Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-09-12

faithfully executed p 1t was Fer this pur-
pose, and this alone, that I ordered mill
tary force TO Kansas, to act as posse c0n9r
ttatas in aiding the civil magistrate 10 car
ry the laws into execution.
The condition of the Territory at the time,
which ] need not portray, rendered this pre-
caution absolutely necessary. n this state
Of affairs, would I not have been Justly con
demned had left the marshall and other
officers of like character impotent to exc
cute the process and Judgments OF courts of
justice established by Congress, or by the
territorial legislature under its express au-
/ thority and thus have suffered the govern
ment itself to become an object Of contempt
IN the eyes of the people? And yet this is
what you designate as forcing the people
Of Kansas to obey laws not their own, nor
Of the United States = and for doing which
you have denounced me as having violated
my solemn oath. I ask, what else could
haye done, or ought to have done Would
you have desired tAat I should abandon the
territorial Government. SANCTIONED IS it had
been by Congress 70 Illegal violence, and
thus renew the scenes Of civil var aad blood
shed which every pa.rici in the coantry had
. deYlored? This would, indeed, have been
10 violate my oath Of Office, and to fix a
damning Blot ca the character o. my admin
isgEa.iea 8 -
I most eheerfoIly admit that The necessity
Tor sending Il military force to Kansas to aid
N the execution Of the civil law rejects TO
credit upon the character Of our country.
But let The blame fall upon the heads Of the
guilty. Whence did tdts necessity arise !!
4 portion Of tie people Of Kansas, unwii-
/ Ing to trust TO the ballot oox-the certain
i American remedy for the redress Of all
pendent government for themselves. Had
this attempt proved successful, It would, OF
course, have subyer,ed the existing govern
meHt prescribed aud recognized by Con-
gress, and substituted d revolutionary gov
eminent ia its stead This vas usurpa-
+ ion of the same character as, it would be for
a portion OF ihe people of Connectet to.un-
t3ertase to establish a separate government
within its chartered limits for tie purpose of
eeafessinE aay grievance, real ar imaginary,
Of s.hich they might have complained a.
gainst the legitimate State government -
Such Z principle. If carried into execution,
would destroy all lawful authority and pro
Iduce universal anarchy.
[ ought to specify more particularly con-
5iition of affairs, which [ have embraced on
y in general serms, requiring the presence
of military force in Kansas The Con
sress Of tie United States had most wisely de-
elared Ito Be- tae "true intent and meaning
81 this act (the act organizing the Terrific
~ not to legislate slavery into any Terri
tory or State, nor TO exclude It therefrom,
but to leave the people thereof perfectly free
to form and regulate their domestic institu-
tons in their own way, subject only to the
constitution Of the United States" AS a
natural consequence Congress has also pre-
scribcd by the same act that when the Ter
ritory OF Kansas shall he admitted a. q State
i. shall be reci7od into the Union. viii or
without slavery, as their constitution may
prescribe at tie tilut Of their admission. "
Slavery existed at that period and still
exists in Kansas, under the constitution OF
the United States. This point has bccn g.
nally decided by the highest tribunal known
to our laws How it could ever have been
seriously doubted is mystery Ii con-
.eue. es.vu % svvv,visn States acquire now
L
blood and treasure, surely ole set Of the
partners con have no right to exelade the
other from its enjoyment Us prohibiting them
from taking into IT whatsoever : recognized
to be property y TIE common constitution.
:, But when the people-the iona I'D. resi-
dents OF such Ierntory-peoeeed to frame a
State constitution, thon II Is their right to
decide the important question for themselves
whether they viii continue, modify. on abol-
ISL slavery. 10 them. sud them alone, does
tbs question belong, free from ~ foreign
interference.
IA the opinion of the territorial legisla-
turo Of Kansas. the time had arrived fog
entering the Union, and they accordingly
passed q law to elect delegates for the pur-
pose Of framing a State constitution. This
iaw was fair and just in It's provisions. Il
conferred The RIGHT as spalaee an every
j ioaa f3e inhabi5ant Of he Territory = and
for the purpose Of preventing ira9d. and
the intrusion Of citizens Of near Or distant
states, most properly confined this right to
those wac had resided therein three. months
4fez .oUs Co he election. Here al..,i.' OPP
port8aity was presented for all the qualified
resident citizens 81 ths Terr.torg, 10 what
ever organization they might previously be-
long, to participate in the election, and to
express their opinions at tAe ballot-box on
the question IF ss45ry. But numbers Of
las,ess mea stiii continue to resist the reg-
mir territorial government Icy refused
either to be registered or 20 tote; and the
members Of the Convention were elected,
legally and properly, without their intervon-