, 1857-10-16
The Presidents Letter to the Forty CIergynsn

i THE LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
The following is the memorial of Profes
sor Siliman and forty-two others of Con
ncctcut, addressed to His Excellcncy Jas
2 Buchanan; the President of the United
States:
The undersigned citizens Of the United
States and electors OF the State or Con
neeticut, respectfully offer to your excel
= !ercyy this their memorial. The fundamen
tai principle Of the constitution of the Uni
ted States and Of our political institutions
i9that tue people shall make their own ru
lers. We see with grief, if not with as
touishmcnt thai, Governor Walker, of Kan
sas, openly represents and proclaims that
the President of the United States is en-.
ploying through him (WOker) an army
one purpose of which is to force the people
of Kansas 10 obey laws not their own nor
Of the United States, bnt laws which it is
notorious and established upon evidence
they never made, aud rulers they never
elected. We represent, therefore, that by
the foregoing your Excelency is openly
held up aud proclaimed TO the great dero-
cation of our national character as viola
ting in its most essential particular the SOL
cmn oath which the President has taken to
support the constitution % 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
Iposterity, in the attitude of "levying war
against portion Of the United States by
employing arms in Kansas to uphold a
| body Of men and q code Of enactments
Ipurportng to be legislative, but which new
Cr had the election, nor sanction, nor con-
sent of the people Of the territory. We
earnestly represent TO your Excellency that
We also have taken the oath to obey the
constitution, and your Excellency may rest
assured that We shall not refrain from the
prayer that Almighty God will make your
administration an example Of justice and
bencfcence, and with His terrible majesty
protect our people and our constitution.
THE Presidents REPLY.
WASHINGTON CRY,
Aug. IS, 1851
GENrLEMEN :-Ou my recent return to
this city, after fortnight's absence, your
memorial without date, was placed in my
hands through the agency of Mr.. Horatio
King, of the Postofice Department, to
whom it had been entrusted. From the
distinguished source whence it proceeds, as
well as its peculiar character, have deem
ed it proper to depart from my general
rule in such cases, and give it an answer
You FIRST assert that the fundamental
principle Of the constitution of the United
States and of our political institutions is,
that the people shall make their own laws
and elect their own rulers" You then ex-
press your grief and astonshment that
should have violated this principle, and
through Governor Walker, have employed
an army zone purpose Of which is to force
the people OF Kansas 10 obey laws not
their own, nor of the United States, but
laws which it is notorious, aud established
upon evidence, they never made, and rulers
Fthey never elected And as corollary
from the foregoing, you represent that l
am openly held up and proclaimed to the
great derogation Of our national character,
as violating in its most essential particular
the solemn oath which the President has
taken to support the constitution of this
Uniou"
These are heavy charges, proceeding
from gentlemen Of your high character, and
if well founded, ought 10 consign my name
to niamy. But in proportion to their gra-
witty, common justice, to say nothing OF
Christian charity, required that before ma.
king them, you should have clearly ascer-
tanned that they were well founded. II
not, they will rebound, with withering con-
demnation, upon their authors. Have you
performed this preliminary duty toward:
the man who however unworthy, is the
chief magistrate of your country? If So
either you or are laboring under strange
delusion. 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 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 MarcE
last what was the condition Of Kansasi
This Territory had been organized under
the act of Congress Of 8Oth May, 1854
and the Government in all its branche.
was in full operation. A Governor, Secre
tary of the, Territory, Chief Justice, two
Associate Justices, Marshal, and Dis
trict Attorney, had been appointed by ny
predecessor, and by and with the advice
land consent of the Senate, and were al
engaged in dscharging their respective du
: ties. A code of laws had been enacted
\ by the Territorial Legislature, aud the Ju
D dietary were employed in expounding ant
, carrying these laws into effect. 1t is quit
true that controversy had previOusl
arisen respecting the validity of the elec
ton of members Of the Territorial Legisla
h ture and of the laws passed by them; bu
at the time l entered upon my official dr
> ties congress had recognized this Legislc
ture in different forms and by different er
actments. The delegate elected to /th
Uouse of REPRESENTATIVES, under u Terr