The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-23
THE REASON OF THE NEW ATTEMPT AT TREA
SON IN KANSAS.

Men do not act without motives, but these are not
always apparent TO the casual observer, and
sometimes beyond the scrutiny of the most saga
cious In Kansas the general motive in melting nsur
rection and plotting and urging forward treason has
always been quite apparent. Nocarefu observer can
have failed to that the design has been to agi-
tate, excite and operate upon political elements out
side of the Territory to secure partisan results.
leading motive has been SO to conduct matters in
Kansas array the North and South against each
other, and thus band the people in each section
together and place them in hostile attitude.
This result has been accomplished in Kansas, and
in the North and South, with other appa-
rent or reasonable object in view, the most violent
and clamorous apparently profting most largely by
it The scenes that disgraced humanity in Kansas
last year were designed to affect and control the
presidential and other elections, and in of the
latter the design succeeded Fremonts hopes rest
ed wholly upon exciting the prejudccs of the North
against the South in consequence of the doings in
Kansas and but for the energy of leading demo-
Gratis and the sagacty of the people in few north
ern and western States, his hopes would have been re-
allied When the election over, quiet followed
in Kansas as naturally as sleep follows day OF
labor Quiet there was death to the hopes of the
agitators The public mind had become enlight-
ened upon the affairs of Kansas, and reflection
and correct judgment fast taking the place of
wild excitement and inconsiderate thought and
ton. The Kansas actors engaged in dividing the
means which the fraud of the leaders had drawn
from the credulous and charitable. Republicanism
was sinking in all quarters and expiring in many.
The folly and tyranny exhibited by its reign in New
York was sealing the fate and buryng the hopes of
the most ardent there The union of know-nothing-
ism and republcansm in Massachusetts was mani
Testing marked signs of abortion. Without some-
thing besides truth, reason, and argument Mr.
Bankss hopes of fast passing away,
while those of the democracy rising. In Penn
sylvania the most coniding had lost all hope. The
election of Mr.. Wilmot given up in despair, and
his friends were yielding to the prudence of the de-
termination not to surrender long and certain judi
cal term for the more than doubtful chances of the
executive chair Not republican in the State, since
the failure to bring in the know-nothngs and unite
them upon him, has expected that Mr.. Wilmot could
be elected The hopes Of that party in dying
condition in very many other portions of the coun-
try. Without the aid of active remedies they must
expire. In this sad exigency the medicine men,
of the party took counsel together, and consulted
every source that seemed to point out remedy and
lead to hope. Truth promised success, while the
past rendered an appeal to her most certain death.
Reason they had never consulted and dared not to
venture upon the experiment of approaching her. she
having been the guide of their enemies. The same
considerations deferred them from resortng to ar
gument or appeal to justice and patriotism. One
hope only remained disturbances in Kansas, renewed
agitation and popular excitement The action of the
administration in relation to Kansas had been widely
approved, and had extorted commentator from the
more candid of the republican press. The Topeka
constitution, and State officers under it, although gal
yanized with much socmnity and vast trouble and
great expense only manifested unnatural spasm and
the whole affair was about relapsing into quiet and
rest Topeka had refused Lawrence city charter
Nothing was left but for that child of Massachusetts,
repubcanism, for whom other republican States
stood godmothers, to set up authority for itself and
form and adopt city charter without the authority
of the territorial government or even that of Topeka
itself 1t has attempted to set aside the laws and
officers of the Territory within its boundaries and to
set up municipal government of its own to be fol-
lowed by like attempts in other cities and villages
Gov. Walkers proclamation shows how this trea-
sonable movement has been met. That this move
ment contrived by its friends at the East, where
much Of the property in Lawrence is owned cannot
be doubted. That the great design was to create
agitation and excitement for the bencftof Mr. WiImot
and Mr.. Banks, and others, is too apparent to need
demonstration The actors in Lawrence of course
knew that the movement would be depressed by Gov
Walker. They could not have expected that good
could result from it to the city of Lawrence BUTT
was hoped It'll might be managed as to rebound
to the benefit of the republicans at the North who
would be overwhelmed unless new sbrieks in Kansas
could be sounded so loudly as to save them. The
motive is so apparent that it will defeat the OBJ
ject.
The more ultra, IL not all the republican press will
justify this movement, because twill keen up hope
in certain quarters little longer They know that
the whole movement was planned by the leaders at
the North and West They understood the object and
therefore will applaud the traitors in Lawrence and
denounce the federal government for not Welding TO
the treason. We call upon all good, patriotic cti
zens to weigh this matter and to say whether they
approve of this last attempt to obstruct and defeat
the laws aud disturb the peace of the country for
fl,ah So ,.l,,, z1.A.-.