Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-01
has all been accomplished through 't' own ''''' JUG
and constitutional principles. .o,,.
am, very respectfully. ST TTIti COBB.
IL Mn-,ra Pitt WHITE and 0thtrs.
,prrrp FROM HON. JOHN B. FLOYD;

| a"' very HOWELL COBB.
To Messrs. Pitt, White and others
,,rrrp ppoy HON. JOHN B. FLOYD:
LEI Eli W.su,soros CRY, Dec. Is 1857:
| c,,,I have received the invitation wit
vh;,h ron have honored ma. to attend puGiic n'eo
;nv 10 be- held In Philadelphia to night, caeu ~ OIL
dorse the policy Of the Administrator 10 Nansa,
rsare, ,hat am Obliged by official engagements !,
dpclin. IL 1t would afford me especial pleasure ~ par
t;cins,s with the people of your great CITY IN move
mept intended to give the authentic stamp OF Delso
cratic sanction TO policy which has been ooh'ofme
to the laws Of the country. and mas no o'ne' 0"u
the peace and harmony Of the Union'
Whatever option citizens Of the country may iee
themselves authorized TO eYe, else In approving
dissenting from the policy Oh he fresleoht ~ reka.'
10 Kansas the written laws o. me eno naa e't nin
at least room in deciding upon his Course OF cenouct
The Ka;;sas Nebraska act had prohibited Congress
TON Interfering in the domestic G;:.:rs OF hsusas
aud p.oyid that the people OF the Territory snoule
be left perfectly free to form their domes.c us''
tulnns n their own way the Legislative history
the act showing it to have been contemplated Una
this might he done by representatives chosen iot tns
purtos,, The Legislature of Kansas, when mat mex
after the passage of tho act, had accordingly Prov
died. tia ia October, 1885, at the general s!Sc''on
the Territory, the people should vote whether Con
yentiou for forming Constitution should To CALLED
or not The people of the Territory hsd at the cleo
TONS decided by large majority, that Convenhor
should be called. The next succeeding ier1nolla
Legislature had, in pursuance OF this wore, enaetso
law providing for the censas OF the People ana ieR'
;ry of voters and for the election OF Convention
The provisions of this Law we're complied with and ,
Convention elected. The Convention assembled
formed Constitution, and in the exercise OF custom
ary discretion had decided to submit the leading ques
ton of controversy embodied 10 the nstrument-ths
Of slavsry-to the decision OF the people. The pro
csedugs from beginning to end had thus been pursu
ant to law The forms had been regular authoritative
customary, legal, constitutional. Whatever lrreRuia
rites in detail abuses IN the execution OF particular
and minor provisions had occurred, II any occurred
were such az only the local authorities could take cog
nizapcs of aud correct. Throughout these transac
tons there was but question OF conflicting opnior
which Congress not prohibited either by the let
ter or spirit OF the NebrsskakaDsas aot from inter
fsriug 10 decids-and that was III regard 10 Inc mt
when The inhabitants of the Territory would be compe
tent TO organise themselves iuto SateIsnd apply fol
admission into the Union. Even OF this question Con
gress had expressed an opinion airnlng, ID aaVaace
the decision made by the people OF the iertory u
October, 1856. For bills authorizing the election O
n Constitutional Convention in Kansas, had passed
each House of Congress in the summer preceding
the bill of each House failing in the CHER through
disagreement of the two bodies on other PROVISIONS
although they agreed the fact that the Time nSo
arrived when Kansas might prepare for admission
AZ State Congress had also acquiesced during the
session of 1861 in the steps that were gong on 10
Kansas for calling Constitutional Convention.
Thus. the only question admitting of doubt, which
had been left open by the Kansas Nebraska act' mac
been decided by Congress- and mus ,e .h
of sep that they had taken in this behalf were
Sncb we're the laws which the President was bound
m see executed, and such the modes under whlcn II
was his duty to see that the people OF tne Territory
hopld be free TO form their domestic institutions un
rnoIss,sd and uudisturbed. His only alternative war
between enforcing tho laws and disregarding the laws
There was no option, and he pursued the plain line
-, du,y He could only enforce the laws as tney
we're written To have done less would have been
nnsianimous: TO have done otherwise would have
bean in effect 10 sbrogate them, aud to interfere III
matters which the National Legislature anu inc peo
nl of the Union had decreed should Do lett 10 Inc
decision of the Territory. .
