The Washington union., 1857-08-29
PROFESSOR sIIIIMAN AND THE PRESIDENT


PROFESSOR sIIILMAN AND THE PRESIDENT
The telegraph informs that Professor Sliman and
number of other gentlemen, including several Doctors Of
Divinity have addressed letter TO President Buchanan
advising and urging him to Withdraw the troops from the
support of Governor Walker in Kansas, and not to resort
any armed force to uphold the constitution and the
authorities of the United States in that Territory and
surng the President that he will have the benefit of their
united prayers to bring his mind to the desired result II
is also said that the President has returned firm and
dgnifed reply to this extraordinary document respect
fully declining the proered advice, and modesy sug
gesting that he placed in position in which all the facts
that connect with his official ctes probably better
known to him than to these distant volunteers of advice
to the Executive and he shall therefore continue to con-
suit the advisers the constitution has placed at the
head of the different departments around him. and is not
disposed violate his official OATH which binds him be-
fore God and man protect and defend the constitution
and the authorities established under it,
Nee HHen Register
Substantially the same statement as the above has
appeared in most of exchanges. We presume
such a letter as noticed by the Register has been
written by Professor Slnan and his reverend
ciates and as the President has always been dstin-
guished for prompt busness-like attention to all
communications that may be addressed to him, wheh-
er from friendly or unfriendy source, it is not
probable that in this instance exception has been
made to what may be fairly considered general
rule. Assuming, then, that the statement of the
Register is correct, why we ask is the correspond
ence suppressed 7 The public are curious to know
upon what grounds college professor has under
taken to mpart to the President of the United States
lessons in regard to his constitutional duties and OBJ
legations, and why it is that few geologists and
theologians in Connecticut have undertaken to inter
yene in affairs which they cannot viii not under
stand in which they have no direct remote inter-
est and fom which all good citizens striving to
keep them disconnected. We are not surprised that
Professor Sliman has written to the President in
offensive and not unlikely blasphemous spirit Of
dctation; for the man who could desecrate the
house of God by rifle exhortations and rife
communications with the Chief Magistrate of the
tion to set all obligations, human and Divine at de-
fance. But, STILL our question in regard to the sup
pressed correspondence remains unanswered. 1t
cannot be that the Professor objects to his
in print for by his own agency, his name for years
has figured extensively in books pamphlets, journ-
ais to say nothing of the captivating attractions of
large street-posters in colored ink. Neither can it
be from that constitutional tmidity which has forced
many good men, and few great ones, from partici-
pating publicly in public affairs and which compelled
the poet Cowper to decline lucrative office. When
the cry for "rifes" raised in the notorious
North Church of New Haven, no voice was
louder than the voice of Professor Sillman !;
and, as his eyes swept the galleries of the
prostituted temple in search of sophomores and
niors who could not or would not favor the doctrine
of carrying black-republcan prescription to the
tent Of murder, his malignant zeal was doubt re-
warded by the approving mods of Beecher and the
softest smiles of Mary Dutton-sweet girl Whose
slender means were wholly exhausted in the pur-
chase of single death-dealing weapon of Sharpe's
wellknown patent.
Want of precedent surely cannot be the cause of
the suppressed correspondence. Let Professor Sill
man look and take courage as he looks, at the
orable case ofthe three thousand clergymen of New
England when in the professed character of ambassa-
doris ofChris they blasphemousy undertook to dictate
to the Senate of the United States in the name of the
Supreme Being. This political priesthood were not
ashamed Of their bold bad act. They not only
promptly published their own infamous letter, but
they took that their spiritual and secular organs
throughout the country shor.d publish garbled ex-
tracts from the speeches, IN reply OF Messrs Doug
las, Toombs, Mason Hunter Butler, and other dis
tinguished senators,
1t is clear, we think, that Professor Sman should
comply with reasonable request without further
delay. Silence, under all the circumstances would
warrant the inference that the distinguished professor
Of geology and his ghostly coadjutors have got, in
the Presidents answer, more than they barganed
for.
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
This distinguished author has resigned the consul