The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-16
H The following reply to the Presi-


dent, by Hon. A. H. REEDER, from the N.
Y. Tribune, reflects the highest credit on
our Delegate, and entities him to the sim
cere thanks of the people of Kansas.
Governor Reedsr In Reply to the
President. 4
SIR: The Special Message Of the Pres
ident of the United States, eommunica-
ted yesterday to Congress, assails not only
myself personally, but also my constitu-
ents, whom inclination 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-eonyinced that
it has been dictated by desire to pre-
serve the peace, the reputation and the
glory. of our country-knowing that it
has. at every stage, been characterized
By the most conservative moderation and
laudable regard for the rights of others
having seen at every step the plainest
manifestation of the anxious desire to
avoid even the semblance of encroach-
ment or aggression, | should be false 10
every manly impulse and every sense of
duty, if | allowed the aspersions of the
Message to pass unnoticed.
Unless the Message shall incite and
stimulate new inyasions Of our Territory
and fresh .outrages upon our citizens, 1t
viii produce to US no regret, as it has
caused no surprise. After having seen
our people trampled on, oppressed and
robbed, ON the one hand by the invaders
of their soil, and on the other by the in
fiuence, the authority, and the officers of
the present Administration; after having
witnessed the cold-blooded murder of an
unarmed and unofending citizen by an
officer of the Administratit n, who is not
only unmolested by the laws and unre-
buked by the President who appointed
him. but who has, perhaps. strengthened
his official tenant and enhanced his
chances of promotion by the act J, it is
mol at all surprising that we should, BY
the head of that Administration, be mis-
represented and perverted. After haV-
ing seen the Chief Magistrate, during FIVE
organized inyasions of our Territory, un-
moved by a single sympathy in favor of
an unOffending people, innocent of all
wrong, and labofing only to carry out
faithfully for themselves the doctrine of
seif-government and to build up and ex-
tend the greatness of our country-after
having seen our invaders coming upon
US armed without reproof if not with
official permission, from the contents OF
the arsenaIs of the United States, estab-
fishing system of martial law over life
and property, regulated only by the un-
controlled will of yindictive and ire
sponsible men-a system under which
| life was taken and property destroyed
the highways obstructed; travellers seized,
searched and detained /; all the pursuits
of life paralyzed, and the destruction
and determination Of whole settlements
threatened and evidently intended-back-
ed up by the sanction and authority OF
the Federal officers, who pledge publicly
the cooperation of the President, and
Jail based upon the fact that a man en-
couraged, perhaps aided, by his friends,
had made his escape from an arrest on a
lconstable's peace warrant. After hay-
ling thus seen our natural and legal pro-
tectors joining in the most atrocious
measures of oppression and wrong, it is
no matter or surprise to see misrepresen-
tation of our position and our objects
emanating from the same source.
| This is not the mode nor the time in
which to discuss the themes of this Mes
sage. Expecting, as | have right to
lexpect from the clearness of the exclu-
sive title | am prepared to show, that
shall enjoy a seat and a voice on the floor
of the House, am willing patiently "to
bide my time.'' At the proper time and
place, however, 1 pledge myself to meet
and expose the mis-statements of facts
and the errors of law and logic which il
contains. I will show that there is moth
ling but cold cruelty and insult in the re-
quest of an appropriation to pay an army
or a posse to prevent the people Of Kansas
from the commission of outrage and trea-
son. | will show that the movement
for State Government is mis-stated as tc
the facts of its origin and progress, aud
that all we have done in this direction
| has been under the sanction of the pre-.
eepts and examples of all the great men
of the country f,r the last fifty years-o
, the legislation of Congress and the ac-
ton of the Executive in repeated and
weH-considered cases, and of deliberate
lopinion of high and distinguished At
torney General Of the United States. and
which, as it is part of the archives O
the Executive Department, it is to be re
Igretted the President did not consul
before the delivery of the Message. I
it is illegality and incipient treason for (;
. new State to be formed without an ena
bling Act of Congress, l viii show tina
!, fourteen Senators of the United State
hold their seats, and seven States stant
in this Union by virtue of illegal anG
,, Unreasonable proceedings-that Congress
has sanctioned revolution, illegality, anc
, treason, again and again /; and that th,
| rank and noxious weed has even -four
| ished in the White House and the Execu
tive Department: and, having yindiea.eS
my people, I will also, with the utmos
! confidence of success. proceed to the mi
i. nor and secondary task of yindicatint