Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-09-17
The Presidents reply to rroE. siIIiman.

ant features of President Buchanan's reply
to Prof. Siliman and forty-two others of
Connecticut on affairs in Kansas:
From the distinguished source whence
it proceeds, as well as its peculiar charac
ter. the President deems it proper to de-
part from his general rule in such cases, and
reply. He then argues: You first assert
that the fundamental principle of the Con-
stitution and Of our political institutions is.
that the people shall make their own laws
and elect their own rulers. You then ex-
press grief and astonishment that should
have violated this principle, and say that
Walker has employed an army one of the
purposes of which is to force the people Of
Kansas to obey not their own, nor of the
U. s.. but laws which, it is notorious and
established upon evidence, they never made,
and rulers they never elected; and as cor
ollary from the foregoing, you say OPEN
ly held up and proclaimed, to the great de-
.rogation of our national character, the
above named policy, violating in its most
essential particular my solemn oath to
support the Constitution of this Union
These are heavy charges, proceeding from
gentlemen of your high character, and, if
well founded, ought to consign my name
to infamy; but in proportion to their gray
ity. common justice Ito say nothing of
Christian character) required that before
making them you should have'clcarly acer-
tanned that they were well founded; if not,
they will rebound with whitening condem-
nation upon their authors. Have you per-
formed this preliminary toward the man
who, however, unworthy, is the chief mag
istrate of your country. If SO, either you
or am laboring under strange dclusion.
Should this prove to be your case, it will,
present memorable example of the truth
that political prejudice is blind even to the
existence of the plaincst and most palpa-
Bile historical facts. 10 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 organized, and the
government was in full operation. A
code Of laws had been enacted by the Ter
titorial Legislature. and the Judiciary were
employed in expounding and carrying
these laws into effect.
Referring to the controversy that had
previously arisen in regard to the election
Of members to the territorial Legislature, he
says:
In fact found the government Of Kan
sas as well establishment ~ that of any
other territory. That its laws might be
faithfully executed. and for this purpose
alone, ordered a military force to Kan
sas as posse comifafus, aiding the civil
magistrate to carry the laws into execution
The condition of the territory rendered this
precaution actually necessary In this
state of affairs would l not have been just
" condemned had left the Marshal and
other officers of like character impoteni
to execute the process and judgement o.
the Court of justice established by Con
gress, or the territorial Legislature under
it's express authority, and thus have suffer
ed the Government itself to become the OBJ
ject of contempt? And yet this is wha
you designate as forcing the people of Kan
sas, to obey laws not their own, nor o
the United States, and for doing which 70,
have denounced me as having violated m,
oath. / ask what else could have don
or ought to have done? Would you hav
desired that should abandon the terrific
rial government, sanctioned, as it has been
by Congress, to illegal violence, and thu
renewthe scenes of civil war and blood
shed, which every patriot deplored?
This would indeed have been to violat
my oath of office and to fix damning bio
on the character of my administration.
most cheerfully admit that the necessity fo
sending military force to Kansas, to al,
in executing the civil law, reflects no cred
it upon the character Of our country, bu
D let the blame fall upon the heads of tn
D guilty. From whence did this necessit
D arise? a portion of the people of Kan
} sas, unwilling to trust to the ballot bo,
0 the certain American remedy for redress
D all grievances, undertook to create an indie
: pendent government for themselves; ha
this attempt proved successful it would {
course have subverted the existing go,
ernment prescribed and recognized by Cor
0 gress and instituted revolutionary govern
0 ment in its stead.
OF THE President then enters into MOI
0 particular specification of the condition {
0 affairs requiring the presence of a militar
o force, which he has embraced above in gel
o eral terms and continues:
% The convention will soon assemble
70 perform the solemn duty of framing col
o stitution for themselves and their postc
l. ity. In the state of incipient rebelie
which still exists in Kansas, it is my in
perative duty to employ troops of the
10 s., should this become necessary, in defe
10 ding the convention against violence viii
10 framing constitution and in protcctir
&c the bona fide inhabitants qualified to vo
under the provisions of this instrument,
. the free exercise of the right of suffrag
DO when it shall be submitted to them {
DO their appreciation or rejection. ] have e
DO tire confidence in Gov. Walker and that t
DO troops will not be employed except to !
DO sist actual aggression or in the execute
30 of the laws, and this not until the pow
90 of the civil magistrates shall prove U
80 available. Following the example of n
80 Madison towarde the Hartford conycntic
25l-they will not be disturbed unless th
SO shall attempt to perform some act viii
Is will bring them into actual collision W
so the constitution and laws. In that eve
Is they shall be resisted and put down by |