Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-09-17

ample of the truth that political prejudice
is blind even to the existence of the plain
est and most palpable historical facts. TC
those facts let refer.
When entered upon the duties OF the
Presidential Office on the fourth o
March last, what was the condition of Kan
sas?
This Territory had been organized under
the act of Congress of the May, 1854, ant
the government in all its branches was il
full operation. A Governor, Secretary o
the Territory, Chief Justice, two Associ
ate Justices, Marshal and District Attor,
ney, had been appointed by my predeces
sor, by and with the advice and consent o.
the Senate. and were all engaged in dis
charging their respective duties. A code
of laws had been enacted by the Territorial
Legislature. and the Judiciary were en-
ployed in expounding and carrying these
laws into effect. 1t is quite true that IA con
troversy had previously arisen respecting
the validity of the election of members OF
the Territorial Legislature, and of the laws
passed 10y them, but at the time | entered
upon. my official duties. Congress had
recognized this Legislature in different
forms and 10y different cnactments. The
delegate elected to the House of Represent
atives under Territorial law had just COM
pleted his term of service on the day pre-
vious TO my Inauguration. |" fact found
the government Of Kansas as well estab-
lished as that of any other Territory. I'm
der these circums .ances, what was my du
ty? Was 1t not TO sustain the government?
To protect it from the violence Of lawlcss
To prevent it from being overturned by
force? In the language of the constitution
to take care that the laws should be faith
fully eyccuted?" 1t was for this purpose,
and this alone, that | ordered a military
force TO Kansas, TO act as posse comtfotuS,
in aiding the civil magistrate to carry the
laws into execution. The condition of the
Territory at the time, which | need not
portray, rendered this precauion absolute
ly necessary. In this state of affairs,
would not have been Justly condemned
had left the Marshal and other officers Of
a like character, impotent TO execute the
process and judgments of courts and JUS
tice, established by Congress, or by the
Territorial Legislature under It's express
authority, and thus have suffered the gov
eminent itself to become an object of con
tempt in the eyes Of the people? And yet
this is what You designate as forcing "the
people of Kansas to obey laws not their
own nor of the United States, and for do
Ing which you have denounced me as hav-
lug violated my solemn oath.
ask, what else could | have done, or
ought to have done? Would you have
desired that should abandon the Terrific
rial government, sanctioned as it had been
by Congress. to illegal violence, and thus
renew the scenes Of civil war and blood
shed which every patriot in the country
had deplored? This would indeed have
been to violate my oath of office, and to fix
a damning blot on the character of my ad- :
ministration.
i most cheerfully admit that the nccessi-
ty for sending military force to Kansas
to and in the execution Of the law reflects
no credit upon the character Of our coun-
try. But let the blame fall upon the heads
of the guilty. Whence did this necessity
arise? A portion Of the people of Kansas
TO trust to the ballot-box, the
certain American remedy for the redress
Of all grievances, undertook to create an in
dependent government for themselves.
Had this attempt proved successful. it
would Of course have subverted the exist
in. government prescribed and recognized
by Congress, and substituted revolution
airy government in lis stead. This was
usurpation of the same character as it
would be for portion of the people of
Connecticut to undertake to establish a
separate government within its chartered
limits, for the pun pose of redressing any
grievance. real or imaginary. of which they
might have complained against the legiti-
mate State government. Such principle,
# carried into execution, would destroy all
lawful authority, and produce universal an
archy. Iought to specify more particu
Iarly condition Of affairs which | have
embraced only in general terms, requir
ing the presence of military force in Kan
sas.
The Congress of the United States had
most wisely declared it to be "the true
intent and purpose of this act (the act or
ganizing the Territory not to legislate sla-