The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-09-18

ana as preSage 10 the di9sJIutioo OF 81
antsgonisn TO that great org .niZ ition, It's
giant foes. Henry Clay, died in Washing
ton, June och, aud DsBisl Webster, at
Mansfield, Massachusetts,, October 25i, the
same year. In November following. the
most illu.trious soldier OF the republic,
Winfsid Scott, running as the Wing can
dids,e for the Presidency, received but for
ty-two electoral woes out OF college OF
296, and YVES defeated by one of his hrsvsst
subordinate generals, my own personal
friend, Frank Pierce, who got pa electors.
. II the West was Democratic; all New
Ecglaud but Massachusetts, and Vermont;
all the Middle States, including Ohio and
New York; and every Southern state but
Kentucky and Tennessee. Both houses OF
Congress, the supreme court OF the United
States, the army and the navy, the press,
the social aristccrscy, and, in a large de
gree, the church, were the dependents,
tributaries, echoes, and defenders cf s.av-
cry and the Democratic party.
In two years from that time the Kansas
Nebraska bill became the Law. From thst
hour the f'te OF slavery was sealed. A
part OF that revolution, and friend OF the
much-deTided popular sovereignty doctrine,
/ claim to speak for those wno res lived a,
all hazards that there should b.
true, and not a f4lse sover
eighty. They were not holiday
soldiers. They voted for the Kansas and
Nebraska bli!s, meaning 10 pledge to a
glilteriug generality, but to a SOUND reliy
ion. Others understood il difivrentls the
ultra slave holders, as a snare and deiu-
zion, believing that all Democrats would
finally come TO the here-v that slavery
could be carried anywhere urdrr the Con-.
slilution, and the ultra abo.itionis's that IL
was Congress, and not the people, that hsG
the ultimate decision of the greatest JHes.
ton nearest TO the people.
/ AN not here to-day TO revive old Issues
but i claim that IL was the doctrine OF a
| righteous popular sovereignty that gave
| liberty 10 h ansas and Nebraska; and thai
the Democrats who followed Douglas, AID
fought Buchanan, who gave up Office, par y
social position, and even life ils-ll, rstheI
than yield their faith, deserve to be remem.
berei with special honor on this silver We'd
ding oil the Republic OF x ansss
We must not forget that the Northwest
| was ripe Tor revolt against slavery long be.
| fore the repeal of the Missouri Compro
| mise. There was hardly Democrat in the
| organized States Of he great empire between
the Ohio and the Lakes, and from the L
per Mississippi 10 s.. Louis, that had not
| been shaken by the col ilIcts over the vii
| mot Provisc and the admission OF Califor
| MIA. Great thoughts had been planted in
the minds OF your earlier statesmen by two
| great hands over three quarters o. a century
before; and they grew and riPened in your
BenEous, your Gases, your Dodges, your
| Doug Eases, your Wenlworths, your Trum.
bulls and other Democrats OF the genera.
ton that began with the administration oil
John Quincy Adams.
Bat | dare not open the volume TO which
this tempting chapter invites me and vel
here | stand ii Lawrence, Kansas, named
| after distinguished citizen of Massachu.
setts, with my old friends, Eli Tnsyer and
George W. Julian, who began the grsat
work Of organIz alton and victory twenty.
five years ago, and not only in Lawrence
but in Douglas county, which brings back
the other name to which / have Just direc
ted your attention. And find il impossi-
BILE TO restrain the other thoughts that
come rushing to my lips in such pres
sence b.cked by such past, aud beckon.
stand among many eloquent recollections
and examples. The figures of the heroic
dead; the faces OF the heroic living: the
moral heroism and Hvsicsl courage OF that
tremendous personality, John Brown, and
his compstriots; the earlier marIyrdom OF
Elijah Z. lovejoy, whose great brother |
knew 80 we'll, aud whose fearless arraien
ment of the South for the murder Of Eli ,h
heard on the II Dor OF Congress the sou
venirs of smes n. Lane, Samuel C 7 ,me-
roy, Richard Reslf, Amos A. Lawrence,
Joshua X. Giddirgs, Charles Sumner,
Henry Wilson. David c. Frederick, John
Hickman. Arson Burlingame, and last. no,
least, Abraham Lincoln, Edwin NJ. Stan.
ton, Salmon T. Chase, William II. Seward
these reappear TO me to-day, not only be
cause | knew them all some OF them most
closely, but because they were your Oh sm
piOns, and some OF them died in fighting for
your cause. The tragedy of August, 1868
the Qlsntrell Massacre, was a new con--
Grafton OF liberty, another trial in the great
crucible of destiny.
But Lawrence has other memories. Tt
me az a Pehnsy vapian il Ia singularly and
sadly interesting. Iaieed, the history OF
this region, Territorial and State, is redo
lent OF my native Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania not Only sent you tbs
Delaware Indians, but three early Terri
torial Governors, Reeder, Gesry and Walk
er. They were all Democrats, high in the
councils OF their party, identified with the
pro slavery influence. Reedsr at the mead
Uf the bar in his own district, Gesry gal.
liant colder in the Mexican war, and after.
wards first Mayor Of the city Of San
Francisco, and Walker, who removed Ia
Mississippi in his youth, which he after
wards represented in the Senate Of tn.
United States and in the CIbiuet Of Pre.i.
dent Folk, and always az the mau:hpjece
and apostle OF extreme Southern id-4s
These men were not only nay political, but
personal friend. A native OF the same
State, | shared their coniileuce during
many years. The ksusas- Nebraska bill
became law May Sob, 1854. and few
days after, the late As. Packer, also OF
Pennsy lvsnis, and myself, called on Presi.
dent Pierce, and recommended Andrew W.
Rseder for the appointment Of Governor OF
Kansas, not believing at the time that h.
would accept. His character was 30 hi b,
and his ability 30 distinguished, and his ia
iegrity so marked, that we felt, il be would
accept, this promising Territory would Sc
cure superb executive, and the true
principle Of the organic law rongeuiaI
interpreter and advocate. 10 cur surpri-e
and delight the President responded 10 our
sppeai, and Reeder, to our equal surprise
accepted the place. He was a lawyer OF
large means and great practice; and be lett
a home OF elegance and refinement 10 come
out to this then distant dom air; and when
he reached here he WAS accompanied and
followed by large constituency. Ny OVID
heart went forth with my devoted friend |
knew his courage and his honesty; plsced
high hopes upon his rare administrative
and executive powers, and [ waited for bi.
report as | watched his career in the still
unorganizsd Territory Of which he was the
first executive.
Three other Governors followed him
Wilson Shannon, of Ohio, J. ". Gsary, Of
Pennsy lvania, and Robert J. Walker. b1rG
in the same State. shannon was removed
because Of his inability to ard the elements
arrayed against the people of Kansas
Geary followed shannon, and resigned at
the end of six months, aud Walker fol-
lowed Geaiy, and resigned at the end Of
seven mon iis.
The injustice and cruelty to Reeder we're
surpassed by the treatment of Gesry and
Walker. There was no mercy for either.
They all came here Democrats, but they
could not close their eyes to wrong so pal
pable "a TO excite horror and amsz.ment
every here else but among those who had
resolved to force slavery upon this virgin
soil. Reeder was born in the
old Tenth Legion, where to be a
Democrat was TO be with a
successful party, and for gifted men like
himself to rule and lead. Geary was born
in Democratic Westmoreland, which still