The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-02

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Stanson's Mabifesto.
We publish to-day the address of Ex-Governor
Stanton "to the people Of the United States' on
Kansas affairs. Having been removed by the
President, as it appears, without any ''opportu-
nifty for explanation or Defence" Mr.. Stanton
adopts this alternative--to use his own words
Tin vindication of my motives, and in explana
ton of the results of the act for which have
been condemned" The act referred to was his
proclamation converting the late extra session
of the Territorial Legislature, the object of
which was to capsize the programme of the Lee
compton Convention.
The defence ofMr. Stanton hinges upon the
old story of border ruffian frauds, border ruff.
fan ballot stuffings and border rufisn outrages
upon popular sovereignty" There is one in
teresting fact however, in the outset of his state
ment deserving of special attention He says
that-"On my arrival in the Territory, in April
last, in advance of Gov. Walker, confess that
Ihad an imperfect knowledge of the real con-
dition of affairs. had supposed the question of
slavery to be the only cause of dissension and
difficulty among the people" He soon dis
covered, however, that "this view WAS
altogether too limited, and did not
reach the true ground of the contro-
versy y for that the great mass of the inhabi-
tants of the Territory were dissatisfied with the
local government, and earnestly denied the
validity of the existing laws" So decided were
they upon this point, that "they proclaimed
their determination never to submit to the
enactments of legislative bodies, thus believed
to be illegtimate and not entitled to Obedi-
ence"
Thus enlightened, acting Governor Stanton,
and subsequently Governor Walker, adopted
the soothing system with these refractory peo-
pie, although the Governor took care at the
same time to provide himself with the auxiliary
argument of the United States army, very much
to the detriment of the Utah expedition. Leav-
ing the narrative of Kansas events, however,
from April to December, to Mr.. Stanton, we re-
cur to his Introductory confession that on his
arrival out he had but "an imperfect know
ledge Of the real condition of affairs" How
so? We are constrained to ask, when throughout
the hot campaign of 1856, from one end of the
was discussed but the affairs of Kansas. How
so we repeat, when Mr.. Stanton. before start
ing to Kansas, was possessed of all the official
and other information in possession of the
government, upon Kansas affairs
The simple truth is that the slavery
agitators on both sides, and especially the
leading sectional demagogues North and South,
had so completely smothered up all the local
issues of Kansas in this dirty niger agitation
that neither the government nor the country
understood the "real condition of affairs
True, the special Kansas correspondents of the
NEW YORK HERALD have given pretty correct
view of the facts and troubles on all sides
among the several parties and factions of the
Territory; but, from the beginning to this day,
all the fireeating organs and orators of the
South, and all the abolition and black republi-
can journals and politicians of the North. have
kept the country mystifed and perplexed with
the schemes and atrocities of the pro-slayery
and anti-slavery bandtti of Kansas.
At length We are substantially informed from
the last of her ex-Governors that the slavery
question all along has really been secondary
issue in Kansas; and that the real distractions
there to law and order may be found in the con
fiicting schemes and plots of land sharks and
political vagabonds, for The spells and plumber
Thus, the Northern .Anti.Slavery Emigrant Aid
societies were controlled by land spectators
and political stockholders; and these sectional
movements naturally excited the rivalry of the
South. Accordingly, Southern aid societies, emf
grant companies, proslavery leaders, and funds
for the pro-slavery cause, were thrown into Kan
sas. In this way the most reckless vagabonds of
both sections, and the most hostile, brutal, des-
perate and fanatical upon the question of Mig
gers were brought face to face in Kansas, like
hungry wolves and hyenas in the same cage
Election frauds, riots, aSsassinations, bloody
battles, house burnings and wholesale robberies
followed az the natural consequences. The
only wonder is, from the reckless and savage
character Of these Northern and Southern out
laws, that so many Of them have survived. The
United States army has. we believe, prevented
them from DISCRIMINATING each other; but if
this be so, the army, we think, might have been
better employed as guard over other savages
With such materials as these thrown together
in Kansas by the joint subscriptions Of sectional
demagogues, landjobbers and spoilsmen, what
else could be expected but incessant wranglings
"noise and confusion in the settlement of the
question of popular sovereignty" And so it
is, that while the country for three long years
and more has been KEEP; in the hottest excite
ment concerning the fluctuations of the slavery
question in Kansas, the border ruflian cliques
and factions of the Territory have really been
wranglng and fighting all this time for nothing
but the Offices, and the spoils and plumber
incident to the organization of new
State. Thus the original pro-slavery and no
slavery parties of the Territory have been cut
up into four or five Undesirable factions, each
crying out frauds and villany against the
oil lint all lac L.. T. A.