Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-02-15
An Angry Governor and a Graz
zy Legislature.
THE VERMONT RESOLUTIONS IN
GEORGIA..
ExrcurIvE DrPARrMENr,

hestaied to comply with tie request Of the
last resolution, for two reasons-hrst, be-
cause ! deprecated the humiliation Of being
made the medium TO communicate an insult
to the State OF Georgia and secondly, be-
cause equally deprecated renewal of the
agitation ut the question Of slavery So ad.
verse to the repose Of the popular mind, g,
destructive of the feelings of amity which
should characterize the relations between the
States Of this Republic, and so hostile to the
stability and integrity Of the Union. But
alter calm dehberation have deemed it my
duty to transmit to you these resolutions,
content that the consequences shall be upon
the heads Of their authors.
The preamble and resolutions profess 10
assert tucts aud principle, but their alleEa-
tons of facts are false and their prime pies
totally uns1und and at variance with the cor-
rect theory Of the Government. A. fact
they assert that the power and influence OF
the siavc.huldlng States have been exertcd
IN extending and Strengthening the Insjltu-
ton Of human slavery that for this purpose
the laws for the recovery Of fugitive slaves,
and The urgaul1atlon of leutorlal Govern.
meuts for Kansas and Nebraska, were pass
ed and that the present Administration OF
the General Government has lent itself To
these illegal and unjust schemes II The oc-
caslon required, It would be an easy TASK TO
confront these declarations with the teach
ings of all our past history. Not solitary
instance can be adduced IN which the slave
holding states ever asked Congress even to
take jurisdiction Of the question of Slavery,
much less 10 exercise the power of promnt-
BAL . D. b..
lerventl1n Is now, aud always has been, their
motto. They have deprecated the agitation
Of the subject M every form. They have
demonstrated against IT'S introduction into the
halS of Congress. fhey have appealed to
The idnlt Is of the Notwithstanding States
by every argument by winch they could
hope To reach their patriotism ar their rea-
sou, to deslst from their assaults upon the
Constitutional rights OF The South. The
passage of the law for the recaplure of tu-
gltve slaves, so far FROM being contrary %
the clear luteut Ut the founders of The Gov
eminent aud IN violation Of The spirit Of the
onsttuuon,n was IN perfect accordance win
both.
The kansas-Nebraska act, so far from be-
ing measure inviting the establishment Of
Slavery IN these Territories, simply opens
them 10 the free ngress Of all the citizens Of
the several States, and invests them with the
right Of making their own laws, subject to
30 restriction but that of conformity 10 the
Constitution of the United States. The
present Administration Of the General Gov
eminent has, therefore, "leut itselfn 10 no
" illegal and unjust schemes" by seeing 70
the faithful execution Of these laws But 10
have been derellct, the President would have
incurred guilt next IN turpltude TO treason
sguinst the Constitution winch he has sworn
to support The assertions of the preamble
aud resolutions Of Vermont IN reference to
the proceedings of the Kansas Legislature
are equally unfortunate 1t is a fact of gen.
eral uotorlety, that under the proclamation
OF Gov Rceder, prescribing The tlne, place
and manner Of holding elections for mrm-
bers OF the Territorial Legislature of Kan
sas, the people thereof selected their Repre-
sentatives, that they convened at the place
dvsiguateu 10 MS proclamatlOn. received from
the Governor ceuifc ties Of their election
organized as a legislative body aud the Gov
ern'r communicated to them his inaugural
message.
Thus regularly clothed with Legislative
functions, they proceeded orderly to the
enactment OF laws. for the government OF
Kansas. Now 1t is asserted that armed cit
izeus from Missouri unlawlully invaded the
Territory, took possession of the ballH-box,
prevented a certain class ut cluzen5 from ex-
erclsng the elective franchise, aud thus VI
uated Tie elections held IN pursuance of the
Governors proclamation. This Is not true g.
aud looking TO the circumstances OF the case,
It Is impossible to have been true In this
proc nnatlon, Gov. Reeder was careful to
specify and define the mode of contesting
the legality of the election of members Ia
the Territorial Legislature. lie prescribed
-" that IN case any person shall desire 10 con-
test the election of any district of the Ter
rltcry, they shall make Il written statement
directed to the Governor, setting forth the
particular precinct or district they intend to
contest, the candidate whose election they
dispute, and the specific causes Ofcomplalnt
IN The conduct or return Of said election,
which complaint shall be signed by not lrss
than ten qualified voters OF the Territory,
and with the affidavit Of me or mrre of such
voters, as to the truth of the facts set forth
therein; such written statement must be
presented to the Governor at his office, on or
before the 4th day OF April, 1856 and ii 1t
shall appear that the result of the election
IN any toundi Distric; might be changed by
SAID contest, day will be fixed for hearing
the cause
The seats Of several members were con-
tested, and though the mode prescribed was
not pursued, yet the Governor entertained
the cases, declared the seats vacant, ordered
new elections, and issued certificates Of cleo
IN no ..1a.f.I 4
Reeder's symputhles are well known. II is
notorious that he belongs to that party whose
sentiments are reflected by these Vermont
resolutions Is it, then, to be credited for
one moment that # the alleged violence aud
fraud upon the ballOt-box had been actually
perpetraled protests against the election
would not have been forwarded in every In
stance and # entered, is it not quite GER
tain that the Governor would have vacated
the eleclionsT But instead of this. there
were but few protests prelerred-not enough
TO change the political complexion of the
Legislative Assembly ind after the purga-
ton of that body under the operation Of these
protests. every member was furnished with
certificates Of the Governor as the evidence
OF his right TO a seat therein. Why, then,
this clamor on the part of Vermont and the
fanatics of the non>slayeholdng States a.
gainst these proceedings of the Territory Of
Kansas Is it because the elections aliud,
ed Ia under the intervention principle
of the Kansas Nebraska act, resulted IN The
return of u large majority to the Legislature
Assembly in favor of the Institution OF Slave.
ny q? For the purpose Of jusifyng their
camor, they drew upon their Imagination for
facts, aud, proceeding enrrely upon false
premises, they are seconding the factious
spirit of the Abolition party in Kansas, who,
repudiating the elections and action of the
Territorial Legislature, are seeking to erect
Kansas into a non-slayeholdlng STATE, and
TO secure her admission into The Union as
suah.
II is not necessary for me to vndicate the
State Of Missouri from the grossly Insulting
and false imputatIons made against espec-
table portion OF her citizens. Thai IS ri
nmphantly proclaimed by the history of the
events to whlchj have alluded. Butin
more important respect. the attitude OF the
Missourlans, who are thus branded. challen.
ges the support and sympathy of Georgia