Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-09-11
PRESIDENT BUCHANAN ON THE
SLAVERY QUESTION.


ing neat story--history, perhaps perhaps
not 1t was to this effect that Mr.. Blu
cnANAN described DANIEL WEBSTER as "a
great statesman. but a bad politician and
Mr.. WEBSTER described JAMES BucHASAN
as "a great politician, but a bad statesman
The story was good enough to be true An
nexed we give a document from President
BUCHANAN, which is cminenty political
emincntly un-statesmanlke The President
gives himself to the avocracy--fully, just
like any other dough-hced politician; and
he iustfes this sacrifice of himself by poll
itician's reasons. Professor SULLIVAN and
his associates had ntimatcd that the "hnda
mental principle Of the Constitution Of the
United States, and of our political institu-
tons, is. that he People shall make their own
laws and elect their own rulers and, more
over, that this fundamental principle has been
grossly violated in Kansas Most people
recognize this doctrine as truly Democratic,
and the violation of it, in Kauzas as complete.
And what is the answer of the President; p
He dare not say that 'tbe fundamental princi-
pie of the Constitution has net not been vi
olated. lie dare not deny that the elections
in Kansas have been carried by fraud, utterly
in derision Of this fundamental principle. and
also Of the act Of Congress providing for the
organization Of the Territory. But whati
Ohl-ths violation Of the fundamental prin-
ciple of the Constitution, and of the act Of
Congress, has been geographically Congress"
the delegate fraudently elected was admitted
by Congress; and ga code of laws" IMAM
ifest violations of the Constitution some
of them,) has been enacted by the terri
torial Legislature, and the judiciary Cato
& Coz are employed in carrying thcm into
effect for the exclusive benefit of the slav-
ocracy, and against the real people of Kansas
There is the poliiciaa for you. No honest
and genuine statesman would thus blink
violation Of fundamental principle Of the
Constitution on the ground that a party
majority in Congress had recognized the ras-
cality, and that party judges arc crocuijng IT,
This is no justification for the wrong done to
the people of Kansas. and none for tho Pres
idcnt, If he shall attempt to cover up the old
frauds, or countonance the preparation of
new. Il is tho plea of a politician, and sub /
stantaly false at that Twice have the rep
resentatives of the people in Congress (tho
House repudiated the bogus government, to
wit: first, by passing bill for the admission
Of Kansas as State under the Topeka Con-
stitutoni and second by passing bill pro-
vidiug for a new and fair election of a terri |
toria Legislature Both bills were defeated
by the Sham Democratic Senate The Presi-
dent-cunning politician, as he is-hides be-
hind his supporters in the Senate. The poll
tician lodges. A true statesman would advise
the next Congress to repudiate frauds and
shams, and listen to the voice of the people Of
Kansas. Again: the President pleads that
che found the government of Kansas as well
established as that Of any other territory
of course, By the army Of the United States.
Yes,-'well established" says the President
and that is the plea for enforcing it against !
what Why, against the violence of lawless |
men," Does he tell us that these ''lawless |
men constitute sevcn-teaths of the people of
Kansas Not bit of that. He just blinks
the fact that his bogus government lacks the
vitality of every genuine government; thatit
has not the sanction of the people for it. And
then, too, our good President is bound to
prevent the bogus government from being
overturned by force" What pity that
FRANK PIERCE had not thought Of this when
Atchison and Stringfellow overturned the
President BUCHANAN forgets that the Terri
torial government is itself the creature of
fraud and violence On that ground the free
state men have resisted it-by protests, by ar
gument; not byforce. How is it now: No
public resistance to the bogus laws is offered
Gov. Robinson submits to trial before Judge
Cato, and is acquitted. Even a packed Jury
couldn't convict him Why should the Pres
ident think of sending an army to look after
men who are so loyal as to escape Judge Cato
and a packed jury; Tie people of Kansas
have made a Constitution of their own. and
elected officers bm they patiently and peace
dbiy rat for the recognition Of Congress before
putting their government IN force They re-
fuse, indeed, to pay bogus taxes, and Gov.
WALKER so well understands their reasons
for 1t that he does not attempt to enforce pay
ment as yet, and probably will not dare to
try it, except judcially This talk of over
turning the territorial government by force is
worse than untrue it implies that the force
of Kansas-the true people of Kansas-are
against it. Yet the President will overcome
the people "by force" This plea will do for
a politician; but it strikes us that this utter
reputation of The people of Kansas proves the
President to be very bad Democrat
Throughout this part of the letter, and in
deed throughout the whole of it, the Presi-
dent is strangely, indeed odiously, unjust to
the Free State men Of Kansas Avowedly
their purpose is to frame a government. as
other territories have done--as Arkansas and
Michigan did-and 10 submit Il for the approg-
al Of Congress. They hare submitted it once