The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-07-30
The Administration and MI.
Reeder.

49, ' '''|f
The Administration and MI.
Reeder.
Nothing connected with the present
administration has struck us with so
much surprise as the revelations of Gov
ernor Reedcr in his testimony before
the Kansas Investigation Committee.
It would appear from this previous
document, that the Government was
in full possession,as earl yas May 1855,
of the views and intentions Of the Mis-
souri, borderers that they know as
we'll what was to take place in the
territory of Kansas throuswhc inva>
ders, as we now know what has taken
place, from the report Of the commits
tee: and that the Government knowing
all this and having in its hands the full
power Of prevention, has willingly suf>
fered the whole wrong to be rerpetra-
ted. 1t is also fully appears that Gov.
Reeder was removed from his Office in
consequence Of the personal threats OF
Atchison to the President, and simply
in order TO remove a person who might
embarass the prcdestincd course of
events. That II. order to Go this casi-
ly as we'll as elfcctually, the President
Of the United States, in half a dozen
interviews, personally attempted to
bribe Reeder to resign the Office Of
Governor by the offer Of a more lucra-
tive Office, and actually drafted in his
own hand writing a paper for Reeder
to sign, which was to 60 forth to the
people as the production Of the resign
ing Governor !; and that Reeder ac-
cepted the terms Of the capitulation
and was prevented from carrying out
the contract only by the Withdrawal of
the specific tender which had been
made.
Much as we have been compelled to
believe against this Administration, We
could not persuade ourselves that any
public men in this country, could be
guilty Of so great a wrong as is involv'
cd in the statements Of Recder ; nor
should we readily believe them did not
the witness implicate himself, in a
questionable transaction quite as much
as he duplicates othcrs,-though in
doing so, he vainly attempts to veil
his own part Of tho business under a
pretencc Of patriotism and were
they not corroborated by every act Of
the Government, so far as those acts
have transpired to public view. Nor
can We learn that any authorized de-
NAL of these statements has been
made, though abundant opportunity
has been furnished.
The facts then are, that this Admin.
instration has voluntarily allied itself
not only with the Slave Powerful with
the most violent and brutal of its pro-
pagandists, and has suffered itself to
be bullied and driven into a course of
procedure, not only wicked and treach-
erous to the poor emigrant who has
gone to Kansas for a home, but mani
testify unjust and unequal towards the
country at large. That it has sacri-
fed not only the great principles Of
Equity and fair dealing, but has viol'
ated the distinctive principles Of sover-
dignity on which it processes to act; and
this, not for the benefit of the whole
country, but to advance the interests
Of a section.
The Democratic party as such, are
fully committed to the same policy, as
is ~abundantly evidenced in its conven-
tons, its platforms and its votes in
Congress F.; and is therefore much more
sectional in its character, n~otwithstand
ing its professions of Nationality, thar
any other party in the country. How
ever great may be our confidence il