The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-09-16
The President and Kansas Affairs
The Memorial Of Professor SlllIman
a4 and Forty two Others.

The Memorial Of Professor slllIman
and Forty two Others.
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Sept. End.
The following is the memorial Of Prof.
SILLMAN and forty-two others Of Connec-
ticut, addressed to His Excellency JAMES
BUCHANAN, the president of the United
States:
The undersigned. citizens Of the United
States and electors cf the State of Con-
necticut, respectfully offer to your Excel.
lency this their memorial. The funda-
damental, principle of the Constitu-
tion of the United States, and of
our political institutions is, that the peo-
pie shall make their own laws. and elect
their own rulers. We see with grief, if not
with astonishment that Governor W WALKER,
of Kansas, openly represents and proclaims
that the President of the United States is
employing through him (WALKER) an ar
my, one purpose of which is to force the
people of Kansas to obey laws not their
own nor of the United States. but laws
which 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 rs violating 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 your
Excellency is in like manner held up to
this nation, to all mankind, and to all pos.
terity, in the attitude of "levying war
, against portion of the United States, y
by employing arms in Kanras to uphold
body of men and code of enactments
t purporting to be legislative, but which
never had the election, nor sanction. mol
E consent of the people Of the Territory
S We earnestly represent to. your Excellen'
Icy that we, also, have taken the oath to
obey the Constitution, and your Excellen'
cy may rest assured that we shall not
a refrain from the prayer that Almighty Goo
b will make your Administration an exam
e pie of justice and benefcence, and will
this terrible majesty protect our people ane
our Constitution.
8 THE PRESIDENT's ANSWER.
WASHINGTON, Aug. Is, 1857.
:, GENrLEMEN: On my recent return t.
this city, after fortnights absence, you
e memorial, without date, was placed in m,
hands through the agency of Mr.. Hora
p tic King, of the Post Office Department
:, From the distinguished source whenc
q it proceeds, as well as its peculiar char
d Iacter, I have deemed it proper to depar
from my general rule in such cases, aud t,
a give it an answer. a 6sa
% You first assert that "ths Fundamental
4 principles ofthe Constitution of the Unite,
(. States, and of our political institutions
are that the people shall make their ow
1t rulers." You then express your grieftha
I should have violated this principle, and
through Governor Walker, have employ
& ed an army, zone purpose Of which is t
st force the people of Kansas to obey law
s. not their own, nor of the United States
but laws which, is notorious and establish
4 ed upon evidence, they never made, and ru
ID lers they never elected; and as corollar
i from the foregoing you represent that
,e am "openly held up and proclaimed to th
is great derogation. of our national charas
I'd ter as violating in its most essential pal
b. ticular the solemn oath which the Pres
k, dent has taken to support the Constit,
Ition of this Union" These are heav
vd charges proceeding from gentlemen
st your high character, and if well-founde
ms ought to consign my name to infamy.-
re But in proportion TO their gravity, con
by mon justice, to say nothing of Christis
charity, required that before making ther
: lyou should hare clearly ascertaiued tn