Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-08-25
PROPHETIC LETTER.

ecch HIS appear tO james DuCDanan not w
betray his country, by adbering to a cabal
of traitors who had ruled Pierce and nearly
ruined Kansas. As an evidence Of his fidel-
ity to principle and his remarkable foresight
we reprint the following letter from Gen.
Geary to James Buchanan, dated February
18th, 1857 Here, as in mirror, he seemed
to foresee and to fortell the awful revenge
that would punish any want of fidelity on
the part of the Executive. He counses
James Buchanan, almost in set terms, what
to do to save the public from the plots oi
Jefferson Davis, and he predicts that if JET
ferson Davis is permitted to carry out his
policy, "thc entire country will be involved
in calamities too dreadful to contemplate
and as disastrous as any that could peihli !"
| nation.n But james Buchanan was deal 10
all such appeals, and General Geary, hnding
himself deserted by his chief, resigned his
office. and was succeeded by Robert j. Walk
or. another Democrat, who was sent to Kan
sas in the belief that he would prove more
willing instrument. The catastrophe was
completed by the indignant refusal of that
eminent statesman to do the work which
had disgusted and disheartened both his he.
roic predecessors. No true Pennsylvania
can read this letter of Gen. Geary without
recalling the whole history of Buchanan's
administration, and without feeling new
sense of gratitude that the citizen who, near
ly ten years ago thought and wrote in this
way, is shortly to assume the Executive
chair of this great State:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
LECoMPToN, KANSAS TERRITORY,
... February 12, 1857.
Hon. JAMES BUCHANAN. dear Sir Il: No
apology is needed for my again addressing
you, notwithstanding my last letter was
written only two days ago. In that in
formed you, at considerable length, of the
condition of affairs in this territory, of GER
tain outrages that have recently been com
mitted, of the character of the men, mostly
RACES were instigated, and that my situation
and usefulness here would depend mainly
upon the support of the General Governmen,
in my endeavors to maintain the peace and
promote the welfare of the Territory. Since
then new Developments have occurred
justifying all then wrote, and of which il
is important that you should be apprised.
From reliable sources information has
been received that new plans are being
| formed, not only to assassinate myself and
certain members of my household, but to
create breach Of the peace, which threatens
70 be far more serious than the outraee es
that have been suppressed, and which have
for their ultimate aim nothing short of the
| dissolution of the Union in case of the fail
ure of the unjust and infamous attempts
that are being made to force the institution
of Slavery upon the unwilling people of this
Territory. .......
Having positive assurance of the truth ol
such reports, which have reached me from
sundry sources, and being satisfied that the
danger was imminent, and that prompt
action was needed to avert it, at once
addressed communication to General Per
sifer f. Smith, at Fort Leavenworth, ap
prising him of the facts, and asking him to
send to my assistance two companies o.
cavalry. l made this request in accordance
with unrevOked instructions from the Presi
dent, ito maintain order and quiet in the
Territory of Kansas, and if disturbances oc
cur therein to bring to punishment the of
Tenders - and with the firm belief that tho
high source, that in carrying out these in
structions l would be aided by such military
force as | might require.
This belief was not in the least shaken by
rumors that were rife throughout Lecomp
ton and vicinity, that the agitators of the
pending disturbances were boasting of, anc
! glorifying in, information they assumed tc
have received from Washington, that it wa!
the intention of the Secretary of War, Jeffer
son Davis, to withdraw from me all military
aid and protection, and thus leave me at thu
mercy OF the assassins who were plotting
my destruction and that of the country.
Judge, then, of my astonishment upon re
ceiving from General Smith, in reply to my
requisition for troops, a letter confirming
the worst of these bold and infamous rumors
In that letter he not only refuses to furnisl
the troops required, but cody informs mt
that am to be deprived of the few men tha
were detailed to guard the executive build
ing, and the public records and other prop
erty belonging to the Government Hesays
"All the forces here have been designated b,
the Secretary of War, and are under order
for other services more distant, nnd even tn
companies near you will have to be called.
There can, therefore, no longer be an,
room to doubt, If there were any before, tn
tTutn VI tue statements naQe TO me by partle
of unquestionable respectability and veracity
that the riotous men with whom am sur
rounded, and who have already created s,
much mischief and perpetrated so many ant
such heinous encouragement and support O
jeff. Davis, and others high in authority
that these high officials anticipate with salts
faction, not only new disturbances in thi
Territory, but dissolution of the Uniol
itself by foTcible means at no far distant pc
Rod; and that the seizure of United State
arms at Liberty, Missouri, by the ruflians VIII,
invaded Kansas, in September last, was don
with their sanction and approval, and wa
but preliminary step to similar atrociou
and reasonable acts now in contemplation
in other portions of the United States.
Hence, it is with no ordinary degree O
anxiety that again call your attention t.
the existing state of things in Kansas, ant
urge upon you, as soon as you shall hav
assumed the Presidential office, the absolut
necessity of speedy removal of the tribulen
men who employ their official positions ant
opportunities for the basest purposes, and t,
support, with all the power of the Genera
government, the Executive of this Territory