Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-09-22

MATTEL w. TAYLOR, J. IAwEs,
 THEo. D. WooLsEY JAMES F. BABCocK, HENRY DuTToN, G. A. CALHOUN.
 CHARLES L. ENGLISH, E. R. GILBERT,
 J. H. BRoCHwAY, LEONARD BACON.
 ELI IVES, II. c. KINGSLEY,
 B. SULLIVAN, JR., B. SULLIVAN,
 NOAH PORTER, EDWARD c. IIERRIcK, w. HOOKER, CHARLES IVES,
 PHILoS BLAKE, WM P. EUsTGs, JR,
 E. K. FOSTER, ALEX. c. INNING, c. s. LYMAN, Jo,IAH w. GIBBS.
 JOHN A. BLAKE, ALFRED WALKER.
 WM H. RUSSELL, JAMES BREWSTER.
 A. \. SKINNER, STEPHEN G. HUBBARD, HORACE BUSHNELL, HAwLEY OLMsTEAD, JOHN BOYD, s. w. MAGILL.
 CHARLES ROBINSON, AMos TowNsENp.
 HENRY PECK, TIMOTHY DWIGHT,
 DAVID SMITH, DAVID M SMITH
 THOMAS A. THATCHER, J. A. DAVENPORT.
 WASHINGTON CITY, August 15, 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 Mir. IIoratio King, of the Post Office Department, to whom it had been in trusted. From the distinguished source whence it proceeds, as well as its peculiar character. I have deemed it proper to depart from my gen. eral rule in such cases, and to give it an answer
 You first assert that "the fundamental prn- ciples of the Constitution of the United States and of our political institutions is that the peo pie shall make their own laws and elect their own rulers" You then express your grief and astonishment that 1 should have violated this principle, and, through Governor Walker. have employed an army, "one purpose of which is to force tue peope of Kansus to obey 1aos not Hei, o'rn, nor of the United Stotes, but laws which it is notorious, ard established upon evidence, they never made, and rulers they never elect ed." And, as a corollarv from the foreyoino. you represent that am "opcnlv held up and proclaimed, to the great derogatou of our na- tional character, violating in its most essential particular the solemn oah which the President has taken to supportMe Constitution of the United Stotes"
 These are heavy charges, proceeding from gentlemen of your high character and, if well founded, ought to consign my name to infamv. But in proportion to their gravity. common justice, to say nothing of Christian charity. re- quires that before making them you should have clearly ascertained that they were well founded. If not, they will rebound with with enng condemnation upon their authors. Have you performed this preliminary duty towards the man, who, however unworthy, is the chief magistrate of our country? If so, either YOU or 1 are laboring under strange deluson. Should this prove to be your Case, it will present a memorable example of the truth that political prejudice is blind even to the existence of the panest and most palpable historical facts To these facts let us refer.
 When I entered upon the duties of the Pres idential office. on the 4th of March last, what was the condition of Kansas? This territory had been organized under the act of Congress of Both of May 1854, and the government in all its branches was in full operation. Co., vernon, Secret 'ry of the territory, Chief Jus tce, two Associate Justices a Marshal and District Attorney had been appointed by my predecessor, by and with the advic, and con- sent of the Senate, and were all engaged in dscharging their respective duties A code of laws had been enacted by their territorial legis- lature; and the judiciary were employed in ex pounding and carrying these laws into effect.- It is quite true that contro versy had previous ly arisen respecting the validity of the election of members to the territorial legislature and of the laws passed by them; but at the time I entered upon my official duties Congress had recognized this legislature in different forms and by different enactments. The delegate elected to the House of Representatives had just completed his term of service on the day previous to my inauguration. In fact, found the government of Kansas as we'll established as that of any other territory. Under these circumstances, what was my duty? Was it not to sustain this government? to protect it from the violence of lawless men, who were deter mined either to rule or ruin? To be overturn- ed by force?-in the language of the Constitu- tion to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed?' It was for this purpose, and this alone, that ordered military force to Kansas, to act as posse c0naitatus in aiding the civil