New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-05

Independence dawned upon the Republic, bat
never amid circumstances Of such peculiar solem.
nifty as the present. We have had foreign wars and
dom este agitstoLr, but through them all tn, fun
dameLtal principles Of the Government have been
safe from attack and the objects for which the na-
ton was organized have remained the same. Bat
10. day all is changed. We find ourselves sur
rounded by the busy forces Of revolution whose
audacious purpose is to subvert this noble system
of republican liberty, to erect the will OF an oil
gar ;hy of shareholders as the controlling pivot of
the nation in place of the democratic majority Of
fIeemen, and to apply all the powers of the Gov
errment TO the supreme end of extending the arena
of human bondsge, and subdung the spirit of
Freedom among the people. We are in the midst
of this revolution, with the Federal Executive pros
titutI its authority to the overthrow OF liberty;
with q great party which yet dares to call itself
Democratic, pledged to the contamination of the az
tempt and with another party, srrogating to itself
the title Of American, indirectly lending its aid to
the cOnspiratorr, who alarm its cOwardice if they
do net enjoy its sympathes.
Such il the state of the nation on this Fourth OF
July, 1e56. The Repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise was followed by legal and peaceable em'
grafton of freemen into the Territories where,
for the purposes of heartless demagogues the
long .standipg prohibition of Slavery had been re-
moved. Free labOrers in the exercise OF their
constitutional rights, and relying Cd the protection
prom sed them by the very act of Repeal, went to
settle and cultivate the disputed territory and to
convert it into the blooming home of freemen.
But they were not to be allowed to do this. The
slavebreeding Oligarchy would not allow it Mr.
Atchison would not allow it, Mr. Douglas would not
allow it Mr.. Caleb Cushing Mr.. jeff. Davis, Mr.
President Pierce would not allow it. Absorbed ia
their great object of extending Slavery, neither the
Constitution nor the acts of Congress could stand
in their way. The free settlers Of Kansas were
invaded by military force from Missouri. Armed
bands, with music and banners and cannon camped
about the ballot boxes, drove from them the peace
full and uDprepared citizers, and elected Legsla-
ture from among themselves. These facts We're
notorious at the time. Everybody knew something
of their enOrmity, though its extent and backness
have but now been fully revealed. The Admins
traton knew it as well as the journalists and the
public, but did President Pierce take any steps to
rebuke and redress these unprecedented wrongs
Not at all On the contrary he adopted them, in
dOrsed them, approved them, and even removed
Gov. Reeder because his honest and manly soul
rev0ltsd at the atrocty and refused to be the in.
strument OF carrying it to its contamination.
Well: this Legislature met aud proceeded with
the conspiracy. by passing Tvs, which even Mr.
Cass has now described in the Senate as Disgrace
full to the age; laws prohibiting free discussion
with the severest penalties, laws providing for the
suppression of the peoples will in all future elec
tions. But none of these things met with any e4'
pre- ssion of disapprobation from the President or
any of his advisers. On the contrary, Mr.. Pierce
and his Cabinet perfectly identified themselves
with this monstrous legislation, stood forth before
the country as it's advocates and spologists, and
pledged the whole resources Of the Government for
its execution.
Of course, the Free people of the North lad not
looked on with indifference while these trans
actions were going forward, and some smsll aud
inadequate efforts were made to send aid to the
Free settlers. These drew forth a proclamation
from the President who, as we have said, had
looked on with appreciation and complacency as
these outrsges were being committed by his friends
and cOadjutors, but who now seemed to fear that
their victory might yet be taken from them. Of
this proclamation, the only aim and the exclusive
eject was to encourage the conspirators, and to
weaken and depress the Free settlers and their
friends. Ard now the time had arrived for new
development of the scheme; and as soon as prepa-
raticns could be made in the Spring, the final
attack was begun An invading force was brOugh.
from Georgia and Carolina, and on arriving in the
Territory each man was furnished with a L. S.
musket from the Federal arsensas. Auxiliary
forces were simultaneously brought in from Mis-
souri, Along with these, the Federal Courts, which
are Immediately under the control of the Presi
dent, were set 10 motion. no doubt with the advice
and consent of himself and his Ministers. Indict.
ments for high treason were found against promi.
nent Free State fneD, and found, Of course, in de-
fsnce of every law but that Of brute force. OF
the parties indicted, some were arrested, others
were driven from the Territory; and then hotels
and newspapers were presented as nuisances and
destroyed, because their propretors and editors
preferred Freedom to Slavery Then civil war
was let loose upon the unhappy settlers. Their
houses were destroyed their farms devastated,
themselves outraged and often murdered, because
they dared to cherish the same preference. After
submitting to the utmost TO these acts Of violence
knowing as they did that they were performedwith
'he sanction ard conniysnce Of the Federal su.
hortts the settler, AZ las, r,,.e i, s.ner.ton N
de'etd the"ielve' and to rets,iste. Even then