Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-02-22
|Ueeklp Gree Dress.
BURLINGTON, FRIDAY FEB. %, 1856



anxiety is felt for the personal safety of the
settlers in Kansas, while the public bearing
of the condition and prospect Of their affairs
is one of awful portent to the whole country.
The hasty perusal of President Pierce proc
lamation led many to hail it as an omen of
good. lie seemed to them to have been arous-
cd from his torpidity, or startled from his
collision with evil doors, and at last to have
realized that events in Kansas were fastening
on to extremes of violence and bloodshed,
q which he must exert his authority to prevent;
. and they understood him to say that he would
use that authority to protect all from lawless
and unlawful power, as far as possible. But
more careful examination of that document
soon showed that its fair words cover drawn
! daggers against the men of Kansas who love
and labor for free institutions. Its sounding
rromises-that to resist "any attempted in
surrection in said territory, or aggressive in
trusion into the same, he would employ, not
only the local militia, but 'also any available
forces OF the United States, to the end OF as
surfing immunity from violence and full pro-
lection to the persons, property and civil
rights Of all peaceful and law abiding inhab-
itants of the territory, that if "the fury Of
faction or fanaticism' brings on an arbitra-
mont OF arms, ait shall be between lawless
violence on the one side, and conservative
force on tho other, welded by legal authority
OF the gen oral Government, were intended
10 strike terror into the hearts of the Free
State men, and to encourage the men of vio-
!cnce and blood, who are determined to sub
iue or to Kill them
1t one wants the Key to the real meaning
Of that proclamation, he Will lind 1t by com
pairing its first paragraph with the positions
cf the Special Message OF the 9th of Janua-
r.. That paragraph Is as follows
Wheroas indications exist that nuhlic IRAN
guilty and the supremacy OF the law in the
1870 ~ ntusas ar ennarservu ~ 'ne
r,,hin md without the same who nrnnoso 70 70
direct and controlits political organization by
force. 1t appearing that combinations have
oeen FORMED therein TO resisO inc eAecutioA Oh
wort bv whence ali present constitnt;nnoi and
legal authority 1t also APP caring that other
persons, Inhabitants OF remote States, are
correcting tl'.'sy' ens"sine men, anu fro'i4-
u ains i'' '"' S'"i' Pu'posV w.
"Surremacy OF the law of Wh1i law
What territorial law - What present
constitutional and legal authority chat COM
binations have been formed therein to resist
the execution Of, is he speaking Of Who
as he means it, are they, who propose to
direct and control the political organization
of Kansas by force" Ills Special Message
gives US the answer to these questions. lie
there tells us that "the LceiSiatrs iodV tins
constituted and elected THAT is the one which
the MissiSourian mraderS elected and put in
10 power Is The legitimate assembly Vt 't'
Territ5rY.' Their atrocious enactmynts arc
then 'tde TAR which he regards a supreme
those ats are tie "tcrritorial laws
which are endan gercd By rcprchcnsible act
or purposes Of persons both within and with.
out the came that body Of pirates he hol j.
10 be the valid legislature under the organic
law Of the territory constituted by the
Federal Government, -tLcy, ami those who
atte,npt to force the free people OF Kansas t.
obev them, are the ones who arc to he upheld
by the bayonets of the United States troops
and the settlers Of Kansas are to be put to the
sword if they do not submit to the brigaul'
Of Atchinsou and stringfclow from Nilsson
ri.
Moreover, in direct terms he denied the
right Of the people of Kansas to form a Stat'
constitution. declared that their doing s,
was an act Of Revolutionary character,
that it "will become REASONABLE insurrec
,,,, ;rit rooob t,,o l,r,.,b If or,-o,isod ros;s,
- ~,
nnco py force 10 tue 'unaAi''i'ui VI any o'''e
federal law and to the authority OF the gene
.,;;,;, &c ,,o or ,,,ro S.ot,s nv or,,lov a.
'li''" ~ N'' va 'i''c '7'"'' "a 0'"f''' -"