Eastern times., 1856-03-06

indianapolis, (Id.) FEB. 10, 1856
Gentlemen Your communication of the
2lst of January, addressed 10 me in an official
capacity, and asking that steps may be taken
TO protect your people from the violence of the
citizens of Missouri, is now before me.
If the legislature were in session | should
lay your communication before them, not with
the most remote idea that Indiana would de-
viate from her well known opinion upon the
principle involved, but out of respect to you
as citizens.
shall certainly not interfere in the domes-
tic institutions of your territory or recommend
that our people should take any part therein.
The conduct of The Missourians as well as of
those from the free states, who have gone into
your territory with the view of controlling
your elections, and not 10 become bona tfde
citizens, is alike reprehensible and liable TO
the severest censure and punishment.
But the remedy for these evils is properly
and constitutonaly Judged with the legal and
sovereign power of The territory; and If this
is not sufficient, it is most wisely left to the
action of the executive of the nation and to
that of congress.
Our form of government never contemplated
for moment that in the domestic troubles so
frequently arising in the different states and
confederacy should take any part. Whenever
this doctrine is assumed and carried out, we
shall find ourselves approaching state of
things that will sweep away all the safe bonds
and ties that bind US together as one people.
We must live faithfully up to all our com
pacts, not only discharging the duties we owe
TO our own state or territory, but those we owe
to the national government. And this can be
llxr h. dinr tho
slightest encroachment upon The great bond of
our Union, which makes us united people.
In the furtherance of this object we should act
towards every member of the confeneracy alike
to each as equal to equal. While we enjoy
the right to make our own form OF govern
ment, as to all our domestic institutions, the
same right we should freely accord 10 others.
There is spirit of propagandism which
seems to be increasing in the south and the
north to which even the law-making power is
invoked. This must not be countenanced or
encouraged. The whole force of the legal
power OF the state or territory must be brought
into vigorous action to arrest it.
When this fails, the ample power vested by
the constitution in the executive and the con-
gress of the nation must be sought. Should
all this prove Intellectual, we shall be not uply
on the verge of anarchy and rebellion, but ready
for the worst of all eyils-intestine war, with
all the calamities that must follow the hostile
array of neighbor against ne:ghbor, brother
against brother, son against sire-war among
those of the same race, the same name, the
same blood.
As state, we are surrounded by our sisters
in the confederacy, differing in many domestic
institutions. In some of them have occurred
mobs, riots, and destruction of human life ; In
others, the sanctuary of the elective franchise
has been invaded but the thought has never
occurred 10 our peaceable and law-abiding cit
liens that the sovereign power in these respec-
tive states in connection with the strong ma.
iional arm, was insufficient to bring about the
observance of law and order.
So long as our people recognize this Princi'
pie and fully carry it out, we shall have re-
spect for the supremacy of the law and for il
administration. five depart from it In the
higher and more delicate relation that we sus-
tain 10 the different members OF the confedera
CIV, we shall find that, in the same proportion
citizens of the counties and townships will be
engaged in open violation Of law-trampline
upon those in authority in the smaller commu
mites, and there will be no safety for property
liberty, or life. s4e