Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-09-17

case, it will present memorable exam
pie of the truth that political prejudice
is blind even to the existence. Of the
plainest and cost palpable historical
facts. To these facts let US refer.
When I entered upon the duties OF
the Presidential Office, on the 4th of
March last, what was the condition of
Kansas? This Territory has been Or
ganized under the act of Congress OF
30th May, 1854, and the government in
all it's branches was in full operation
4 Governor, Secretary of the Territory
rIz;iof--:T nstice, two Associate D Justices, a
Marshal and District Attorney had been
appointed by my predecessor, by and
with the advice and consent of the Sen
ate, and were all engaged in discharging
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 a controversy had previously arisen
respecting the validity of the election of
members of the Territorial Legislature
and of the laws passed by them; but, at
the time entered upon my official du-
islature in different forms and by differ
ent enactments.
The delegate elected to the House of
Representatives, under Territorial law,
had just completed his term of service
on the day previous to my Inauguration
In fact, found the government of Kan
sas as we'll established as that of any
other Territory. Under these circum-
stances, what was my duty? Was it
not to sustain this government to pro-
tect it from the violence of lawless men,
who were determined either to rule or
ruin? to prevent from being overturned
by force Pin the language of the Con-
stitutlon, to 'take care that the laws be
faithfully executed ?' 1t was for this
purpose, and this alone that L ordered
a military force to Kansas to act as a
posse con,atitus in aiding the civil magis-
trate to carry the laws into execution.
The condition of the Territory at the
time, which l need not portray, render
cd this prccaution absolutely necessary.
In this state of affairs, would not have
been justly condemned had l left the
Marshal and other officers Of like char
actcr important to execute the process
and judgments of courts of justice estab-
lishcd by Congress, or the Territorial
Legislature under its express authority,
and thus have suffered the Government
itself to become an object of contempt
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
doing which you have denounced me as
having violated my solemn oath. l ask,
what else could have done, or ought l
to have done? What you have desired
that [ should abandon the Territorial
government, sanctioned as it has been
by Congress, to illegal violence, and
thus renew the scenes of civil war and
bloodshed with every patriot in the coun-
try had deplored? This would, indeed,
have been to violate my oath of Office,
and to fix damning blot on the charae-
ter of my Administration. --a+ ..-:
most cheerfully admit that the nee
essity for sending a military force to
Kansas, to aid in the execution of the
civil law, reflects no credit upon the
character of our country. But little
blame fall on the heads of the guilty. =
Whence didthis necessity arise? Apor-
ton of the people ofKansas, unwillinSto
trust the ballot-box- the certain American
remedy for the redress ofall grievances
undertook to create an independent gov
ernmcnt for themselves. Had this at
tempt proved successful, it would, of
course, have subverted the existing gov
crnment, prescribed and recongnized by
Congress, and substituted a revolution
ary government in its stead. This was
usurpation of the same, character as il
would be for a portion of the people oi
Connecticut to undertake to establish 6
seperate government within its charter
ed limits for the purpose of redressine
any grievance, real or imaginary, o.
which they might have complained
against the legitimate State government
Such principal, if carried into execu
ton, would destroy all lawful authority
and produce universal anarchy.
I ought to specify more PARTICULAR.
condition of affairs, which have EN-
braced only in general terms, requirin;
the presence of military force in Kan
sas. The Congress of the United State
had most wisely declared it to be 9Th
true intent and meaning of this act 9TH
act organizing the Territory not to leg
islate slavery into any Territory o
State, nor exclude it therefrom, but t.
leave tho people thereof perfectly free t.
form and regulate their domestic in
stitutions in their own way, subject onl..
to the Constitution of the United States
As natural consequence, Congress ha
also prescribed, by the same act, tha
when the Territory of Kansas shall b
Admitted as State, it "shall be re
ceived into the Union, with or withou
slavery, as their Constitution may pre-
scribe at the time of their admission"
Slavery existed at that period, an'
still exists in Kansas, under the Con
stitution of United States. This poin
has, at last been finally decided by thu
highest tribunal known to our laws
How it could ever have been seriousl.
doubted is a mystery. If confedera
ton of sovereign States acquire neH
territory at the expense of their common
blood and treasure, surely one set of tn
;. partners can have no right to exe!ud