Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-10-09

have challenged your attention long before
YOU had taken the oath of office. The very
fact that TIC so-oallod Government required
support from the Federal Executive was the
strongest evidence that it did not come from
tho people. and had no lawful authority, This
shows at once that this Government was not,
in the lowest sense what you call an cs-
tablshed government for i shows that At
was not and could not be established without
a United States armv and. therefore, the ar
my was sent. not, as you pretend, Co sustain
an established government. but for the
purpose of establishing what was not cstab-
lishod--a Government of Ruilian authority.
Nor could You have been ignorant that the
House Of Representatives had sent a special
Committee of Investigation TO the Territory,
and thus acknowledged and confirmed the
propriety Of strict inquiry into lbs Gerry case
On the Report of that Committee the House
of Representatives authoritativcly declared
that the Government of Kansas was cstab-
lished by the terror of bowie knives and re-
volvers. and that it had been proved to have
not a shadow of authority. And here your
Momorialists ask. whether palmer case or
stronger evidence can well be imagined -
When. if not in such case, ought the Pres
ident to dcnouncc government as spurious,
and to refuse 20 aid or sustain it; The laws
of Congress tramplcd in the dust--the inva-
ders from Missouri. proved, beyond cavil TO
be the only authors of this government ~
is it not an outrageous wrong TO hold Kansas
subject to such usurpaton by United States
army? The fires of ruilianism still burn
there. smothered in the droariness of their
own desolation, and ready to be re-kindied in
their fury by the slightest movement for lab
erty and Right on the part of the people,
while the echo Of their suHcrings ever rings
in the ears of our National Executive.
Lot it be remembered that this Government
comes to the people of Kansas not with the
sanction of gray antiquity, nor yet has it come
from any law Of Congress as its true and
proper source, nor yet from the people of the
Territory, nor yet from being even fully es-
tablished. It is of recent origin and iorma-
ton. 1t dates only from the imposition of it
by the rufiansm from Missouri upon the peo-
Pile who abhor and disown it. Every man,
who has, from the first known its existence.
has known its origin and its nature. Lot it
then be taken as it is us it Is. in its origin
and its nature. And what is it: a code OF
laws oppressive, unjust. cruel. outrageous
without a parallel, created. imposed, by the
usurpaton of ruflians from Missouri. And
these laws. and this Governments. without
the least evidence to establish their authori-
ty, but with the most abundant proofs to the
contrary, You ave proposing to sustain and
execute by the United States army You
speak of numbers of "lawlcss men DC, all
uding evidently to the Topeka Convention.
Be it so. for the sake of the argument but
how docs one " lawless attempt to establish
D Government. justify or palliatc another law
less attempt for the same purpose
Further: In your reply you seem to your
Memorialists to concede, in all its truth and
force. the principle which they maintain
Thus you unequivocally and justly assert
chat for portion of the people of Connec-
ticut to undertake TO establish separate gov
ernmeut, within its chartered limits for the
purpose of redressng any grievance, real or
Imaginary would be usurpation, and add
that "such principle carried into execution,
would destroy all lawful authority, and pro-
duce universal anarchy Your Memorialists
fully subscribe to this doctrine. But what is
the act which you call usurpation in the case
supposed What is it but setting up a Gov
eminent claiming authority. and laws dcman-
ding execution, which, in the nature of the
case, can claim no authority and are opposed
TO existing authority? If you would call
this usurpation' in Connecticut, if it would
" destroy all legal authority and produce uni
vorsal anarc " what is this but the very act
which Missouri invaders have perpetrated in
Kansas; There was Government in Kansas
government under the Constitution of the
United States. Law was there also, law
for the organization of the Government by the
PEoPLE OF THE TERuiToRY. Right, too,
was there; the inviolable right Of the people
4 al
rulers. In opposition to the existing Govern
ment, in violation of that existing law, tram
ping upon those inherent rights, Missouri in
vaders have set up a bloody tyranny, which
has, in fact, produced anarchy and bloodshed
If YOU condemn the one. condemn the other
also Your Memorialists have nothing to asl,
of you in this matter but consistency of prin-
cplc. Condemn the same conduct in both
cases put down the usurpation in Kansas.
and the friends of truth, justice, and of the
country, would rejoice.
Your Memorialsts again ask, whether
case can well be imagined, to which the name
of authorative government could be applied
with more palpable improperly and untruth
than to the Territorial Government of Kan
sas Might not even political shamelossnesi
blush to call it by such name Was no
the true and only character Of this Govern
ment known to you and the whole country
before your inauguration.and during the Pres
identid canvasss Did you not, with the full
knowledge of it, accept your nomination
which you were FREQ to decline and thus avoiC
the responsibility Of executing these neiarioui
laws, or, did you suppose that the oath of of
fee would exempt you from this responsible
ity; You admit the Constitutional duty o
the President to e" take care that the laws b.
faithfully executed And now. without hold
ing you responsible for any acts of your pre-
decessor, for which you are not willing to b
responsible aud have not fully sanctioned
your Memorialists would ask, was there n
law to be taken care of, by preventing we'll
known projected invasion of the politica
rights of the people Of Kansas no law to b
taken care Of afterward by expelling the in
vaders from the Territorys no law to be tax
en- care of in respect TO the thelts, the robbie
ries, the neendorism and the murders tina
We're perpetrated no law to be taken care G
in the mode of civil administration adopte
BY Federal officials no lazy to be taken car
OF in not appointing officials whose hand
were red with innocent blood or in removin
bribed and perjurcd Judges. no law to b
I. L. - r "A