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

prominently connected with opposition t.
the admission of the evil and the curse o
Slavery into Missouri. He acted with thu
Anti Slavery men of the North, until the
Presidency had come within the range o.
his ambitious vision. He then fell violent
ly in love with the very Missouri Compro
mise which he had combatted, and in hi:
celebrated Harvest Home Berks County
Letter not only glorifed that Compromise
but recommended its extension to the Pa
ciic ocean. In bis speech for the admis
sion of Texas, he sought to stupify the
moral sense and mislead the judgment o.
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
tilted 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 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, he
does not in cypress terms urge the accep.
tancc Of the uDsubmitted and unapprovcd
Constitution; Senator Douglas, Walker,
Forney, and other leaders of his party have
evidently csused 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
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 par, Of the Message in
tuR tits carefully studied presentation
Of their side Of the question-cool, tortu-
Gus, truth.suppressing, falsebood. stating,
evasive-more like the bubbles of pet
tifogger earning his fee for defending a
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-morc like the speech of
paid attorney than the charge of an honest
Judge We give it, ENTIRE, with few
Oo""CutS AutSASpCLScu
'It 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
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 as
in order to q fair understanding
Of the question, to refer to its anteceden: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 solemnly 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.
aeary as we'll as Gov. Reeder resigned, to
save themselves from assassination, and
because the Presidents under whom they
lcted had refused to sustain them as prom
sed, in their efforts to do RIGHT. You
voulA have thu World mt knov that Tho