The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1857-07-11

since been recognized and used by the
Free State party up to this time.
On his return to Fort Leavenworth, he
was waited on by a committee of five, who
had been appointed at a meeting held in
the town of Leavenworth, ON the 18th of
November, to urge upon him the impor-
tance of an immediate election for MEM
bers of Territorial Legislature. This
meeting was gotten up in Missouri, and
composed mostly of people from that
State.
Itwas the first public attempt of Mis-
souri, to take charge of the new govern
or, and dictate his policy.
Gov. Reeder's reply is worthy to be
preserved, ,as it is characteristic of the man,
and the key to all his subsequent difficult
ties
Fort LEAvENwoRTH, K. f.
Nov. 21, 1854.
GENTLEMEN:-On the 18th inst, you
called ON me in the capacity of a commit
tee, claiming to represent and speak for
meeting of citizens of Kansas Territory,
held the preceding day at Leayenworth
City, and presenting me your memorial on
behalf of that meeting. The memorial
commences with the statement that You
are acting under resolution of such meet
ing, and ends by urgently pressing" me
to Comply with the wishes of those by
whom you were appointed"
Finding that you did not come as in
diyidual citizens, acting for yourselves,
but as the representatives of Others, Itook
the ground that it was necessary and prop
er for me to know WHOM you represented,
and that l must have copy of the pro-
ceedings of the meeting which appointed
YOU. Your chairman seemed at first to
think that was unnecessary. Ireplied that
it was very obviously necessary | should
know, by the only authentic evidence,
that .yoa had been appointed, and by
whom; and further stated, that unless the
proceedings were furnished, should not
consider myself bound to notice your me-
mortal. You then agreed to furnish them.
/ waited their coming until last evening,
when | received from the post office a
communication from you, dated the 18th
| inst, but with no postmark to inform me
when it was mailed. This communica-
ton declines to furnish the proceedings of
the meeting-professes to give reasons for
! the refusal-contains the very deliberate
annunciation of some inherent rights of
the people of Kansas, which no one would
ever think of questioning, and some ether
propositions which must, in the confusion
of correspondence, have got into that let
ter by mistake, as / have been utterly
unable to discover how they were con-
nectcd with the subject under discussion;
and again requests that my answer to
your memorial be made known to you, land
those "whose organ you have the honor to
be-" The reasons you give may be very
briefly stated. First, you say, that some
| of you, at least, are recognized lnhabl-
tants" of Kansas; and asserting your own
character as honorable men, you claim
that | should have endorsed your own
opinion onthat head by taking your allega-
ton of the facts, instead of asking for the
usual and natural evidence of them.
| Secondly, That the people of Kansas
have right to make known their wishes
to the Executive without putting them in
writing, or organizing any meeting for
that purpose. To the latter, have only
to say, that admit cheerfully the propo-
sition it contains; but | am at loss to
understand what possible bearing it has
upon the question whether / am entitled
to copy of the proceedings of this meet
ing which has been held, and an extract
from which you profess to give. As to
the first reason, passing overthe indellcacy
of gentlemen putting their personal char
acter unnecessarily and improperly in is
) sue, and demanding of me, who never
impugned or impeached it, that | should
dispense with the forms and vouchers
which the occasion demanded, by adopt
ing, in lieu thereof, any estimate of that
character whatever, and especially one
made by yourselves, as the basis OF my
official action, l beg leave to remind you
that YOU are requiring even more than
this, and, with signal niOdesty, demand
that should surrender my judgment to
yours, and if you should be of opinion
that the meeting who sent you was COM
posed of "citizens of Kansas" / should
. take for granted that you are infallible
, adopt your conclusions, and consider il
unnecessary to judge for myself. Doubt
less this would save avast deal oftrouble
; and if l could take your infallibllity fol
granted, it would leave me little to do bu
to register your DEGREES. That, however
is not my mode of doing business; and al
though seek the opinions and sugges
tons of others, prefer to judge for my
: self.
C There is another very singular aspec
: of this reason of yours. Without mquir
ing of me what | intended to do in rela
ton to an election ofmembers of the Leg
: islature, you attract public attention b!
: assembling a meeting, and after speeel
: appropriate to the design of the meeting
committee is formally appointed t,
prepare grave and diplomatic memoria
; to quicken me in the performance of m,
e official duty; and when you have mad
S the affair thus public, precise, and ceremo
e nious, as far as it is calculated to cast cen
sure on my judgment and Gdelity, vol
II modestly insist that all the residue of tn
5 proceedings shall be as informal as yoI
choose to make them, and that whilst you
: by your actions, are censuring Me, | shal
be required in the same transaction t
recognize IoU IS men who cannot posi-
+ bly, err in motive or judgment. Thes
rules of equity and justice I have neve
: learned: and think, gentlemen, that t
you belongs the merit Of their discovery.
Your reasons being thus disposed O
n allow me to repeat; YOU come to me a
II the agent of Others, who you allege ar
; citizens of Kansas, and are therefore enti
! tied to reply. / ask for a copy of th
!. proceedings, in order that may be salts
u fed as to that fact. You peremptoril
it refuse to give them. By all the rules c
n common sense, common courtesy, an
common justice. I would be justified i
: refusing to notice your communication, q
| had once resolved to do. Ihave. how
e ever, changed my mind, and viii procee
q to state some facts within the knowIeds
sc ~ L. ,,.z I,is, ef fl.:. IL