The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-10-06
HILLsDALE, MI L. TUESDAY, ,-s3Sssa-sS s&3Ssaa-sSS 1857.

tempt, in the eyes OF the people, as IT has be-
come. But further, Congress has passed
law for the establishment of government in
this territory, with this formal and positive ex-
PLANTATION, that the people lin the territory
be left perfectly free to form and regulate their
domestic institutions in their way. Why
then could not Governor of Kansas have
been appointed at any time, acting under
your authority, and with an army under his
control, who would have suppressed all in
ternal violence and contention, end ''left the
people free to form and regulate their do
mestic institutions &c., as well as employ an
army to act the absurd and farcical part of a
Pose Comitatust, to enforce, under your di-
rections, territorial laws which had no pref
erence of autborityG Without saying who
were, or who were not, the responsible orlgina-
tors of the trouble in Kansas can it be doubted
that the President, long before this time, by
the course now suggested, or some other
might have put an end to the troubles! Has
he not mower "to take care that the laws"-
and of course, that the laws of Congress re-
specting Kansas--"be faithfully executed:
You have introduced several topics into
your reply-as that of slavery, the decision
of tho Supreme Court in the case OF bred
| Scott, with others-on which your memora
lists have said nothing in their memorial, and
on which they intend to say nothing now, ex'
copt to express their dissent from your OPP
pinions :.
It is needless to prolong this discussion:
Your whole vindication, if it has any grouna
rests, in the view of your memorallsts, upon
one palpably false assumption: That what
ever claims to be government de tdcto, with
out preteace of its proceeding from any
rightful law making power, is entitled to
your support. The world has not seen
usurpation which this principle would not
sanction If adopted in the administration
of our government, it must involve, soone
or later, its destruction.
Pardon, now, if need be, the plain and
respectful earnestness of your memoralists in
unfolding what they consider false principles
in your positions on the present subject.
They speak of no want Of honesty in your
opinions, nor of sincerity in your avowal OF
them-of no want of patriotism on your part,
nor yet of that higher principles which God
approves. They speak only OF what they
consider error in your reasonlngs, and OF its
consequences in political evils. They. judge
not the heart, They have not imputed to you
any violation of your office, as you have
thought fit to charge. Their language shows
the contrary. They said, "by the foregoing
YOU are held up-as violating, DC" The
;sforegoing" here spoken Of, is shown by the
connection to be the claim of Governor Wal
ker, that "the President of the United States
is employing through him (Walker) an army,
ono purpose of which is to force the people OF
Kansas to obey laws not their own, nor OF
the United States; but laws which it is no.
torious, and established upon evidence, they
never made, and rulers they never elected"
This claim of Gov. Walker if admitted by
Won in its fullest extent, and admitted on the
ground of making the general principle men
toned above universal one-thus applying
a mere rule of international law to internal
government of this country-would, In our
view, involve the most serious imputatlons
upon nay Chief Magistrate. But you had
not at that time, so far as we are aware,
given any public sanction to that claim, and
the memorial therefore, did not contain the
imputations you supposed
The memoralists have on the error refer
red to above, as they regard 1t, not meieiy
on account of its fatal tendency and the ca
lamities which have actually resulted from IL,
but. Also because they are confident thal
in common with many Of your honest fellow
citizens, have overlooked one essential prln-
ple, in assuming that the ruffan usurpationl
, in Kansas is "an established government.
Be assured that they intend TO withhold nc
tribute due to their intellectual or morol char
acter. They believe however, that many
, errors and misconceptions are altogether com
patible with the highest culture and intellect
t ual ability. =,
Your memoralists have spoken earnestly
because they deeply deplore the adoption o.
: principle which leads to the mal'adminlS
tration of so perfect system of government al
i. that which our fathers, by their wisdom
r their prayers, and their blood, have given tc
+ their posterty. They cannot beiieve tho un
/ approachablc infalibility OF their rulers un
i der this system of true liberty; and while the.
t would honor them in the fear OF God, they
a are confident that neither they nor even
i "kings have the right divine to govern wrong
@ They hope for the continuance OF our nationa
n Governments, and tor It's wise enevtl'e adini"
t istration, in guarding the privileges am
r. blessings it is so fitted to adorn and rerpet
Z uate. They wait with hope for the emancl
D. patton of the nation, and OF all men, oy 'h
O light and power Of the example OF such
a. government. They trust that no unauthoi
n. led mode Of its administration Will cause
i. to fail of its design, and that you may y,e
g. see that in this respect, one false principle
Id if adheared to, must prove principle OF weak
ness and decay-a sure prelude to the end
re all our greatest, happiness and glory, deatl
he spot in the tree Of Liberty, whose leave
H. like those of the tree Of life, are for the hea
nd ing Of the nations.
~ NotbJ w Tavlor S. G. Hibbard,
+, Tho n Woolsey. John A. Blake,
- uonrv Dutton. VIM. Ii. Russell
=, Cbos y ENGLISH. A. N. Skinner.
l., Iohn IT Crookway. Cha's Robinson
% III; w Rlake. Joel Halves,
- pon; S;ll;man. Jr. G.. A. Calhoun
on Thos A Thatcher. Leonard Bacon
u. "a davenport. H. G. Kingsley
700 Wortb'n Hooker, BEN. Siliman,s
on pb;los Rlake. Charles Ives,