Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-09-17
IMPORTANT CORRESPOND
ENCE BETWEEN PROFESS
OR SILLINIAN AND OTHER
CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT
WITH PR RESEDENT BUCHAN-


CITIZENS OF CONNECTICUT
WITH PR ESHDENT BUCHAN-
AN. ..,.s ..- r. -. -. 3d..
The subjoined correspondence is an
important page in the political history
of the country, and is Untitled to the
careful consideration of our readers
The letter of the president was transmit
ted by telegraph, but was full of gross
errors and imperfcctions, which greatly
marred its fine points and patriotic sen
! 1IlG tFsEsaf ffsr Trmoriafiss
was not given at all. Here is the whole
correspondence correct.
To His EXCELLENcY JAMES BUcHAN-
| AN. -..
President Of the United States:
The undersigned, citizens of the
United States, and electors of the State Of
Connccticut, respectfully offer to your
Eccclicncy this their Memorial: .-,.
The fundamental principle of the
Constitution of the United States and
of our political institutions is, that the
people shall make their oUn la,cs and
elect their o,cn rulers.
We see with grief if not with aston
ishment, that Governor Walker of Kan
sas, openly represents and proclaims
that the President of the United States
is employing, through him, an army,
one purpose of which is to force the
people Of Kansas to obey lars not Metl
o,on, nor Of the United States, but laws
which it is notorious, and established
upon evidence, they never made, and
rulers they never elected.
We represent, therefore, that by the
foregoing your Excellency is openly
held up and proclaimed, to the great
derogation of our national character, as
viola ting in it's most essential particular
the solemn oath which the President
has taken to support the Constitution OF
this Union ...-.
We call attention further to the fact
that your Excellency is, in like manner,
held up to this nation, to all mankind,
and to all posterity, in tho attitude of
'lerying ecar against a portion of the
United States" by employing arms in
Kansas to uphold body of men, and a
code or enactments purporting to be
| Legislative, but which never had the
election, nor sanction, nor consent of
the people of the Territory.
we carnesa represent to your Excel
lcncy that we also have taken the oath
to obey the Constitution; and your E.c-
celtcncy may be assured that we shall
not refrain from the prayer that AL
mighty God will make your Admins
tration an example of justice and bene-
ficence, and His terrible Majesty protect
oar people and our Constitution.
Nathaniel ". Taylor, David Smith,
Theodore D. Woolsey, J. Hawes,
Henry Dutton. James F. Babcock,
Charls L. English, G. A. Calhoun,
J. II. Brockway, E. r. Gilbert,
Eli w. Blake, Leonard Bacon,
Eli Ives, .. II. G. Kingsley,
B. Silliman, jr., B. Silliman,
Noah Porter, Edward c. Hcrrick,
Thomas \. Thatcher, Charles Ives,
j. Davenport, William p. Eustis, jr.,
Worthington Hooker, Alexander G.
t- . Twining. @
Philos Blake, z: Josiah W. Gibbs,
E.. K. Foster, ....s.. Alfred Walker,
c. S. Lyman, ... . James Brewster,
J ohm \. Blake, Stephen G. Hubbard,
William II. Russcl, Hawlcy Olmstead,
A. n. Skinner, Steagrove VIM Magill,
Horace Bushnell, Amos Townshend,
John Boyd, .,r Timothy Dwight,
Charles Robinson, David NJ. Smith,
Henry Peck.
WASHINGTON CRY, August Is, 1857.
GENTLEMEN On my recent return
to this city, after fortnight's absence
your memorial, without date, was placed
in my hands, through the agency of Mr.
Horatio King, of the Postotfice Depart
ment, to whom it had been intrustc d.
From the distinguished source whence
it proceeds, as we'll as its peculiar char.
acter, 1 have deemed it proper to depar
from my general rule in such cases, and
to give it an answer.
You first assert that the fundamen
tai principle of the Constitution of the
United States and of our political insti
tutions is, that the people shall make
their own laws and elect their Owl
rulers" You then express your grie
and astonishment that should have vi
olated this principle, and, through Gov
, ernor Walker, have employed an army
''one purpose of which is to force tn
people Of Kansas to obey la,os not thei
0cn, nor of the United States, but law
, which it is notorious, established upol
| evidence, they never made, and ruler
' they never elected" And, as corollar
t from the foregoing, you represent tina
. L am, "openly held up and proclaimed
S to the great derogatioa of our nationa
| character, as violating in its most essen
tial particular the solemn oath to sap
. port the Constitution ofthc Union. ~
These arc heavy charges proceeding
from gentlemen of your high character
and, if we'll founded, ought to consig
my name to infamy. But in proportio
to their gravity, common justice, to sa
: nothing of Christian charity, require
that before making thom you shoul
have clearly asserted that they were We
founded. Ifnot, they will rebound wit
: withering condemnation upon their au
thors. Have you performed this pre-
liminary duty toward the man VIII
n however unworthy, is the Chief Magis
tratc of your country? If SO eithe