Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-09-12

nave Deen seriously doubted Is "a lnyStcry.
If a confederation of sovereign States ac.
quire new Territory at the expense of
their common blood and treasure, surely
one set of the partners can have no right
to exclude the other from its enjoyment by
prohibiting them from taking into it what
soeyer is recognised to be property by the
common constitution But when the pee.
ple-the bona .jttfc residents of such reos-
tory--proceod to frame State constitution,
then it is their right to decide the. iinpor-
tant question for themselves whether they
will continue, modify, or abolish Slavery
10 thom, and to them alone, docs this qucs.
tion belong, free from all foreign intcrfer.
ence.
In the opinion of the territorial legislature
OF Kansas, the time had arrived for ontcrinp
the Union, and they accordingly passed law
to elect deleg tes for the purpose of framing
a State constitution This law was fair and
just in its provisions. 1t conferred tho right
ofsnHraSc on every bono yfie irhobitant of
the TerritorNj" and, for the purpose of pre-
venting fraud, and the intrusion of citizens of
near or distant States, mnst properly coniin-
Cd this right to those who had resided therein
three months previous to the election. Here
q fair opportunity was presented for all the
qualified residertcitizens of the Terri tory, to
whatever organization they might have pre-
vlously belonged, to participate i'll the cleo
ton, and to express their opinions at the bal
lot box on thc'question of slavery. But nun
bers of lawless mon still continued to resist
the regular territorial government. They re-
fused either to be registered or to vote and
the members OF the convention were elected
legally and properly, without their intcrvcn-
ton. The convention will soon assemble to
perform the solemn duty of framing a coust-
for themselves and their postorty and
in the state of incipicnt rebellion which still
exists in KanseS it is my imperative duty to
employ the troops Oft the United States, should
this become necessary, in defending the con-
vention against violence whilst framing the
constitution, and in protecting the "boaG tide
inhabitants" qualiGcl to vote under the pro
visions of this instrument in the free exer-
cise of the right of suffrage when it shall be
submitted to .thom for their appreciation or
rejection
have entire confidence in Coy. Walker
tnat tho troops will not be employed except
to resist actual aggression orm tho execution
otthe laws and tuiS not until the power of
tho civil magistrate shall prove unayailing.
Following the, wise example of Mr.. Madison
towards the Hartford Convention, illegal and
dangerous combinations, such as that of the
Topeka convention, will not be disturbed ull-
less they shall attempt to perform, some act
which will bring them into actual collision
with the constitution and the laws. In that
event, they shall be resisted and put down
by the whole power OF tho government. In
performing this duty shall have the appro-
baton of my own conscience and, as hum
bly, trust, OF my God.
| thank yuu tor. the assurance that YOU
will not refnin from the prayer that Al
mighty God will make my administration an
example of justice and bencticence" You
can greatly assist me in arriving ut this bless
cd consummation by exerting your influence
ln7allaying tic existing sectional excitement
on the, subject of slavery, which has becnpro-
ductiye on much evil and no good, and which,
ifit could succeed in attaining its object,
would ruin the slave as well rs his master
This would be a work of genuine phlanthro-
py. Every day of my life feel how made
quatc am to perform Il duties of my high
station without the contil I support of Di-
vino Providence; yet, pla, ing my trust in
him, and in Him alone, L entertain good
hopo that he will enable mo to do equal JUS
ticc to all portions of tho Union, and thus rem
der me an humble instrument in restoring
peace and harmony among the people of the
several States. Yours, very respectfully,
JAMES BUouANAX.
THE LATE SENATOR RUsK An intel
ligent gentleman residing in this city, but
who il now on visit to the capitol of
Texas on business, writing to a friend, at,
tributes the lamcntable suicide of the late
Senator Rusk to motive, which, if true,
(and he states it is widely credited in Tex
as,) reflects great credit on his character as
a man possessed of sensitive honor, and
tends to soften the harsh judgement that
s usually follows the fate Of the self lf-destroyer
of life 1t seems that Senator RIsk,s
whole nervous system had bccoae terribly
shattered by the uncomfortable sufferings
the death of hssexcellemt and loving wife
had occasioned. 1t is said that while oc-
cupying his scat in the Senate, during the
tendency of the debate on the Kansas Ne
braska bill, he made an arrangement with
his colleague, General Sam Houston, by
which it was agreed that both Houstoii
and himself should vote forthe bill Not
withstanding this positive agreement, Gen
Houston voted against the bill. In the
recent gubernatorial contest in Texas, Gen.
Houston being the opposition candidate,
both political parties commenced question
ing Gen. Rusk so closely that he felt it
was impossible longer to resist the public
exposure of Gen Houston. For many
years General Houston had been l1issfriend
and companion-4his old eomride in arms
during the bitter trials of the war of indie
pendenco-they had served together in the
United States Senatej and hes became
haunted with the idea that to live longer
would occasion him dishonorS He became
the victim TO the impression that, under
the circumstances, his death was a / easure