The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-02-06
Governor Reeder in Reply to the President.


SIR:-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
as well as duty imperiously demands of
me to justify and protect. Entirely satisfied
as am with the course adopted, up to this
time, by the people Of kansas-convinced that
it has been dictated be desire to preserve the
peace the reputation and the glory Of our
country-knowing that it has, at every stage,
been characterized by the most conservative
modera ion and laudable regard for the rights
OF others-haylng seen at every step the plain
est manifestation Of the anxious desire to
avoid even the sembIance of encroachment or
aggression, | should be false to every manly
Impulse and every sense of duty, if / allowed
the aspersions Of the Message to pass unno-
! ticed.
Unless the Message shall incite and stimu-
late new invasions of our Territory and fresh
outrages upon our citizens, it will produce to
US no regret, as it has caused no surprise
After having seen our people trampled on, OPP
pressed and robbed, on the one hand by the
invaders of their SOIL and on the other by the
influence, the authority, and the officers of the
present Administration; after having witnessed
the cold hooded murder of an unarmed and
istration, who is not only unmolested by the
laws and unrebuked 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 Magistrate du-
ring five organized invasions of our Territory,
unmoyed by single sympathy in favor of an
unoifending people, innocent of all wrong, and
laboring only to carry out faithfully for them
selves the doctrine of selfgovernment, and to
build up and extend the greatness of our coun-
try-atter having seen our invaders coming
upon US armed (wthout reproof if not with
official permission) from the contents of the
Arsenals Of the United Staes, 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 DISTRACTED; travellers seized,
searched and detained; all the pursuits of life
paralyzed, and the destruction and extermina-
ton of whole settlements threatened and evil
IDENTIFY intended-backed up by the sanction
and authority of the Federal officers, who
pledge publicly the cooperation of the Presi-
dent, and all based upon the fact that man
encouraged, perhaps aided, by his faiends, had
made his escape from an arrest on a constables
| peace warrant. After having thus seen our
natural and legal protectors joining in the most
atrOcious measures of oppression and wrong,
it is no matter of surprise to see misrepresen-
tations Of our position and our objects emana-
ting from the same source.
This is not the mode nor the time in which
to discuss the themes of this Message Elk
pecting, as | have right to expect from the
clearness of the exclusive title | am prepared
to show, that | shall enjoy seat and voice
on the floor of the House, | am willing patti
emily "to bide my time" At the proper time
and place, however, | pledge myself to meet
and expose the misstatements of facts and the
errors of law and lodge which it contains.
will show that thereis nothing but cold cruel
ty and insult in the request of an appropriation
to pay an army or posse to prevent the people
Of Kansas from the commission of outrage and
treason.
| will show that the movement for a State
Government is misstated as to the facts oft
origin and progress, and that all we have done
IN this direction has been under the sanction
OF the precepts and examples of all the great
men OF the country for the last fifty years-of
the legislation Of Congress and the action of
the executive in repeated and well-considered
cases, and Of deliderated opinion of high
and distinguished Attorney General Of the
United States, and which, as it is part of the
archives of the Executive Department, it is to
be regretted the President did not consult be-
fore the delivery of the Message. If it is IL
legality and lncipient treason for new State
to be found without an enabling Act of Con-
| gres, | will show that fourteen Senators of the
/ United States hold their seats, and seven
| Gtc4a.- 49, ~, q
and reasonable proceedings-that Congress
has sanctioned revolution, illegality, and trea-
son, again and again; and that the rank and
nOxious weed has even flourished in the White
! House and the Executive Department. and.
having vindcted my people, l will also, with
the utmost confidence of success, proceed to
the minor and secondary task of indicating
myself in such a manner | trust, as to show
the attack to have been ill-adyised and unfor-
tunate.
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
unparalleled 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 mas Deen maze because they were IN
cidental to another subject or aimed and in
tended to PREJUDICE my claim, l hope in either
case that both side may be heard before de-
cision.
This hasty note has swelled to an undreme-
dated length. It's object is only to solicit from
the House and the public suspension of judg-
ment as to the position and action of our peo-
pleas to my right to a seat, and as to the |
charges against me IN the Message, until | can
be herd. Very respectfully yours.
ID