The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-05-14

l know thero are doubts expressed
whether there we're votes cast by Mis-
sourans in that election. But Noah
might just as vel, have doubted wheth-
er there had been deluge when he got
up on the top of Mount Ararat. Laugh
ter. Just look at the returns. AS
said before, am not going into this
matter at length, because we expect in
formation soon upon which we can rely
confidently. But here is one district
which has got two hundred and forty
seven voters, and four hundred and eigh-
ty-six votes; another which has four hun
dred and eighty-six voters, and one thou
sand two hundred and six votes; anotb
er which has twentyfour voters, and
three hundred and thirty.one votes.
More than five thousand votes were cast
by Missourians in that election, while
they were driving all the freemen Of
Kansas from their places-compelling
them to leave, and forbidding them upon
peril Of their lives to return
There are two Legislature, and they
have sent on hero two Delegates We
have not decided between them; perhaps
we never shall. 1t is our business most
certainly to do it. Those who have
resisted il the strongest, have said We
have the right to do it. If we have the
right TO make the decision, We have the
right, at the same time. to make the ex-
animation which precedes the decision ;
and we are not to be estopped,an block
ed up, and driven out of the way, because
there has been Legislature which has
acted wrong.
L know the same party says we may
rely upon tie court. They trust the
court so do l.. l have always trusted
tho court, and believe always shall I
remember scene whicE gave peculiar
strength to that feeling of confidence in
the court. You remember when the
Congressional Library was burned, and
apparently all the men Of the city were
gathered here to put out the fire. There
was score of engines upon the track to-
the reservoir, and perhaps thousand
men in the rotunda and its avenue. I
saw | could do nothing there and as an
eminent counsel, then a Senator from
Vermont,was about to make an argument
in the Supreme Court, l went to that
place, and there were the court. just as
calm as ever [ saw them in my life. You
could hear the clank, clank, of score
of engines, and the tramp, tramp, tramp,
Of thousand men, cchoing through the
room, but there they sat, attending to
their business, perfectly unmoved. l
looked upon that body of men, and ad-
mired them for their composure in their
situation. But | thought of another
thing There might come the time when
there would be not Only the agitation of
fire and water, but there may be political
agitation. The political elements may
be heaving up and showing their power,
and then that body of men will sit in
their places and do their duty as calmly
as they are doing it now. will trust
10 that court.
But will not put into The hands Of
this court what does not belong to it; and
with that Kansas election case the court
has nothing whatever to do. We are to
decide it for ourselves, and should do so
at onco frankly and fearlessly 1t must
be admitted that those who attempt to
eject the settlers from Kansas have some
very efficient helps. l will read anoth-
or extract from the Presidents mes.
sage:
In the Territory of Kansas there have
been acts prejudicial to good order, but as
yet none have occurred under circumstances
to Justify the interpostion of the Federal Ex-
ecutivc. That could only be in case of OBJ
struction to Federal law, or of organized re-
sisiance to territorial law assuming the char
actef of insurrection; which, il it should oc-
cur, it would be my duty promptly to over
come and suppress. | cherish the hope how
ever, that the occurrence of any such unto.
ward event will be prevented by the sound
sense of the people Of the Territory who, by
its organic law, possessing the right to deter
mine their own domestic institutions, are en-
titled, while dcporting themselves peaceful
ly, to the free exercise of that right, and
must be protected in the enjoyment oft, with
out interference on the part of the citizeus Of
any of the States"
But long afterwards, when, bv the pro.
posed accession of the Republic of Texas the
United States were to take their next step in
territorial greatness and a similar contingency
occurred, and became the occasion for sys-
tematized attempts to interfere in the domes-
tic affairs of one section of the Union, in de-
fance OF their rights as States and OF tho
stipplations of the Constitution These at
tempts assumed a practical direction, in the
shape ofpersevering endeavors, by some of
the Representatives Of both Houses of Con
gress, to deprive the States of the posed
benefit of the provisions of the act aui horiz-
ing the organization of the State of Missouri
ut has been matter of painful regret 10 see
States, conspicuous for their services in
founding this Republic, and equally sharing
its advantages, disregard their constitution
al obligations to il. Although conscious of
their inability to heal admitted and palpable
social evils OF their own and which are com.
pletely within their jurisdiction, they engage
IN the offensive and hopeless undertaking Of
reforming the domestic institutions of other
States wholly beyond their control and an.
thority. In the vain purs uit of ends, by
them entirely unattainable, and which they
may not legally attempt to compass, they
peril the very existence of the Constitution,
and all the countless benefits which il has
conferred. While the people of the southern
States confne their attention to their own
affairs, not presumng ofliciously to intermcd-
die with the social institutions of the north
ern States, too many of the inhabitants ofthe
latter are permanently organized in associa-
tions to infict injury on the former bv wrong
ful acts, which would be cause Of war as he
tween foreign Powers, and only fah to he
such in our system, because perpeu ated un<