Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-02-08
LETTER FROM COY. REEDER.

GESTLENES:-1he special message OF
the President Of the United States, CON-
municated yesterday to Congress, assa lied
not only myself personally, but also my
constituents. whom incliE alton as well as
duty, imperiously demands of ME to justify
and protect. Entirely satisfied as | am
with the course adopted up to this time. by
the people of Kansas-convinced that it
has bean dictated by desire to preserve
the peace, the reputation and the glory of
our country-knowing that it has, at every
stage, been characterized by the most con-
seryative moderation and laudablc regard
for the rights Of others---having seen at
every step the plainest manifestations of an
anxious desire to avoid even the semblance
Of encroachment or aggression, should be
false to every manly impulse, and every
sense of duty, if | allowed the aspersions
Of the Message 70 pass unnoticed.
unless the message shall iucite and stiui-
ulate new invasions of our Territory, and
fresh outrage upon our citizens, it will
produce to us no regret, IS 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 by the influence, the authority,
and the officers Of the present Administrations
after having witnessed the eold-blOoded
murder of IN unarmed and unoffending
citizen by an officer of the Administration,
who is not only unmolested by the laws,
and urebuked by tine President who appoin-
ted him, but who has, perhaps, strengthen
ed his official tenant and enhanced his
chances of promotion BY the act; it is not at
al; surprising that we should by the head of
that AdnIinistr alton. be misrepresented and
perverted. After having seen the Chief
Magistrate, during five organized invasions
of our Territory, unmoved by single
sympathy il favor of an unofteuding people,
innocent es all wrong, and laboring only to
carry out faithfully for themselves the doc
trine Of self-government, and to build up
and extend the greatness Of our country
after having seen our invaders coming upon
US armed, without reproof, if not with pf-
fetal permission, J from the contents Of the
Arsenais of the United States, establishing
a system of martial law over life and prop
erty regulated only by the uncontrolled will
of vindictive and irresponsible men. 4
system uEder which life was taken and
property destroyed; the highways obstruc-
ted, travellers seized, searched and detained;
all the pursuits of life paralyzed. and the
destructisn and determination Of the whole
settlements threatened, aud evidently in
tended-backed up by the sanction and
authority of the Federal officers, who
pledge publicly the cooperation of the
President, and all based upon the fact, that
nan encouraged. perhaps aided by his
friends, had made his escape from arrest on
a Constable's peace warrant-after having
thus seen our natural and legal protectors
joining in the most atrocious measures of op-
preston and wrong, it is no matter of sur
prise to see misrepresentation of our posi-
sion AMI our objects emanatins from the
sans sou rec.
Tnis is not che mode nor the time in
which to disc uss the themes of this mes
sage. Expecting, as have Alright 10 ex-
pect from the clearness Of the exclu sive
title | atn prepared to show, that shall en-
JOY scat and a vote Z ON the floor of the
House, am willing patiently "to bide my
time" At the proper time aud place, how
ever, pledge myself to meet and expose
the nis-statements of facts aud the
error OF law aud logic which it contains. -
I viii show that there is nothing but cold
cruelty and insult in the request of an ap-
preparation to pay an army or posse to
pESfcbt tne PeopeS " h0Ho"S iTVtu buc Cuio-
mission of outrage and treason. will
show that the movement for State Gov
ernment is mis-stated as to the facts of It's
origin and progress, and that all we have
done in this direction has been under the
sanction OF :he precepts and examples of all
the great men of the country for the last
fifty years-of the legislation Of Congress
and the action OF the Executive in repeated
and well-consi1ered cases, and Of q deiber-
ate opinion o. high and distinguished A.
torney -Genaral of the United States, and
which, as it is part of the archives of the
Executive Department, it is to be regretted
the President did not consult before the de-
livery of the Message. Ii it is iilegality
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, and seven
States stand in this Union by virtue of IL
legal aud reasonable proceedings-that
Congress has sanctioned revolution, illegal
ity and treason, again and again; and that