Squatter sovereign., 1857-02-03


which their wan.on injustice so isnpera-
lively sdensands. No. Sir; 4 find there
merely an admission of the enorrnity OF tho
outrages done here last summer, and in
one place scongratalation To- our party
that they we're done only by e those: who
have been ensllrouded by the dark pail of
fana,icis,n." Sir. do not consider that
the proper way to NEE; Insult and injury.
do not fee, that nv constituents have re-
ceived from ihe committee such q defence
as equal and exact justice" entitled them
TO-. feel, sir. that l should be recreant
TO my duty to them if were to consent
that this report should go forth to the world
as the reply OF this House, and Of our par
! W, to the dIsgraceful charges cevertiy con-
veyed in that message. Place the two
side by side, sir, and compare them. Is
the Report a fit and proper companion 10
tbc message. sir Is ii a full and perfect
reply totIiat document VIII any mem
Der Of this House consent that it shall be
his defence Will any gentleman here
consent that our party shall go before the
| world with the implied admission that this
is the best defence we can makes No..
sir, ! hops that | echo the sentiments OF
this House, when | say that it is to ally.
| inadequate to the occasion-that we can
not say to The Democracy of tins Union
! that this is all that can be urged in orr be-
half-that we cannot say to the world that
! this is all we lay before it on which TO base
is opinion and found, Its deliberate judg-
| ment. nsaasas fsa 1880 q aoiiaoo3 sfsE
+ THERE'S another objection 10 the Re-
pert. sir. The message claims for the
! Governor all the, credit OF restoring peace
and order to the Territory, and the Report
heard, sir, the praises OF bis Exeenency
i repeated and reiterated usfue a fnauseanl
by himself and his friends ever since his
arrival in our midst. Many have caught
up the cry without reflection, and it has
i been circulated through the country until
at last he seems to have acquired pre-
scripliye right 10 the credit OF Laving saw
ed the Territory. Now. sir, ] deny that
he has any just claim to this reputation.
! G God forbid, sir tha, should withhold from
any man one jot or one title Of praise that
!. is fairly due him; tut deny that Govern
or Geary SAVED this country. or restored
. peace and quiet among Us. | claim, sir,
: hat the sole cause OF our troubles here
was the presence of Lanes force in our
, midst: that brought about all our diffiui-
\ ties, and TO that alone must We attribute
1 all the disorders of last summer that &c
: remove thom was 10 restore peace-dfive
e them out and there was no one left 10 Gre
: ate disorder. i deny, sir, that G ov. Geary
b did anything to rid us Of those niscreants;
tsey fed, sir, before the approach Of Gen.
3 Heiskeif's command. They knew that a
: large and overwhelming force was hasten
: ing on Lawrence--a force which they
; could not and durst not meet; and they
fled, sir, ignominiously fed. AS soon as
! they were gone, order returned-ti.e ex-
! citing cause removed. peace followed OF
course. But Gov. Geary has no right to
the credit OF it, sir; none in the world.
His coming was only Simultaneous with
| the return Of quiet. His proclama,ions
did not drive La ne from the Territory-he
Z fled from men, sir, not from mere words
: and his flight brought peace with 1t as Il
natural consequence. | cannot conceive,
sir, upon what ground his Excellency rests
: his claim, unless it be upon the dispersion
/ Of the militia and the capture of Harvey 5
party. If this be the ground, sir, and the
message seems to indicate that it is, will
not pay the intelligence Of this Committee
SO poor compliment as seriously TO re-
. flute the position. will call the attention
OF gentlemen 10 the insults offered The mi
! iitia OF this Territory In resting the claim
upon such a basis-to the implied charge,
! that they were in part, at least. the cause
} of cur difficulties. In regard 10 the cap
! ture of the one hundred and one prisoners
have only to say, sir, but for the gallant
! defence made by a small party of my con-
slilueUts, and the local company, he never
would have taken them. They were on
their way out OF the Territory, sir, and
stopped at Hickory Point because they
thought TO gain an easy victory and close
their foray with ecidt. And their capture.
sir, had no effect whateverupon the return
aEof peace. We should have had peace.
even If they had been left at large. They
would have left the country as soon as they
could have relieved themselves from the
care Of their wounded-for they were too
weak TO maintain themselves. But, sir.
since his Excellency has INTRODUCED this
Itopic, would inquire how it was he did
not learn sooner that Hickory point WIS
abon, TO be attacked. /, is only twenty
miles distant from This place, and was be-
spi0ad for t,vn davs The first attael wa :