Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-09-11

ishmont that | should have violated this
principle, and, through Gov Walker,
have employed an army, cone purpose
of which is to force the people of Kan
sas to obey laws not their own. nor of
the United States, but laws, which it is
notorious, and established upon evidence,
they Lever made, and rulers they never
elected" And as corollory from the
you represent that / am
"openly held up and proclaimed, to the
great derogation of our national eharac-
ter, as violating in its most essential par
ticular the solemn oath which the Presi-
dent has taken 10 support the Constitu-
ton of this Union"
These are heavy charges proceeding
from gentlemen of your high character,
and, if well founded, ought to consgn
my name to infamy But in proportion
to their gravity, common justice, to say
nothing of Christian charity, required
that, before making them, you should
have clearly ascertained that they were
well founded. If not, they will rebound
with whitening condemnation upon their
authors. Have you performed this pre-
liminary duty towards the man who,
however unworthy, is the Chief Magis-
trate of your country? If SO, either
you or | are laboring under strange
delusion. Should this prove to be your.
case, it will present memorable exam
pie of the truth that political prejudice
is blind even to the existence Of the
plainest and most palpable historical
facts. To these facts let us refer.
When entered upon the duties of
the Presidential Office, on the 4th of
March last, what was the condition of
Kansas ? This Territory had been or
ganized under the act of Congress of
Both May, 1854, and the government in
all its branches was in full operation. =
A governor, secretary Of the Territory,
chief justice, two associate justices, a
marshal, and district attorney had been
appointed by my predecessor, by and
with the consent and advice of the Sen
ate, and were all engaged in discharging
their respective duties. A code of laws
had been enacted by the Territorial legis-
lature; and the judiciary were employed
in expounding and carrying these laws
into effect. 1T is quite true that con
troversy had previously arisen respecting
the validity of the election Of members
of the Territorial legislature and of the
laws passed by them but at the time /
entered upon my Official duties Congress
had recognized this legislature in differ
cnt forms and by different cnactments
The delegate elected to the House of
Representatives, under Territorial law,
had just completed bis term of service
on the day previous to my Inauguration.
In fact found the government of Kan
sas as well established as that of any
other Territory. Under these crcum-
stances, what was my duty? Was it
not to sustain this government? to pro-
tect it from the violence of lawless men,
who were determined either to rule or
ruin? to prevent it from being oyerturn-
ed by force in the language of the
Constitution, to take care that the laws
be faithfully executed Z" IT was for
this purpose, and this alone, that | or
dered a military force to Kansas, to act
as posse comitatus in siding the civil
magistrate to carry the laws into cxecu-
ton.
The condition Of the Territory ut the
time, which need not portray, rendered
this precaution absolutely necessary In
this state Of affairs, would j not have
been Justly condemned bad ] left the
marshal and other officers of like char
acter impotent to execute the process and
judgments Of courts of justice established
by Congress, or by the Territorial leg
stature under its express authority, and
thus have suffered the Government itself
to become an object Of contempt in the
eyes Of the people? And yet this is
what you designate as forcing ''the pco-
pie 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 ! ask,
what else could have done, Or ought |
to have done? Would you have desired
that | should abandon the Territorial
government, sanctioned as it had been by
Congress, to Illegal violence, and thus
renew the scenes Of civil war and blood
shed ghich every patriot in the country
had deplored? This would, indeed, have
been to violate my oath of Office, and to
fix damning blot on the character of
my administration
/ most cheerfully admit that the ne
cessity for sending military force to
Kansas 10 aid in the execution of the
civil law reflects no credit upon the char
&c ter Of our country. But let the blame
fall upon the heads Of the guilty. Whence |
did this necessity arise? A portion Of
the people Of Kansas, unwilling TO trust
10 the ballot-box---the certain American !
remedy for the redress Of all grievances
10 create an independent
government for themselves. Had this
attempt proved successful, il would, Of
course, have subyerled the existing Gov !
crnment, prescribed and recognized By 1
Congress, and substituted revolutionary
government in its stead. This was a
Of the same character az it I
would be for q portion Of the people Of I
Connecticut TO undertake to establish
separate government within its chartered .
limits, for the purpose of redressing any /
grievance, real or imaginary, Of which |
they might have complained, against the |
State government Such principle, If