For one, do not fear the verdict ct the conserVa
tive neope of conservative Pennsylvania on the con-
dnc, oC their President. On question, whether the
lava NJ the country shall be adnlnisterad on ques
tion whether an Executive who has iaitniuy aoa',n
is:e cred the laws Of the country shall % W
ths popular voice. do not fear the VERDICT OF 5enn
,viyania. State which has so signaly saved 'he
J{nion will not speedily repent OF the NOBLE act
State which, closing her cara to the arguments oi
sonhstry the appeals Of faction, auu tDe ciaul VI
noisy and falee philanthropy mas recently ~ 'eso.ae
Iv voted her confidence in the integrity anu patriot
lam of James Buchanan, her own son. Will moi tuIu
har hsck nnon him for executing the laws OIL the aho
State which has supported her son curing lous
nuhic career will not torsake him in his last puohc
service, when his only aspiration can 10 10 tehue.
her name and his own i!lus'rous oy pat U.s. ao"e''
and faithful administration OF his arduouo ONCE
lam, gentlemen, very respectfully, your o6edlen'
servant, -, IT., 49, u
B.rrelI. Jesse johnson, VIM. V. McGrath, Com
mttee of Invitation, Philadelphia.
LETTER FROM HON. ISAAC TOUCY.
Genrlrmen:-I havc had the honor 10 receive your
letter inviting me to be present at puo.ic meetne
to he held in the city OF Philadelphia on MONDAY tue
28th of December "for The purpose ut endorsing the
message of Pr.si,eu, Buchanan, especially that part
Of il recommending tho speedy admission 81 ksnsae
az State under Constitution framed IN pursuance
of lawful authority.
sent on the OCCASION. and to join with you IN the de-
monsration OF public sentimD ut which II Will elicit
While the message Of the President has command
ed in most remarkable degree the appreciation ano
confidence of The country, no one oil lts suggestons
has been more armly Spplauded than that Kansas
has long engaged too large share OF public atten
,ion For the asst few years il has been the engross
ing topic to thes1cusion or prejudice OF amost every
other subject oF great national concern. we nrd
been long engaged in proracted and bitter oonnici
for the right of the people, among themselves anu
for Themselves in every legally organised communi
ty whether State Or Territory to settle the slavery
question in their own way without external interie
renee. Non intervention and popular sovereignty
had :.iymrhsd in the Presidential election, ana We
had reached the point when the question had peen
submitted TO the people Of Kansas. aud was TO oe
n,,srd upon by thsmas the sole question in popu
lar election. This wa, the s"e question III Congress
the sole question in tut Territory, thu sole qucson
with the people Of the country regarding the enn
of Kansas; and when thu all engrossing was
submitted 10 the people Kansas II was mo Pun.
OF the President to it's decision by ths people
of Kansas aud thus relieve the country OF ne e,efun
agitation. No confederation of responsibility OF u'
popularity could induce him to forego consum@ q.
ton which hs discharge his duty eIscted al nl.
hands. Concurring in the patriotic W!sh ~ :" 49,
rsnoss 10 the country, knowing that the Terrltoria
Legislature frat submittedit TO the people Ene'nel
should be calico for the purposs OF
Constiiuton-thati it then provided oT "a" LOT ~.
election of such Conveniently popular sanfags|.ha
the Convention thus legally chosen, asserted ana e1
erosed the right Of forming Constitution, as nae
often bheA done, without deem'ng !. necessary y
submit it for subsequent ra'iioa'l'h-tna lne Peop
in their sovereign capsciiy we're UNRESTRICTED III .e
power to establish Constitution oy prior o'tec,ion
or by eubsequ snt assent-that whether they mad e1
ercissd their power in one q the other mode, was
question them and helr agents, for Inc solu
| ton of which they We're entlrely competent-ans
that the decision by popular soe OF the question sue
mited to them which had sc long ss,tatea .ns ERR
tory and the country would oe peaceful settlemeh
| of It in the mode and mann,r contemplated oy IN
organic lsw-it was impossible TO entertain any douo
az TO tho line of policy prop.r to bs adopted Ger
| tainly, when the slavery question was submitted 4
.
est apology for rssortng to the higher law OF resist
auce aud revolution, but The plain and obvious pat
of Constitutional duty was to acquiesce and to secur
the people in the uninterrupted exercise OF the rgh
of suffrage in that election, that there might Do oe
cisve popular verdict upon the issue submitted Il
them. AS to all other abstract practical questions
outside of that ISSUE properly subject to the action
State, there neither had been, nor waa likely TO OF
any great difficulty, it woad remain with the sove
reign State OF Kansas to dispose Of them according
to it's own sovereign will aud pleasure.
am, gentlemen, very respectfully,
| ISAAC TOUCEY.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 1851.
To Messrs. George Pitt, WIN. IL. Witte. George \
Berrell, Jesse johnson and William V. McGratt
| Committee, &c.
LETTER PROM HON. ). g. BLACK.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. IS, 1857.
Gentlemen-I am houored by your invitation t
the meeting on Monday next. cannot be there, bu
l believe your purpose TO be just and trust az
4 Al - - skl,.