Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-12-18
Written for tho Lewisburg Chronicle.
BUCHANAN'S LAST ON THE
KANSAS QUESTION.

I
BUCHANAN'S LAST ON THE
KANSAS QUESTION.
In 1920, James Buchanan's name i:
prominently connected with opposition tc
the admission of the evil and the curse Of
Slavery into Missouri He acted with the
Anti Slavery men Of the North, until the
Presidency had come within tho range Of
his ambitious vision. He then fell violent.
ly in love with the very Missouri Comp
mise which he had combatted, and in his
celebrated Harvest Home Berks County
Letter not only glorifed that Compromise
but recommended its extension to the Pa.
cifc ocean. In his speech for the admis-
sion of Texas, he sought to stupify the
moral sense aud mislead the judgment OF
the North. by arguing that Western Tex
as was "not adapted to Slave labor" and
that the admission of Texas would really
work for the destruction instead of the ad.
vancement of Slavery. When the Mis-
souri, Compromise was ruthlessly annulled,
Mr.. Buchanan, being absent, was not iden-
tife1 with or against that measure and
the Democratic party therefore nominated
him for President, not daring to take up
either Pierce or Douglas, on account of
their being obnoxious to the North. Bu-
chanan bound himself to the Platform,
and the campaign was conducted, and he
was elected, on the specious (but it now
seems false) plea that the people of Kan
sas should have full and fair power to form
government to suit themselves exactly.
At tho North, it was claimed that Mr.. B.
and the Democracy were most favorable to
"Freedom for Kansas In his Inaugu-
raj Address, Mr.. Buchanan reiterated the
party cry and pledge, adding that the real
question was whether the people had power
to abolish Slavery in a State or Territorial
Legislative capacity.
The overthrow of the Pro- Slavery party
at the last Kansas election under Gov.
Walker, has caused another somerset of
Buchanan and his party. That election
demonstrated that Slavery could not be re-
tanned in Kansas under the promises here
tofore held out. Hence, the bogus Con-
vention formed Constitution not to be
submitted to the people. MIR. Buchanan
now practically denies any power to abol-
ish Slavery, whether in State or Territory.
His first Annual Message is hostile to
all direct and implied pledges, and proves
that they have from the first determined
upon having Kanses enslaved. True, be
does not in cypress terms urge the accep.
tance of the unsubmitted and uuapprovcd
Constitution; Senator Douglas, Walker,
Forney, and other leaders Of his party have
evidently caused him to modify his frs.
extreme committal to forcing the CALLING
yoke upon unwilling necks; still be argues,
fortifes, and prepares for a general sub.
mission and giving in to that policy.
Thus, at first, Texas, the Tariff of '46, and
the Missouri Compromise, were not pushed
by the Administration but, relying upon
EXECUTIVE PATRoNAGE-Money and Of
6ce-they were forced upon the country
against its we'll known and expressed
wishes. We do not doubt that the South
intend to carry this measure in precisely
the same way.
To give Mr.. B. and the Slave Propa.
gardists fair opportunity to argue their
cause, We give that part Of the Message in
JuR tits carefully studied presentation
Of their side Of the qucstion-cool, tortu-
Gus, truth,suppressing, falsehood. stating,
evasive-more like the bubbles of pet
tifogger earning his fee for defending q
sheep-stealer than the deliberate views of
the chief magistrate of twenty millions of
freemen writing for the keen eye of i'm
partial history-more like the speech of
paid attorney than the charge of an honest
Judge. We give it, ENTIRE, with few
comments interspersed:
'1t is unnecessary to state in detail the
alarming condition of the Territory of
Kansas at the time of my Inauguration.
The opposing parties then stood in hostile
array against each other, and any accident
might have relighted tho flames of civil
war. Besides, at this critical moment,
Kansas was left without Governor by the
resignation Of Gov. Geary."
Not so fast, Your Excellency. No
doubt you would like to slide over and bury
the black record Of the past. But it is
necessary, in order to fair understanding
Of the question, to refer to its antecedeu:s.
In any controversy, the rhole state of the
case is essential to be known to arrive at
the truth. You would have your read.
ers utterly ignore the fact that Kansas
had been solemuly consecrated to freedom
for ever. You know we'll that the question
Of slavery was re.opened by your party,
and North and South invited to the com.
bat! You would have us forget that Gov.
Geary a. we'll as Gov. Reeder resigned, to
save themselves from assassination, and