Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-31

IDENTs KANSAS MESSAGE.
As a part of the history of the Times, we
publish the following letter Of Governor Rec
der in reply to the Presidents late Kansas mes
sage. The Governor makes many prom
ises. He boasts that at the proper time he
will amply vindicate himself and his constit
uents. He may be equal to the task, but if so, he
We regard his course as indefensible.
"WAsHINGroN Cry, January 25.
"The special message Of the President Of
the United States, communicated yesterday to
Congress, assails not only myself personally,
but also my constituents, whom inclination as
we'll as duty imperiously demands of me to
justify and protect. Entirely satisfied with the
course adopted up to this time by the people of
Kansas-convinced that it has been dictated
by desire to preserve the peace, the reputa-
ton and glory of our COMMISSIONING that
it has, at every stage, been characterised by the
most conservative moderation and laudable
regard for the rights of others-havng seen at
every step the plainest manifestations of an
anxious desire to avoid even the sembance
of encroachment or aggression, / should be
false to every manly impulse and every sense of
duty if allowed the aspersion of the message
to pass unnoticed.
Unless the message shall incite and stimu-
late new invasons Of our Territory and fresh
outrage upon our citizens, it will produce to
US no regret, as it has caused no surprise
After having seen our people tramped on, OBJ
pressed and robbed on the one hand by the
invaders of their soil, a d on the other by the
influence, the authority, and the officers of the
present administration after having witnessed
the cold booded murder of an unarmed and
unoffending citizen by an officer of the Admin
istration, who is not only unmolested by the
laws, and rebuked by the President who ap-
pointed him, but who has, perhaps, strength
ened his official tenant, and enhanced his
chances of promotion by the act, it is not at
all surprising that we should, by the head Of
that Administration, be misrepresented and
perverted. After having seen the Chief Magis-
trate during five organized invasions of our
Territory, unmoved by single sympathy in
favor of an unoffendiug people, innocent of
wrong, and laboring only to carry out faithfully
for themselves the doctrine of selfgovernment,
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 official permission,) from the contents Of
the arsenals of the United States, establishing
a system of martial law over life and property,
regulated only by the uncontrolled will of vim
dictive and irresponsible men-a system under
which life was taken and property destroyed
the highways INSTRUCTED travellers seized,
searched, and detained all the pursuits of life
paralyzec, and the destruction and extermina-
ton OF whole settlements threatened and eyi.
IDENTITY lntended-backed up by the sanction
and authority fthe federal officers who pledge
publicly the cooperation Of the President and
all based upon the fact that a man encouraged,
perhaps sided, by his friends, had made his
escape from an arrest on a constable's peace
warrant-after having thus seen our natural
and legal protectors joining in the most afro
cious measures of oppression and wrong, it is
no matter of surprise to see misrepresentation
of our position and our objects emanating from
the same source.
This Is not the mode nor the time in which
to discuss the themes of this message. Expect
ing, as have a right to expect, from the clear
nessof the exclusive title am prepared toshow,
that | shall enjoy seat and a voice in the
House, ! am willing patiently "to abide my
time" AT the proper time and place, however,
pledge myself to meet and expose the mis-
statements of facts and the errors of law and
logic which it contains. will show that there
is nothing but GELD eruelty and insult in the re.
quest of an appropriation to pay al as--------s-
posse to prevent the people of Kansas from the
commission of outrage and treason. / will
show that the movement for State government
is mis.stated as to the facts of its origin and
progress, and that all we have done in this di.
rection has been under the sanction of the pre-
cepts and examples of all the great men of the
country for the last fifty years-of the legisla.
ton OF Congress and the action of the Execu-
tive in repeated and well considered cases, and
Of deliberate opinion of high and distin-
guished Attorney General of the United States.
and which, as il is a part Of the archives of the
Executive DeIartment,it is to be regretted the
President did not consult before the delivery of
the message
If it is illegality and incipient treason for
new State to be formed with 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 illegal
and reasonable proceedings-that Congress
has sanctioned revolution, illegality, and trea
son, again and again and that the rank and
obnoxious weed has ever hourished in the
White House and the Executive Department;
and, having indicated my people, / will also.
with the utmost confidence of success, proceed
to the minor and secondary task of indicating
myself in such manner, | trust, as to show the
attack to have been ill.advised and unfortu.
nate.
AS to the discussion in the message of the
points involved in the contested seat, / shall
meet them when the case is heard and as the
House is the sole constitutional Judge of the
qualifications of its own members, / trust that
the minds Of members may be kept open and
unprejudiced until they shall hear the law and
the facts of the case, and that whether the dis
cussion by the Executive Of some of the points
involved has been made because they were in
cidental to another subject, or aimed and in
tended to PREJUDICE my claim, hope, in either
case, that both sides may be heard before de.
cision.
"This hasty note has swelled to an unpre.
meditated length. Its object is only to solicit
from the House and the public suspension of
Judgment as to the position and action Of our
people, as 10 my right TO a seat, and as to the
charges against me in the message until can
be heard.
avery respectfully yours,
"A. II. FEEDER"
EFFECTS OF THE WEATHER ON WILD Ducks. |