The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-16

| VALLEY OF THE THREE MILE, K. T.
For tie Herald # Freedom.
kansas Treaty.
Mr.. BRowN-DEAR SIR Under thi:
title. l perceive in the "St. Joseph { Mo.
Gazette, that poor governor Shannon
has undergone severe castigation from
my old, estimable, ard talented friend
Judge Solomon L. Leonard, gentle.
man who has, by his own merits and in.
dustry, aided somewhat by that potent
word, democracy, risen sueeessively from
the post of county surveyor, militia gen
eral, to circuit Judge-in which last po-
sition, he has shed lustre on the judicia.
ry of his State, and who, it seems, has
more recently acquired additional re-
nown in the late "Wakarusa war;"
To those who are not aware that Mis-
souri, is not the lawful guardian of Kan
sas Territory, and that her officials are re-
sponsible to the people of Missouri for
the manner in which they demean them
selves, to such, / say, the Judges COM
munication might appear indelicate and
particularly SO inasmuch as the "large
and respectable" party to which he be-
longs, is ineessant in its denunciations OF
that "meddlesome" and "officious" pro-
pensity, which leads certain persons to
"attend to other peoples business" :" But
all this seeming improperly vanishes,
when it is considered that Kansas, OF
right, belongs to Missouri, and that those
factious persons, who are seeking tomake
tia free State, are guilty of a fragrant in
fraction of the Constitution, and an inva-
sion of the rights of the South. The
propriety of the Judges structures, be-
comes also apparent, when taken in con-
nection with the construction recently
given by President Pierce, of the "Pop-
ular Sovereignty clause" of the kansas
BilP'-which construction comedies the
sole and exclusive right of the people of
Missouri to legislate for the Territory !;
and that any organized opposition" to
such legislation is treason, and must be
suppressed.
Thus the Judge very properly asks
"And is it not the duty of the citizens to
yield obedience to the laws, as their rep
resentatives make them ?" That is, the
representatives which our guardians see
fit, in their superior and enlarged expert
enee, to appoint for us. General Pierce
also, in his special message, gives ex-
preston to the esame doctrine, viz: 1.-The
great popular prerogative of se!f.govern-
naent must be respected" That is, we
have the right of all minors to govern
ourselves, through and under the direc
ton of our guardians. The great sin of
the Governor consisted in not under
standing this great principle; and for
this offence the guardian will discharge
him-as other tutors are discharged
without consulting her wardship, Miss
Kansas. Governor Reeder committed
the same blunder. He thought it his
duty and interest to conform his actions
to the wishes of the actual, bona fde set
slers of the Territory, regardless of the
opinions Of their guardians. But they
soon reported him to President Pierce,
who, in a very cogent argument, appris-
ed him of his error.
The same fate awaits Governor Shan
non. Missouri hath said, let him be re-
moved And removed he will be.
Again; if Governor Shannon had
properly understood the relation of Mis-
souri, and Kansas, viz. that of Guardian
and Ward, he never would have commit
ted the indiscretion of telling the insur-
gents at Lawrence that he had not re-
quested the assistance of Missourians to
enforce the laws enacted by that very re-
spectacle body, insolently denominated
by the rebels, the "Rump Parliament. ''
What more reasonable than that the
guardian should administer moderate
correction and chastisement to his refrae-
tory ward? Nor is it matter of surprise
that Missouri should manifest some con-
cern at the waywardness of her young
protege. who appears so much intoxica
ted with the sudden transition from ma
ternal restraint to that perfect, unrestrain-
ed and reckless freedom into which she
has Just emerged. Bat how any gentle
man Of Governor Shannon's intelligence,
or any person not grossly ignorant of the
rights of States and communities, and
of the principles of Popular Sovereignty.
should be guilty of thus encouraging
those Yankee rebels in their arrogant de-
fance and derision of the sovereign State
of Missouri, is to my mind utterly In
expiieabie. But how to prevent the re-
currenee of the mischief is the question?
| suggest as the last means of obviating
the difficulty hereafter, that the mode of
operating the government be changed in
this way: Let the State of Missouri nom
mate. and the President confirm. By
this means Missouri would be conciIia- |
ted. and the danger of dissolution less
ened.
For my part. my earnest desire aud
prayer IS, that | may never be forgesful |
OF my allegiance to Missouri, or tail 20 |
the nnmberless blessiug IS /
which We enjoy at her hands.
Il SQUATTER SOVEREIGN.