Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-09-09
Washington City. Aug Is, 1857

HcDfy Peck
Washington City. Aug Is, 1851
GENu ENEx On my recent return to this
city, after fortnight absence, your memo
rial without date. was placed in my hands.
through the agency of Mr.. iIoratio King, of
the Post office Department, to whom !, had
been intrusted From the distinguished
source whence it proceeds. H. well rs lis pc
culiar character, have deemed il proper TO
depart from my general rule IN such cases,
and Ia give it an answer.
You first assert that the fundamental
principle Of the Constitution of the United
states and OF our political institutions is.
that the people shall make their own laws
aud elect their own rulers" You then ex-
press your grief aud establishment that
SHOULD have violated this principle. and,
through Gov. Walker. have employed an
army, one purpose Of which is 10 jorre he
people ot' hansas 10 obey iars not their orn.
nor Of the United .sfncs, but laws which it
is notorious. and established upon evidence,
they never made, and rulers they never
elected And, as IA corollary from the fore
going you represent that am openly held
up and proclaimed, to the great derogation
Of eur national character rs violating in its
most essential particular the solemn oath
which the President has taken 10 support
The Con,tif,otion OF the Union"
These are heavy charges proceeding from
gentlemen Of your high character. and. if
well founded, ought to consign my name TO
intamy. But III proportion To their gravity
common Justice. to say nothing Of Christian
charity. required that. before making them
You should have clearly asccrtaincd that
they were well founded lf not, they will
| rebound with whitening condemnation
upon their authors. Have You performed
this preliminary duty towards the man
who. however unworthy. is the Chief Ma
gisirate Of Your country? Ii So, either YOU
or ARE laboring under strange ielusion.
should this prove To he your case, it will
present memorable example OF the truth
Tint political prejudice Is blind even "a
the existence Of the plainest and most palp-
able historical facts. To these facts lot US
refer.
When I entered upon the duties Of the
Presidential office. OH the 4th of March last,
what was the condition of Kansas This
Territory had been organized under the act
OF Congress the 30th May, 1854, and the
government in all its branches was in full
operation. A Governor, Secretary of the
Territory, chiet justice. two associate justi-
ces. marshal. and district attorney had
been appointed by my predecessor, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate,
and We're all engaged in dischargipg their
respective duties. "A code OF laws had been
enacted by the Territorial legislature; aud
the judiciary were employed in expanding
and carrying these laws into effect. 1t is
quite true that a controversy had previous
~ arisen respecting the validity Of the
election of members of the Territorial legis-
lature and Of the laws passed by them but
at the time ! entered upon my official du-
ties Congress had recognized this legislature
in different forms and by different enact
ments. The delegates elected to the House
| Of Representatives, under Territorial law,
lad just completed their term Of service on
the day previous to my Inauguration. In
fact | found the government of Kansas as
well established us that of any other Terri
tory Under these circumstances. what was
my duty. Was II not to sustain this govern
ment ? to protect il from the violence Of
lawless men. who were determined either
to rule or ruin to prev ent it from being
overturned by force i'm the language Of
the Constitution. TO "take care that the
laws be faithfully executed 2" 1t was for
this purpose. and this alone, that ordered
a military force to Kansas, to act as a posse
eomitatus in aiding tho civil magistrate to
carry the laws into execution.
The condition Of the Territory at the
time. which need not portray rendered
this precaution absolutely necessary. In
this state Of affairs. would I not have been
justly condemned. had left the Marshal and
other officers OF a like character impotent
to execute the process and judgments Of
courts Of justice established by Congress, or
by 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 yoD designate as for
cling the people Of Kansas 10 obey laws
not their own, nor Of the United States; !"
and for doing which You have denounced
mo a. having violated nv solemn oath. I
ask, what else could have done. or ought
! TO have dones Would you have desired
that | should abandon the Territorial Gov
eminent, sanctioned rs it has been by
Congress. to illegal violence. and thus re-
new the scenes If civil war and bloodshed
which every patriot in the country had
deploredy' This would, indeed. have been
to violate my oath of office. and to tx n
damning blot on the character Of nv ad-
ministration.
most cheerfnlly admit that the necessi-
ty for sending military force to Kansas to
aid in the execution Of the civil law reflects
no credit upon the character Of our country
But let the blame fall upon the heads Of the
guilty Whence did this necessity arise :?
A portion Of Kansas, unwilling to trust to
I the ballot box-the certain American rene
dy for the redress Of all grievances-under-
look TO create an Independent government
Tor themselves Had this attesmpl proved
successful, 1t would. of course, have sub
verified the existing government prescribed
and recognized by Congress, and substitu
,sa revolutionary government in its stead.
ins was usurpation Of the same character
asH would be for portion Of the people Of
Connecticut to undertake to establish a sen.
arats government within its chartered lin.
It's Tor the purpose ofredressng any erieyen.
ces, real Or imaginary, Of which thew might
have complained. against the leeitimSte
state 0ovsrnment Such . principle. n
carried into execution, would DESTROY ali
awful authority, and produce universsI an.
archy. -.
Icasht TO spseiy NOSE particularly .
condition ofa1sirA whlsh I lave sahssssd
oal119 eaaseM snmA requiring TIE ptes.
! ! : = : I : :
4 6 4 If ~ &C.. M