Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-09-22
magistrate to carry the laws into execution.

The condition of the territory at the time, which need not portray, rendered this rrecau- ton actually necessary In this state of affairs, would not have been justly condemned had | left the marshal and other officers o like char acter impotent to execute the processes and judgments of the courts of justice established by Congress, or the territorial legislature under | hlS express authority, aud thus have suffered the government itself to become an object of contempt in the eyes of the people; and yet this Is what you designate as forciug "the peo- l pie Of ha1sas to obey laws not their own nor of the United States" and for doing which you have denounced me as having violated my | my solemn oath. 1 ask, what else could l have done or ought to have done? Would you have desired that 1 should abandon the territorial government. sanctioned as it had been by Congress, to illegal violence and thus renew the scenes of civil war and bloodshed which every patriot in the country hai deplored. = This would, indeed, have been to violate m V oath of office and to fix damnng blot on the character of my administration.
 1 most c2eeriully admit that the necessity for sending military force to Kansas to ad in the execution the civil law, reflects no credit upon the character of our country, but let the blame fall upon the heads of the guilty Whence did the necessity arise? portion of the people of Kansas, unwilling to trust to the ballot box, the certain American remedy for redress of all grievances, undertook to create an independent government for themselves. Had this attempt proved successful, 1t would of course have subverted the existing government prescribed and recognized by Congress, and substituted a revolutionary government in its stead. This was a usurpatiom of the same char lo e ,,f IL, of Connecticut to undertake to establish sepa- rate government within its chartered limits for the purpose of redressng any grievance, req or imaginary, of which they might have complain ed against the legitimate State government.-- Such a principle, if carried into execution would destroy all lawful authority and produce universal anarchy.
 l ought to specify more particularly a condi- tion of affairs which 1 have embraced only in general terms, requiring the presence of mill tary force in Kansas. The Congress of the United States had most wisely declared it to be the true intent and meaning of this act (the act organizing in the territory) not to legs late slavery into any territory State, nor to exclude 1t therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to from and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States' As a natural consequence, Congress has also | prescribed by the same act that when the ter ritory of Kansas shall be admitted as a State it "shal be received into the Union with or without slavery, as their Constitution may pre- scribe at the time of their admission"
 Slavery existed at that period and still exists 1 in Kansas, under the Constitution of the United States. This point has at last been finally de clded by the highest tribunal known to our laws How it could ever have been seriously doubted IS a mystery. If a confederation of sovereign States acquire new territory at the expense of their common blood and treasure, surely one set of the partners cau have no right to exclude the other from its enjoyment by prohibiting them from taking into it whatsoever Is recognized to be property by the common Constitution. But when the peopie--the boa0 Jiie residents of such territory-proceed to frame t State ConstItutlon then il Is their right to declde the important question for themselves " neither they will continue, modify, or abrI~. slavery. To them, aud to them alone, doe, thls question belong, free from all foreign l'.- l reference.
 ln the opinion of the territorial legislature of Kansas, the tune had arrived for entering the Union, and the, accordingly passed a law to elect delegates for the purpose of framing a State Constitution This law was fair and just in its provisions. Itcouterred the right of suf- frase upon "every bona f,le inhabtaut of the territory" and, for the purpose of preventing fraud, and the intrusion of citizens of near or distant States, most properly confined this right to those who had resided therein three months previous 10 the election. Here fair opportu- nlty was presented for all the qualified resident cltlzens of the territory, to whatever or5aniza- ton they may have previously y belonged, to par tlcipate In the election, and to express their opinions at the balot-box on the question of slavery. But numbers of lawless men still continue to resist the regular territorial govern ment. They reiu ed either to be registered or to vote; and the members of the convention were elected, legally and properly, without their intervention. The convention will soon assemble to perform the solemn duty of framing a Constitution for themselves and their posteri- "; and m the state of lncpIent rebe iliOn which still exists in Kansas 1t Is my imperative duty to employ the troops of the United States, should this become necessary, In defending the convention against violence whilst framing the Constitution, and in protecting the "Joaa file inhabitants" qualified to vote under the pro- visions of this instrument in the free exercise of he right of suffrage when it shall be submitted to them for their appreciation or rejection. have entire confidence in Governor Walker that the troops will not be employed except to resist actual aggression, in the execution of the laws. and this not until the power of d civil magistrate shall prove uuavaIling. Following the wise example of Mr. Madison toward the Hartford convention, illegal and dangerous combinations, sch as that of the Topeka con- veutiou, will not be disturbed unless they shall attempt to perform some act which will bring them into actual collision with the Constitution and the laws. In that event they shall be re sisted and put down by the whole power of the government In performing this duty 1 shall have the approb- ton of my own conscience, and as humbly trust of my God.
 1 thank you for the assurance that you will not refrain from the prayer that Almighty God will make my administration an example of justice and beueficence.
 You can greatly assist me in arriving at this blessed conSummation by excrting your infu- ence in alaying the existing sectional excite ment on the subject of slavery which has been productive of much evil, and no good, and which, If 1t could succeed in attaining its object would ruin the slave as well as the maSter- This would be work of genuine phlanthro- phy. Every day of my life feel how inade- quate am to perform the duties of my high station without the continued support of Divine frovldehce; yet, placing my trust Ill Hm, and in Him alone, entertain d good hope that He will enable me to do equal justice to all DOT tons of the Union, and thus render me an hum- bIe instrument in restoring peace and harmony among the people of the several States.
 Yours, very respectfully,
 JAMES BUCHANAN.
 Rev. NATHANIEL w. TAYLOR, D. b
 Rev. THEODORE D. WooLsEY D. D. IL. D.
 lion. HENRY BUTTON
 Rev. DAVID SMITH, D. D.
 Rev. J. HAwEs D. D., and others.
 THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE-An ex- traordlnary article appeared in the New York Commercial Advertiser in relation to the break ing of the Atlantic submarine cable. It is di-