Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-09-19
The Memorial of Prof. Silliman, and
the Reply of President Buchanan.

WAsHINoToS, Sept 2.
The following is the memorial of Professor
Silliman aud forty-two others, Of Connecticut,
addressed to his Eycelency, James buchanan,
President Of the United States
The Undersigned. citizens Of the United
States and electors OF the State Of Connect.
cut, respectfully offer TO your Excellency this
their memorial. The fundamental principal
of the Constitution of the United Stntes and
of our political institutions is that, the people
shall make their own laws. and elect their
own rulers. We see with grief. if not with
astonishment, that Gov. Walker OF Kansas
openly represents and proclaims that the
President OF the United States is employing
through him, an army, one purpose OF which
is to force the people of Kansas to obey laws
not their own nor Of the United States. but
laws which it is notorious and established
upon evidence that they never made, and
rulers they never elected. We represent
therefore, by the foregoing, your Excellency
/ is held up and proclaimed, to the great de-
roga,ion of our national character, as viola
ting, in It's most essential particular, the SOL
cmn oath which the President has taken to
support the constitution Of this Union. We
call attention further to the fact that your
| EXcellency is in like manner held up to this
nation, to all mankind, and to all posterity,
in the attitude of "levyng war against a
portion of the L. S." by employing arms in
! Kansas to uphold body Of men and a code
Of enactments, purporting to be legislative
but which never had the election nor sane
tion, nor consent Of the people Of the terri
tory.
We earnestly represent to your Excellency
that we have also taken the oath to obey the
Constitution, and your Excclency may be
assured that we shall not refrain from the
prayer that the Almighty God will make your
administration an example Of justice and be-
neficence, and with Ills terrible majesty pro
tect our people and her Constitution.
THE PRESIDENTS REILLY.
Washington City Aug. Is, 1857.
GENTLEMEN On my return to the city
after a fortnights absence, your memorial
without date, was placed in my hands. thro
the agency Of Mr.. Horatio King, of the Pos
Office Department, to whom it had been en-
trusted. From the distinguished source
whence il proceeds, as well as its peculiar
character have deemed it proper to depar
from my general rule in such cases, and Il
give it an answer.
You first assert that the fundamental prin
ciples of the Constitution of the United States
aud OF our political institutions, is that The
people shall make their own laws, ard elec
their own rulers. You then express you
grief aud establishment that should have vi
dated this principle, and through Gov. Walk
er, have employed au army, "one of the pur
poses of which is TO force the people OF X an
} sas, to obey laws not their own, nor of th'
United States, but which it is notorious an'
established upon evidence they never made
and rulers they have elected" And as
corolary from the foregoing, you represent
that | am "openly held up and proclaimed
to the great derogation Of our national char
acter, MS violating, in its most essential par
tcuar, the solemn oath which the Presiden
has taken to support the Constitution Of thi
Union"
These are heavy charges, proceeding from
; gentlemen OF your high character, and, il wei
founded. ought to consign my name TO inia
my. But in proportion to their gravity, com
. mon justice, to say nothing OF Christian char
> ity, required that before making them yo
} should have clearly ascertained that they wer
well founded il not, they will rebound wit
/, witnessing condemnation urcn their author