The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-10-03


meaning ot this ac, is to leave The people ter
the Territory perfectly free to regulate Their
domestic institutions in :helr own way. sub
icct only to the Constitution OF the tmtc"
States" To THE PEOPLE, and thea, alone. 1t
expressly gives the right to make their own
government and laws. Here is 70 sanction.
10 authority. for government liot framed by
the people. but founded solely Oh i::yaSion
Can this law cnthrone in rehtful sovereign
ty bandits from a neighhoring state? As
we'll say that it authorized them to seize ev-
crv acre CT Kansas. for their own use and be-
hoof. II can as well deprive the people Of
one right as of another, of all rights as OF
one. II is said. " that Congress authorized
the establishment OF government. Yes :
hut BY the people, not by maraudcrs. 1t is
further said " tina we must adhere to gen
eral principle" What princip pie? Why. as
Your whole argument implies. THAT a govern
mcnt established )" is a government to be rec
osnizcd. We den, such 4 government i'll
Kansas. Beware how you stretc. a general
principle. and make it unirn*'d Tho'isI!
one NAV safely pass the Niagara River a;
al other points and places. none hut ll@A-
mar would attempt the passage Oh the ::er;;;;s'
OF the cataract.
Your Memorialists urgc. therefore. tina: .Ar
so-called Government Of kans,i, can tiaiEl ~
sanction from the act of Congress. liic rNl-
tence was all against it-cyidcace hn"Wu =
the whole civilized world. apparent or the
very face Of the transaction. and which mus;
have challenged your attention long before
YOU had taken the oath Of Office. The very
r. II i
support from the Federal Executive w> tie
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 Scrsc. what vnu call az
established Cover me It: :" for It shows that
it was not ard I'D no, be established with
out 4 United States ;rmy: but for tie pu:
pose of 'staJlishiny what was not cStal:'iShe!
"a Government of rutiian authority.
Nor could YOU have bcen ignorant that the
House Of Representative had sent special
Committee of Investigation to the Territory.
and thus acknowledged and confirmed the
propristy Of 4 strict inquiry i,fo h.iy r.,n
case. On the report of that Committee the
House Of Representatives authorativclv de-
clarcd that the Gov trnmcnt OF Kansas Was
established by II, terror of bowie knives and
revolvers, ard that it had been proved 70
have not shadow of authority. And here
YOUR McmorialiSts ask. whcthcra palmer Gas"
or stronger evidence can we'll be imagined
When, if not in such case. ought The Pres
ident to dcnounce government As spurious.
and to refuse to aid or sustain it The laws
of Congress tramplcl in the ,i';>t-:hc inv,l-
ders from Missouri proved. beyond 4 cavil. to
be the only authors Of this "yHycrnmcnt -
10 it not an outrageous wrong to hold kar
s:s subject to such u>urra';cn by 4 tnittd
States army? The fires Of r"tiiani&:u >ti'l
burn there smothcrcd in the dr"lrincs* Of
their own lesolation. and ready TO be r>hnd-
led in their fary by the >liSl:Ic>. mo>cmca;
for Liberty and Right on de part of the p"o-
pie. while the echo of their suffering ever
rings in the cars Of our National Executive.
Let it be remembered. that this Govern
mcnt comes to the pcop" of Kansas not with
the sanction of gray an'i u;t,. nor yc' has It
come from any law Of Congress a> IL trNv
and proper source. nor yet from the rc"ric
of the Territory. nor vet from bcirc r;ca itI!-
" established 1t is Of recent ori-iu tr for
nation. |. date, only from tn" Imposition
of it by the rufiani>m from Missouri upon
the people who abhor and '.i>o"" 1t. Every
r.an wlo has. from tx first. Aiia"n is 'fj<'-
eace. has known is "rIgiA ard Il, 1a;;,,o.-
Let it then b" taken as il i, a. !: j. /. il
origin and its nature. Md wI.,' is i - \
code of laws oppressive. UNJUST. crlr. u'itro-
geous without par,:. !. created. liz; JOS, by
the u>urpation of rpi,i:.n> from Missouri. Md
these laws. and this "tiovcrilmcA'. without
the least evidence 20 establish their authority.
but with the most abundant proofs to The
contrary. YOU are pro,oSir" to sustain and
execute bv the United States army, You
speak of "numbcrs of lawie,s men. &c. Il!
luding evidently to the Topeka Contention.
Be it So for the sake Of the argument Lat
how does one awlcss attempt to establish
government. justify or pai!!ate another NV
less attempt. for tn" SAME purpose.
Further: In your reply you seem 10 y'''.
McmorialistS to conccdc. in all is tru,i: and
force. the principle which they laa;'''rn.-
Thus YOU uncquivocaly and just! assert that
for portion of the people Of (nnncct:cnt
to undertake to establish >cIara.' Goyrrn-
ment. within its chartered limits for til" rur-
pose of rcdrcs>irg any grievance. real u in
aginary." would be usurpafio". and add that
"such principle. carried into eXecuti II.
would destroy all lawful authority. and pro-
ducc universal anarchy" Your Mcmolial;>t>
fully subscribe to this doctrine But wiai
is the act which you call u>urpation in the
case supposed? What is it but setting up a
Government claiming authority. and laws de-
handing execution. which. in the l:aturc OF
the case. can claim no authority and are op
posed to existing authority? If YOU woulo
call this "usurration" in Connecticut. if il
would destroy all legal authority ard pro
ducc universal anarchy what is this but the
very act which Missouri invaders have per
pctrateti in Kansas? There was Govern.
mcnt in kansas-governmcnt under the fon
stitution OF the United States. Law was there
also. law for the organization Of Govern
ment BY TIE PEOPLE OF THE TEEHTo:Y.-
Right. too, was there the inviola.le right g
the people to make their Own laws and cleo
their own rulers In opposition 10 the exist
ing Government. III violation Of that cxi>tin!
law. trampling upon those inherent rights
Missouri invaders have set up q bloody tyr
ANY, which has, in fact produced anarch,
and blood>hed. If YOU condemn Tie one
condemn the other also. Your MEMORIALS;
have nothing to ask of vcu in this matter ',,l
consistency Of principle. Condemn the sam
conduct in both cases put down the usur
patton in Kansas. and the friends of truth
justice. and of the country, would rejoice.
Your MemorialiSts again ask. whether
case can we'll be imagined. 10 which tie nar.
Of authoritative government could be apple
with more palpahlc improperly and un!rutl
than to the Territorial Government CT Kan
sa.? Might not even political shainelcssncs