Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-10-08
From the Dulnoue Republican.
Nj. Buchanan and his Peopie---Se con,
Letter of the Connecticut Memorial

diers Of the days ofyore, who would no
stay whipped They have taken the let
ter OF Mr.. Buchanan in reply to theil
memorial upon Kansas affairs into seriou,
consideration, and finding it unsatisfac-
tory and inconclusive, have addressed a
second letter to the President, in which
they pretty effectually use him up.
The whole gist of this controversy be-
tween the President and his Connecticut
letter writers is briefly this: Are all or
ganizations claiming to be Governments
and to have the right TO make laws, ex-
isting in our Territories, to be received
and regarded as bona tide and rghtful
Governments without regard to the man
ner in which such organizations become
possessed Of power? And if not, was
the organization which claimed to be the
Government of the Territory of Kansas at
the time ofthe elevation of Mr. Buchanan
TO the Presidential chair, such Govern
ment as could, by its origin, It's spirit and
its purpose claim the support and pro-
tection of the National Government p
Mr.. Buchanan affirms these propositions,
and the Connecticut memorialists deny
them
These gentlemen commence their Sc
cond letter by remarking that the Presi-
dent has attempted no denial of the facts
"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; and :" that Gov. Walker. of
Kansas, openly and avowedly represents
and proclaims, that the President of the
United States is employing through him
{ (Walker) an army, one purpose of which
is to force the people of Kansas to obey
laws which are not their own nor of the
United States but laws which, it is no.
torious, and established upon evidence,
they never made, and rulers they never
elected" These truths the President. in
his letter, either passed over in silence
or explicitly ayowed. But he also asserts
that there was government in Kansas
which he was bound to sustain when he
But nothing ran Je truly !gouernmea or
lar which has no authority /; and nothing
should be treated as government or laa0
which presents no eoideace of authority.
Can anything which tramples under
foot all human rights, and is known
outrage upon our Constitution and our
political institutions, whatever be its name
or form, be justly regarded as govern
ment or law having authority under our
Constitution !? Can such an outrage be
clothed with authority BY a President,
Senate, Congress, or whole Congress
of Presidents? Can usurpation beget a
valid government or law, or impart that
right to govern which implies an obliga-
ton to obey? Its might may make it
matter of prudence to avoid its wrath by
submission, but can usurpation create an
obligation to obey when none exist ?
When rules of action, claiming to be val
id laws, present on the first aspect, evil
dence that they proceed from a law max
ing power, it Is the duty of the people
and the executors of law ITO recognize
them as authoritative. But to say that
ALL governments and ALL laws claiming
to be valid, must be recognized, executed
and obeyed AS such, is as preposterous as
to deny the general principle itself. To
mistake the general rule for the universal
rule. the conditional for an unconditional
principle, must lead to false reasoning and
to practical conclusions of the most dan
gerous character.
The only principle upon which gov
ernment, within our own limits, and
claiming to derive its power from an act
of Congress, can be rightfully recognized,
is that there exists clear and decisive evil
dence that the government in question
proceeds from an authorized law making
power. Under our national Constitution
all power is inherent in the people. In
the Nebraska Kansas bill it was declared
that "the true intent and meaning of this
act is to leave the people (of the Terri
iory) perfectly free to regulate their do
mestic institutions in their own way, sub
ject only to the Constitution of the United
States" To the people, and to them
alone, it expressly gives the right to make
their own government and laws. Here
is no sanction, no authority, for gov.
ernment not framed by the people, bu
founded solely on invasion. Can this
law enthrone in rightful sovereignty ban
dts from neighboring State +? AS wei