again
testing IT, much less act upon the conclusion 10 drive So
ciey from its moongs upon the stormy sea Of revolution
So sir assuming the truth TO be the whole Of what Is
charged IL furnishes justification for the conduct of the
frceSate in disregsrdng and deyng the established
government Bat when il is known, M every one here
know that the complaint has been most grossly
aggerated that the elections purged OF the violence
az far as IL was made known, by the regular authority
ia fact by the very Mr. Reeder who seeks 70 tho
violence the preext for extreme resortsand that the
laws Of the States but inhem free and apt the peo
pie their rghts did provoke the nest pre-
tence to resumption Of their sovereignty when these
paIiaves considered the conduct Of those men goes
deeper and deeper into the wreched abode Of awcness
| and crime. .. -..
return to the question Shall Congress uphold the gov
established in Kansas shall II aid and abet
those who rebel against It Shall 1t teach the duty OF
obedience regular authority for transient cause give
free reign and success revolutionary opposition We
sanction the action Of the freeSate men without
encouraging nsubordnaton and contempt OF organized
government We cannot accept the freeSate constitution
i the and tn