Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-04-24
PRESIDENT GTON's PRO-
CEEDINGS AGAINST TIL f w HISKEY
BOYS, CONTRASTED WITH PRE-
SIDENT BUCHANAN'S PROCEED.
INGS AGAINST THE MORMONS.

When President Washington was officially
informed by Judge of United States Court
that combinations of persons in four counties
in Pennsylvania had openly and violently re-
sisted the execution ofthe excise laws-had not
only refused to pay the taxes, but had NAL
treated the collectors and burnt the Office and
papers Of the Inspector of Customs, did he,
like President Buchanan, despatch at once,
without authority of law, force of Federal
troops to execute the law, claiming authority
from the clause of the Constitution requiring
him to take care that the laws be faithfully
executed ?" Not at all. He first took care to
have acts Of Congress to justify proceedings,
and then not to exceed this authority. And
what did he do? He sent a proclamation ex-
horting the people to obedience to the laws,
and warning them of the disastrous conse-
quences to themselves Of persisting in the
course they were pursuing. But his pro-
clamation was treated with derision, and the
collectors Of the excise set at defiance And
did he send an army thenp Not at all al
though he had done much more than President
Buchanan had done, when he sent the United
States marines to shoot down people quietly
voting in the city of Washington For this
was done without shadow of lawful author
ity, and without a warning Of any kind.
President Washington then directed that
legal process should be issued against the ring
leaders of the insur but, when the
marshal appeared among them to serve said
process, he was fired upon, taken prisoner, and
held as such for some time. Well, was the
army sent now2 No. General Washington
was, indeed, soldier, and hero but he was
not blood-thirsty man. He deprecated an
armed collision Of the people of the United
States. He was unwilling that the hands of
the people should be stained with each others
blood, while any expedient remained that might
be employed TO avoid it. Instead of an armed
force, he sent teo commissioners with pro-
clamation-the last warning. President Bu-
chanan, doubtless, regards this as childish and
pusillanimous. lie would not have acted thus
Well, there is difference in the characters Of
the two men.
When the commissioners returned and re-
ported that all their exhortations and entreat-
les had proved abortive, and that reconciliation
was hopeless, then and not till then, did Wash
ington rise in the majesty Of the warrior The
people of the country were waiting his CALL
They were well acquainted with the concilia-
tory course he had pursued, and were indig.
naHt at the obstinacy Of the insurgents, COM
prisiDg four counties only. At the first blast
of his bugle, thousands Of militia men-for he
would not march the Federal troops into Penn
sylvania-answered the call And what force
did he sendp A thousands two thousand
three thousand men s-about enough to exasper-
ate, lift had done more than to excite the con-
tempt Of the insurgents. Washington sent
well appointed army across the mountains, of
fifteen thousand determined citizens of the
United States, all from civil life, every man Of
| them. And when the insurgents saw this,
they saw the futility Of resistance, and grounded
their arms before drop Of blood was shed.
| Now, how has it been with Mr. Buchanan
and the MormonsP The Federal officers in
| Utah had a difficulty with the Governor, and
abandoned theirposts. They made complaints
| to the President What did he do2 Did he
institute an investigation Did he learn from
impartial authority that the people Of Utah had
resisted the execution Of any law, or were in
state of instruction against the United
StatesH Not a particle Of evidence to that
effect has yet TRANSFERRED He sent no procla-
nation, no commissioners. He sent force,
however, of regular troops too late in the sea-
son to reach the place before winter, and too
small TO cope with the Mormons If disposed to
resist, and the character Of the people is such
as should satisfy any sensible man that under
the circumstances, they would resist with des-
perate courage. When, in the history of tho
world, does il appear that sixty thousand re-
ligious fanatics opposed no obstacles to the
progress Of such handful Of men as is Colo
mel Johnson's command, invading them for the
express purpose, as they firmly believe--for no
other cause has been assigned to them--of
compelling them by force Of arms to abandon
their religious faith; an adherence to which,
and nothing else, in their opinion, can secure
to them happy immortality while itiiii,
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