Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-24


population, in the first instance, being too
small to support Government, Congress es-
tabllsheS one, and pays its expenses. Conse-
quently, it must have supervision over its
| acts, for the same reason that principal must
have control over the acts of his agent 9th
erwise, he might be involved in any amount of
| expenditure for purposes which he entirely dis
approves If the people could go into the
Territories, in the first place, in sufficient num-
bers to support State Government, Congress
should have nothing to with them any more
than with State.
But being for time too weak and feeble in
number to support State government, from
the necessity of the case Congress must form
government for them, and they must submit.
during this infancy of ther existence, and during
this inability to support government, to such
conditions as may be imposed by Congress But
those conditions should be removed at the ear
lest practicable period. When the people are of
sufficient numbers to support a government Of
their own, and ask it at your hands, why with
hold it? Why not free your Treasury from the
burden of supporting their government, and al
low them that right which belongs to them
the inherent right of the people to govern them
themselves to protect their own ballot boxes,
their own lives and their own property? The
objection made to the admission of Kansas.
under present circumstances, by most of the Op-
ponents of her admisssn, is that law aud order
must be maintained in this Territory and
that was point urged by the gentleman from
Georgia, rSTEPHENs. Sir, law and order
have not been violated in that Territory save
by the officials of your Government. Such is
the testimony of Governor Shannon as to the
peaceable character of the citizens of Law
renee who, by his own letter to the President.
OF November %, 1855, shows that the influence
OF the executive office of the Territory was to
be welded in behalf of slavery, whose interests
he regards as synonymous with law and order.
In writing the President in reference to the
arming of the free-State men he SAYS
This military organization is looked upon as hostiIeto
all sGnthen men, or Tathe TO the ta1o and order party Of
the Territory many of whom have relatives and friends
and all hare SynPathisers, in Missouri"
The first invasion Of Lawrence was made be-
fore any legal process OF any kind or descrp-
tion was ever issued against any citizen of that
place. In the letter Of Governor Shannon to
the President, December IL, 1855, which gives
an account of the invasion of Lawrence he
bears testimony to the law-abdng character
of the people of that place. He says -
1t at agreed that the laws of the Territory
should have the regular and that those who disp
their validity should If thev desired 10 do so test tat
question in the judicial tribunals the country that in
the mean time resistance should be made to their due.
execution and the citizens of Lawrence and vicinity were
when properly called TO aid in the any one
charged with their violation and to aid and in the
preservation of the peace and good order Of society"
" rs proper should sag that they claimed that
large majority Of them had al1oGys held and nculcated
the same rleLc.'
The people of Lawrence reiterated this de-
claration in the following communication adoD-
ted in public meeting of her citizens -
LAWRENCE, May Il, 1856.
DEAR SIR We have seen proclamation issued hv
yourself dated llth May and also have reliable nforu
ton this morning, that large bodies of armed men, in
pursuance your proclamation, have assembled in the VI
cnlty OF Lawrence That there may be msunders
ing we beg leave to ask respectfully, Chat may be
reliably mformed) what are the demands against Us =
We desire to state most truthtuy and earnestly that
opposition whatever will now or at any future time, be
offered to the execution of any legal process by yourself
or any person acting for You We also pledge ourselve:
to assist you called upon in the execution Of any legal
process We declare ourselves to be Orderloving and
lawabding citizens and only await opportunity to
testify fidelity to the laws of the country the Consti
tuition, and the Union,
We are informed also that those collecting about
Lawrence openly declare that their intention is to destroy
the town, and drive off the citizens OF course. do
not believe that counenance to such threats
but in view of the exciting state of the public mind
ask protection OF the constituted authorities of the Govern
ment declaring ourselves In readiness cooperate with
them for the maintenance of the peace ORDER and quiet
or the community IN Wnlch we i've.
J. b. DONALDSON
United States Marshal for Kansas Ysrrisor3.
And at q still later day, the committee Of
safety of Lawrence sent to Marshal Donald
son the following -
We the committee of public safety for the citizens Of
Lawrence make this statement and declaration you
marshal of Kansas Territory
That represent citizens of the United States and Of
Kansas who acknowledge the constituted authorities OF
the Government; that make resistance to the
cution of the laws, national or territorial and that
ask protection OF the Government aud claim il as law
For the private property already taken by your posse
we ask ndemnfcation and what remains to US and
citizens throw upon vou for protection. trusting that
under the flag of our Union and within the folds of the
ConstitYtion VIC may obtain safety; r,o,,,r-
SAMUEL c. POMEROl, WI. !. ROBERTS
SoWN J. II : a ,hr6rA pERRY A. ALI MHALi3Hi' HAdWH
Yet after all these declarations by men who
had violated no law, and who had proposed. in
a written communication to the governor and
marshal, of 7th of May, to deliver their arms
if desired, to Colonel Sumner so soon as he
should quarter in the town a body of United
States troops sufficient for their protection, to
be retained by him as long as such force
shall remain" Lawrence was sacked, and its
pnblic buildings and printing presses destroyed.
Where is there man under arrest in Kan
sas, or with any civil process against him, who
has shot down men there for freedom Of speech,
or who has destroyed PrintingpreSScs, burned
the dwellings Of peaceable and defenseleSs citi-
zens, and sent their wives and children into the
wilderness, to find protection with the savagcs,
against their less mercifuI pursucrs Where
is the man who has been arrested by yOnr
guardians of law and order for any of these
outragcs and wrongs Under the sanction of
officers of the law, citizens have been stopped
upon the highways, their persons searched and
papers seized, without any legal process their
taken and contiscatcd and they, I'M
ioc.. on1snrnd In The work OF maknm l. anSaS a