The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-10-06

evidence was all against it.; evidence known
to the whole civilized world~ apparent on the
very face of the transaction, and which must
have challenged your attention long before
you had taken the oath OF office. The very
fact, that the so-called government required
support from the Federal Executive, was the
strongest evidence that it did not come from
the people, and had no lawful authority
This shows, at once, that this government
was not, in the lowest sense, what you call
an established government" for it shows
that il was not and could not be established
without United States army; and therefore
the army was sent, not, as you pretend, 10
sustain an established government" but for
the purpose of establishing what was not es-
tablished-a government of utiau authority.
Nor could you have been so ignorant that
the House of Representatives had sent spe-
cial Committee of Investigation to the terri
tory, and thus acknowledged and confirmed
the propriety of strict inquiry into h's 0ery
case. On the report of this committee, tho
House of Representatives authoriatively de-
clared that the government of Kansas was
established by the terror of bowie-knves and
revolvers, and that it had been proved to
have not shadow of authority. And hero
your memorialsts ask whether palmer case
or stronger evidence can well be imagined
When, If not in such case, ought the Presi-
dent to denounce q government as spurious,
and to refuse to aid or sustain it? The laws
of Congress tramped in the dust-the inva-
ders from Missouri proved, beyond cavil, to
be the only authors of this government
it not an outrageous wrong TO hold Kansas
subject to such usurpation by United States
army? The fires of Ruffianism still burn
there. smothered in the dreariness of their
own desolation, and ready to be rekindled IN
their fury by the slightest movement Tor I'D
erty and right on the part of the people;
while the echo of their sufferings ever rings
in tho ears of our national Executive.
Let it be remembered that this government
comes to the people Of Kansas, no not with
the sanction of gray antiquity; nor has 1t
vet come from any law of Congress, as Its
true and proper source; nor yet from the peo-
pie of the territory, nor yet from being even
fully established. 1t is of recent origin and
formation. 1t dates only from the imposi-
tion of it by the rufianism from Missouri, up
on the people who abhor and disown 1t. Ev-
ery man who has, from the first known It's
existence, has known its origin and its nature.
Let it then be taken as it Is; as In Its origin
and its nature. And what is itE code OF
laws oppressive, unjust, cruel, outrageous with
out parallel, created, imposed, by the usur-
nation of ruffians from Missouri. And these
laws, and this government" without the
least evidence to establish their authority, but
with the most abundant proof to the contra
ry, you are proposing to sustain ana execute
Lv the United States army! You speak OF
.snumbers of awless men, DC" alludlng evl-
IDENTIFY to the Topeka Convention. BE II So
for the sake Of the argument; but now docs
one "lawless attempt" TO establish govern
ment, justify or pallate another lawiess at'
tempt for the same purpose!
Further: In your reply, You seem to your
mcmoras,s to conccde, in all Its truth and
force, the principle which they maintain
Thus you unequivocally and justly assert that
"for portion of the people OF Connecticut
to undertake to establish a separate govern
ment, within the chartered limits for the pur
pose of redressing any grievance real or I'm
apinary," would be usurpation, and add tina
"such principle, carried into execution
would DESTROY all lawful authority, and pro
duce universal anarchy" Your InemoIallSt
fully subscribe to the doctrine. But what
the act which you call usurpatlon III the cas'
supposad? What is it but setting up gov
ernmcnt claiming authority, and laws de
mandinr execution, which, III the nature O
the case, can claim no authority and are op
posed to existing authority? II you wou!'
call this "usurpation" Connecticut, II IL wo
destroy all legal authority and produce UNI
versa anarchy" what Is this out inc Ne'
act which Missouri invaders have pcrpe'IIaate
in Kansas. There was government IN Nan
sas: government under the constitution OF th
. United States. Law was there also, la'
! for the organization Of government by th
people of the territory. Right too was theT'
! the inviolabc right of the people TO max
their own laws and elect their own rulers
! In opposition TO that existing government,
violation of that existing law; tramprng vi
. on those Inherent rights, Missouri Invade
, have set up a bloody tyranny, when mas
fact produced anarchy and bloodshed.
/. Won condemn the one, condemn the other a
(, 50. Your memoriasts have nothing to as
:. Of YOU in this matter, but consistency
! nrinciple. Condemn the same conduct
t both cases; put down the usurpation IN ha
= sas, and the friends of truth, OF justice, al
|; of the country, would rejoice.
\, Your memorialsts again ask, whether
case can we'll be imagined, to which I,
C. name of authoritative government could
,o applied with more palpable mprOprlety ~" az
n. of Kansas9 Might not even political sham
10 lessness blush to call it by such name !, !,
o. Was not the true and only character OF Il
ct government known to you and the wht
!" Country before your Inauguration, and durl
ly the Presidential canvassa Did you not, WI
n. the full knowledge of it, accept your nor
u. nation, which you were free to decline, .
he thus avoid the responsibility OF execut, u
an these nefarious laws; or, did you suppose "
Ill ~ ,oudsnt SSu Sdn to the ais
Il the laws be faithfully executed And nc
int without holding you responsible for any
4. 90 yorr nredecessor. for which you are