Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-07-23
Gov. Reeder,s Testimonx.

The evidence given by Gov. Reeder before the
Kanzas Investigating Committee was submitted
to the President, without being noticed in their
report to the House of Representatives. The
evidence eliminated the President badly, and
placed him in the worst possible position, and the
committee thought he should have an opportuni.
ty to reply Up to this time he has made no
reply, and it is fair to presume that he admits the
facts. We presume he cannot safely deny them,
and considers the silent admission of them less
damaging than either open confession or any at.
tempt to evade or extenuate them.
Gov Reeder states that from the first he kept
the President fully informed of the efforts made
by Mlssourians to control the local affairs of Kan
zas, by destroying the franchise of the inhabi-
tants, and defeating the provisions of the organic
law, but the President declined in any way to
interfere for the protection of the citizens. When
the pretense was got up against Reeder in regard
to land speculations, the President acknowledged
that they were trivial, and constituted no ground
of removal. Says Gov. Reeder -
"The President stated that this Kanzas
matter had given him more harrassing anxiety
than anything that had happened since the
loss of his son that it haunted him day and
night, and was the great overshadowing
trouble of his administration. He stated that
the most pertinacious complaints of me had
been made to him, and the most urgent de-
mands had been made for my removal upon
every ground that could be got up; that Gen.
Atchson pressed it in the most excited man
ner, and would Listen to no reasoning al all
As to the charges Of purchasing Indian landl.
and interests in towns, he said he was entire
ly satisfied as to the former, that it was ali
fair and honorable, and that hundreds haG
done so before me-ridiculed Mr.. Mannypen-
ny's objection to it, and said he had rebuked
him when he had talked to him of it he was
nevertheless sorry, under the circumstances
of this case, as they made pretext for my
enemies to annoy him with demands for my
removal.
81 said that it was evident to
me that he was about to make concessions in
the wrong direction that he was perfectly
aware that in all previous angry collisions be
tween northern and southern sentiment had
favored the compromises which had satisfied
the South and had secured their right
against the clamor of the anti-s slavery men
thst considered this clear case of aggres
sion on northern rights; and whatever Their
was to be as concession or compensation
should be made to the North, and not to tn
South. The interests of the North, the inter
ests of the democratic party, and the prnci
pies of truth and justice, loudly required it
and that if he would boldly and prompt
take that course at this time, before the mas
of the southern people had taken any position
upon this question, he would be largely sus
tanned, even at the South and that the longe
the evil was allowed to progress, the NOR
complexed and complicatedwould the case be
come, and the more difficult of remedy.
failed to convince him of my views, which h
rather evaded than answered and final
told him that, as we could not agree, Their
was nothing left but for him to take the res
possibility Of his acts and of mine. H..
spoke ofthe dangers of my remaining in OF
| fee; to which l replied that they had no ter
rors for me, so long as l felt was in the per
Torrance of my duty. He said:
Well, shall not remove you on aocoun
Of your official action If l remove you at al
it will be on sccount of your speculation i
lands of the territory" l told him they wer
not speculations, but simply lawful purchases
| then alluded to the town of Pawnee and III
military reservation, which was an importan .
matter in its bearings upon the political par
ties OF the territory, and in regard to which
had promised me to speak to the secretary
war and secretary of the Interior He reptile
that he would have no time 10 think of tn
matter or attend 10 1t, but that, if the vaca
ton ofmy office could be satisfactorily ad
| justed, he thought all these matters could b
arranged in such shape as to promote m
private interests felt insulted by the pro
position tc such an extent that dai ed NO.
trust myself to reply. 1 was conscious of
state of temper so angry and excited as
leave only the alternative Of silent contemp
or an angry and indecorus reply. chos
the former, and, as was standing near tb
door with my hat in my hand, bid hil
good morning and left him."