Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-09-19

Have you performed this preliminary dnty
towards the man who, however unworthy. is
the Chief Magistrate Of your country II SO,
either you or | are luboring under strange
delcsisn. Should this prove to be your case,
an5~.A-ar-esnt n memoriab!s example Of the
truth, that political prejudice is blind even to
the existence OF the plainest and most palpa-
bic historical facts.
To these facts let us refer When enter
ed upon the duties of the Presidential Office
on the 4th of March last what was the con-
dtion of Kansas?
This Territory had been organized under
an act Of Congress, passed the 3oth day OF
May, 1854, and the Government in all its
branches was full in operation. A Governor,
Secretary of the Territory. Chief Justice,
two Associate Justices, Marshal and Dis
trict Attorney, had been appointed by my
predecessor. by and with the advice and con.
sent Of the Senate, and were all engaged in
discharging their respective duties. A code
OF laws bad been enacted by the Territorial
Legislature, and the judiciary were employed
in expouHding and carrying these laws into
effect
1t is quite true that controversy had pre-
viously arisen, respecting the validity Of the
election of members TO the Territorial Legis-
latnre, and of the laws passed by them. But
at the time entered upon NY official duties,
Congress had recognized this Legislature, in
different forms, and by different enactments.
The delegate elected to the House of Repre-
sentatives, under the Territorial law, had just
completed his term of service on the day pre-
vious TO my Inauguration. In fact, found
the Government OF Kansas as well established
US that Of any other Territory.
Under these circumstances, what was my
duty? Was it not to sustain this government ;
to protect it from the violence of lawless men ;
to prevent it being overturned by force; in
the language of the Constitution, "to take
care that the laws be faithfully executed ?"
1t was for this purpose, and this alone, that
i ordered a military force to Kansas, as a
posse comitatus, aiding the civil magistrate to
carry the laws into execution. The condition
OF the Territory at the time, which need not
portray, rendered this precaution absolutely
necessary.
In this state OF affairs, would | not have
been justly condemned, had l left the Mar
shal and other officers of like character i'm
potent to execute the process and Judgments
OF court OF Justice, established by Congress,
or the Territorial Legislature under its ex-
press authority and thus have suffered the
government itself to become Oh object OF
contempt in the eyes of the people? And
people Of Kansas TO obey laws not their own,
nor Of the United States" and for doing which,
you have denounced me as having violated
my oath.
/ ask what else could have done or ought
/ 20 have done? Would you have desired
that l should abandon the Territorial Govern
ment, sanctioned AZ it had been by Congress,
to illegal violence. and thus renew the scenes
of civil war and blOodshed, which every pa
,riot had deplorcd? This would, indeed,
have been TO violate my oath Of Office, and TO
fix damning blot on the character Of my
administration
most cheerfuly admit that the necessity
FOR sending military force TO Kansas, to aid
in the execution of 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 this necessity arise ?
A portion Of the people of Kansas, unwil-
ling to trust to the ballot box--the certain
American remedy for the address of all griev-
ances-undertook to create an Independent
Government for themselves. Had this at
tempt proved successful, it would, OF course,
have subverted the existing Government. pre-
scribed and recognized by Congress and sub
siituted a revolutionary government in its
stead. This was usurpation Of the same char
|
pie of Connecticut to undertake TO establish
q separate government within its own limits
| for the purpose of redressiDg any grievance
real or imaginary of which they might have
complained against the legitimate govern
ment. Such principle, if carried into exc
cuton, would destroy oil lawful authority ant
produce universal anarchy.
/ ought to specify more particularly con
dition of affairs, which have embraced oDl,
in general terms, requiring the presence OF {
military force iu Kansas. The Congress o
the United States has most wisely declared
to be the true interest aud meaning Of thi
act-the act organizing the territory-not t
legisute slavery into any territory or State
not to exclude it therefrom, but TO leave til,
people thereof perfectly free to form and reg
ulate their domestic institutions in their Owl
way, subject only to the Constitution Of tn
Uuited States.
AS q natural consequence, Congress ha
also prescribed by the same act, that whe
the Territory Of Kansas shall be admitted d
State, it shall be received into this Uno
with or without slavery, as their constitution
may prescribe at the time of their admission
Slavery existed at that period, and still eS
lists in Kansas, under the Constitution OF til
United States. This point has at last bee
finally decided by the highest tribunal know
to our laws. How it could ever have bee
seriously doubted is a mystery. If conted
erution of Sovereign States acquire ne'
territory at the expense Of their commo
blood aud treasure, surely one set OF the part
ners can have no right to exclude the other
from its enjoyment by prohibiting them fror
taking into il whatsoever is recognized to b
property by the common constitution. Bu
when the people, the bona .fde residents
> such territory, proceed to form State Cor
stitution, then it is their right to decide th
important question for themselves, whethe
, they will continue to ratify or abolish slavery
To them, and TO them alone, does thi
. question belong, free from all foreign inte'
, ference. In the opinion of the Territori'
: Legislature of Kansas the time has arrived fc
I entering the Union, and they aecordingl
passed law to elect delegates for the pul
pose of framing State constitution. This la
was fair aud just in its provisions.
1t conferred the right OF suffrage on ever
bona fde inhabitaut of the territory, and fc
e the purpose of preventing fraud and the il
i trusion of citizens of near or distant State
. most properly confined the right to those wh
. had asi6ud tharpin thraa months DreyiOus 1