The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-05-23
Valuable Letter,

DAVID WILAoT on accepting the nom
ination of the Republican party of
Pennsylvania for Governor, is a truly
valuable document, and will be read
| by all persons interested In the free-
dom of Kansas with absorbing in
terest. The contest in Pennsylvania,
is contest for the freedom of the
West. The issue is direct, and open,
and as such every resident of this Ter
ritory will watch the progress of the
canvass there with deep anxiety. Near
ly all the other Eorthern States have
taken ground for Kansas. Pennsyl-
vania would have done the same had
not the people been deceived by false
representations. It is hoped she will
yet right herself, and discard those
politicians of the State who have de-
ceived her for the sake of office.
Hon. David wilmot's Letter accepting
| the Nomination for Governor.
GENTLEMEN ON my return home,
after an absence of two weeks, / found
your communication informing me of
my nomination as candidate for the
office of Governor, by Convention
| of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, op-
posed to the leading measures of the
late and present national Administra-
ton, which assembled at the State
Capitol on the 25th ultimo, together
with a copy of the declaration of prin-
ciples promulgated by that Convsn-
tion.
/ accept the position to which am
| called by the unsolicited suffrage of the
body whose organ you are, profound
| " grateful for so distinguished mark
| of the confidence fmy fellow-citizens,
yet painfully sensible of my inability
properly to meet its responsible obli-
cations.
The approaching election is one of
no ordinary interest. Important ques-
tions of her State policy, affecting the
public welfare and prosperity, are not
alone involved in the issue presented.
AS one of the largest and most power
full of the sovereign States of our con-
federate Republic, the honor and in
terests of Pennsylvania are deeply con-
cerned in the principles that animate
our National Government. She can
not, with safety to our independence
and the liberties of our people, be in
different to the momentous questions
of national import in progress of set
Neutrality-suspicious. touching consti-
tutional powers of the Federal Gov
ernment and vitality affecting the dig
nifty and rights of free labor. Nor can
she, without dishonor, Withhold her pro-
test against the wrongs inflicted upon
her sons in distant Territory under
the license of Federal authority.
The dearest rights of freemen, Sc
cured by plain constitutional guaran-
tees, are ruthlessly violated on the soil
of our national domain. American
citizens are made the victims of a
tyranny unknown in the despotism of
the Old World. The annals of civil
lized and Christian nations furnish no
example of cruelty and outrage, on
the part of Government, towards its
people, such as has been endured by the
people of Kansas, unle' they be found
in prosecutions of the Huguenots un-
der Louis XIV, of France, and of the
Protestants of the Netherlands, by
the Duke of ALvA under PHILIP H.,
King of Spain. Indeed, the barbar-
tiles to which the people of Kansas
have been exposed were of character
so inhuman as to provoke increduiity
in the minds of a large portion of our
citizens. Thousands have been de-
ceiyed into the belief that, for parti-
san purposes, fctions were substituted
for facts although no facts In Amer
lean history are better authenticated,
than are the murders, robberies, arsonsI
and lawless rapacity inflicted upon the
free settlers of Kansas. These out
RACES had for their object the subjuga-
tion of that Territory to the curse OF
slavery.
We speak of quiet being restored to
Kansas, because armed bands of law
less men do not ts-day infest her high
ways and plunder her people-because
towns are not sacked and the cabins
OF. her settlers in flames. This peace
is deceptive and insecure. 1t will be
broFen the moment that the people of
Kansas make vigorous effort to re-
cover their rights, of which they have
been fraudulently and violently de-
prived. The purpose of her enslave-
ment is inexorably pushed forward.
A system of ingeniously devised fraud,
kindred to that employed in the usur-
patton under which she now groans, is
being carried out for the consumma-
ton of this great wrong. To this end
also. the power of the Federal Gov
ernment is barely prostituted. We
are given words of fairness, but per-
sistence in support of the wrong
EESIf Va SAS
Kansas is an active co-worker In the
scheme of her enslaVement.
Principles of eternal truth and JUS
tice. which lie at the foundation of q
christian civilization, and upon which
repose the rights of humanity, are
detiantly assailed by the power that
controls in our National Government.
Those truths, declaratory of the nstu-
raj and inalienable rights of man, con-
tanned in the great charter OF our
liberties, are condemned by our highest
judicial authority as unmeaning and
false. The sanctuary OF our Courts
of Justice is closed against an entire
race of men. The poor and down
trodden are not allowed to petition Tor
a redress of their wrongs. those trl6u-
mails of human Government, that
should most nearly represent the be,
n;fcent attributes of the Creator and
4 ~. III