The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-03-25
soy. aEARY's ADDRESS.

Having determined 10 resign the executive Office and
tire again to the quiet scenes of private life and the enjoy
nent of those domestic comforts of which have 80 long
deprived deem IL proper 10 address you ON the &C
casion Of my departure.
The Office from which voluntarily withdraw was
unsought by me- and ut the time OF its acceptance was by
desirable This quite evident from the de-
plorable moral civil and political condition OF The Terri
torythe discord contention ana deadly strife wnch ihen
regarded by patriotic citizens In every portion of the
American Union To attempt 10 govern Kansss at such
period and under such circumstances 10 assume no
ordinary responsibilities Few could have desired To
undertake the task and would bave been so presum
without serious orebodngs as to the result That
should have hested is matter OF astonishmen to those
acquainted with the facts but that accepted the appoint
ent wellgrouuded source Of regret 10 many OF my
wetred friends, who looked upon the enterprise as one
that could terminate in nothing but disaster myself II
supposed possible that order could be brought
any reasonable space of time, and with the at M
command, from the then existing chaos.
Without descaDtng upon the feelings principles and
motives which prompted me, suffice 1t say that ac
cepted the Presidents tender of the Office of In
doing So sacrificed the comforts of hoe endeared by
the strongest earthly ties and most associations to
embark in undertaking which Presented at the best but
dark and unsatisfactory prospect reached Kansas and
entered upon the discharge Or official duties in the most
gloomy hour OF her history Desolation and ruin rcgned
on every hand Homes and resides were deserted The
smoke OF burning dwellings darkened the atmosphere
Women and ehlrren driven from their hsbitatons wan
dered over D pares and among the woodlands sought
refuge apI protection even among the Indian tribes.
The Highways were infested with numerous predatory
and the towns fortified and by
armies of conflicting partisans each excited almost TO
phrensy, and determined upon mutual determination.
Such was, without exaggeraton the condition of
the Territory at tho period of my arrival Her treasury
was bankrupt There pecuniary
within herself to meet the exigencies of the time The
gressional appropriations intended to day the expenses
OF year. were insufficient to meet the demands of fort
night The laws null the virtually suspended
and the civil arm of the government almost entirely pow
erless Action-prompt decisive energetic action
necessary. at once what needed, and without
hesitation gave myself to the work. For six months
have abored with upceasing industry The accustomed
and needed hours for sleep have been employed in the pub
lie service Night and day have official duties demanded
unremittng attention. have had proper leisure
ments for rest recreation My health has failed under
the pressure Nor this all to my own private purse
without assurance Of reimbursement have rcsored in
every emergency for the required funds Whether these
arduous services and willing sacrifices have been beneficial
70 hansa and my country you are abundanty qualified
That have with opposition, and even bitter vu-
peration and vindctve malice is matter for astonsh-
ment No man has ever yet held important respon-
sble pest in our own or any other country and escaped
censure should have been weak and foolish indeed had
expected to pass through the fiery ordeal entirely
scahed especially as was required il not to i'll
fic WITH at least to thwart evil Vaccinations and hold
in restraint wicked PASSIONS rid the Territory of many
awless reckless and desperate Beside it i'm
possible TO come in contact with the conflicting interests
which governed The conduct of many welldsposed per-
sons without becoming object of mstrust and abuse
while from Others whose sole object was VIGOROUSLY
sona advancement at any sacrifice of the general good
and at every hazard it would have been ridiculous
tcipate the need Of praise for dsineresed action and
hence however papsbe might have been my patriotism
however just my official conduct however beneficial its
results do not marvel that my motives have been i'm.
pagned and my integrity maligned 1t is, however SO
well known, that need scarcely record the fact that
those who have attributed my abors to desire for qu
bernatora senatorial honors and are themselves
the aspirans for those high trusts and powers and fool
shy imagined that stood between them and the con-
summation of their ambitious designs and highowernR
hopes.
But whatever may be thought said of my motives or
Inc of
OF my and anxious toll with clean hands and
tho satisfactory conviction that He who can penetrate the
hmos recesse of the heart and read s secret thougb
VIII approve my purposes and acts In the discharge my
executive functions have invariably sought to do equal
and exact justice to all men, However humble or exalted
have eschewed all sectional dispnaions kept aloo9 from
all party affiliations and have alike scorncd numerous
threats of personal injury and violence and the most flat
tering promises Of advancement and reward And ask
and claim nothing more for the part have acted than the
simple merit OF ha:ing endeayored to perform nv duty
This have DONE at all times, and upon every occasion
regardless OF the opinions OF men, and utterly fearless Of
consequences Occasionally have been forced to assume
great responsibilities and depend solely upon my own re-
sources TO accomplish important ends but in ali such in
stances have carefully examined surrounding circum-
Stances weighed Te the probable results and acted upon
my own deliberate Judgment and in reviewing them
am so well hatsfed with the policy uniformly pursued
mat Were to be done over again. should not be changed
In the slightest particular.
in parting with you can do no less than give YOU
few words Of kindly advice and even of friendly warning
You well that most of the troubles which atoy
agitaed the Territory were occasoned by men who had
no especial interest in s welfare Many of them were
not even res;dents whilst quite evident that Others
were influenced altogether in the part they took in the dis
roances by mercenory other personal consd
ihe great body Of the actual citizens are conservatives law
apdlng and peaceloviDg men, disposed rather TO ma ke
sacrces for Cancellation and consequent peace than 70 in
sst for their entire rights should the general good thereby
90 caused to suffer- Some of them under the influence of
he prevailing excitement and misguided opinions were
leo 10 the commission of grievous mistakes but not with
tne depberate intention of doing wrong
very lew men, resolved upon mischief may keep in
state of unhealthy excitement and involve Ia fearful strife
an entire community. This demonstrated during the
cv connections with which the Territory was convulsed
Whe the people generally anxious pursoe their
peaceful caings small combinations OF crafty, scheming
and designing men succeeded from purely selfish motives
IN bringing upon them series of and de-
sructivc difficulties Nor are they satisfied with the mis-
cbie eready done They desired that the present
peae should be effected; do they intend that Ii shall
continue II they have the power to prevent it, In the
slant croakings Of dsaecicd individuals various sec
hon hear only the expressions of evil desires and in
tentions Watch, then, with special jealous and suspi
cous eye those who continually INDUCING surmses Of
renewed hoslites They not the friends of Kansas
and there to fear that of them not only
the enemies OF this Territory but of the Union ITSELF Its
dissolution IS their ardent WISH and Kansas has been
leced as mt place to the accomplishment of
most nearious design The scheme thus been frus
only vita the guardianship of this Territory but the
peace OF the Union which depends upon you in greater
decsrce than you may at present suppose.
You should therefore, rown down every effort to omen
discord and especially TO array settlers from different
ons of the Union in hostility against each other All true
patriots whether from the North or South the East or
West should unite together for that which s and must be
regarded cause.-The of the Union
and he who shall whisper desire for its dissolution no
matter what may be his pretensons to what faction