Showing posts with label Franklin Pierce Administration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Franklin Pierce Administration. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Amos A. Lawrence to Charles L. Robinson, August 10, 1855

Boston, August 10, 1855.

My Dear Sir, — From Mr. Abbott who has just arrived here from your neighborhood, I infer that the spirit of the settlers has been raised so high that they are ready to repudiate the present legislature altogether, and to resist its requirements. In this, you will have the good-will and assistance of the citizens of the free States at least.

But many are willing to go farther, and to resist the United States government, if it should interfere. For this I can see no apology; nor can there ever be good cause for resisting an administration chosen by ourselves. However wrong in our opinion, there never can be good reason for resisting our own government, unless it attempts to destroy the power of the people through the elections, that is, to take away the power of creating a new administration every four years. But I do not believe the present administration will attempt to impose the Missouri code upon the citizens of Kansas.

There is another reason of a more prudential kind, viz.: that whoever does this is sure of defeat. We are a law-abiding people, and we will sustain our own government “right or wrong.” Any movement aimed at the government destroys at once the moral force of the party or organization which favors it. Already the present administration is rendered powerless by the House of Representatives, and soon will come the time to vote for a new one. The people will never resist or attempt to destroy it in any other way.

Yours very truly,
A. A. L.

SOURCE: William Lawrence, Life of Amos A. Lawrence: With Extracts from His Diary and Correspondence, p. 99-101

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Senator Salmon P. Chase to Edward S. Hamlin, January 23, 1854

Washington, Jany 23, 1854.

My Dear Sir: Wrote you a day or two since. Today the Nebraska Bill was called up, but was postponed till Monday. It is designed to press it through the Senate for fear of the awakening of popular indignation. I send you the Bill as now proposed to be amended. I send you, also, the original Report [of the] Bill from which you will see how material the attraction is. I also enclose with this an appeal in the Era. The signs all indicate Storms ahead.

I am fully advised that the amend'ts as they now stand were [made after] consultation with Pierce and that the Administration with a good deal of trepidation has resolved to risk its fortunes upon the bill as it now stands. Many of its warm friends say they are sure to go down upon it. There is certainly great alarm & misgiving. Cass told me today that he was not consulted, & was decidedly against the renewal of the agitation: but he will vote with the proslavery side. A personal & near friend of the Presidents called on me tonight & told me that Cass was excluded from consultations. They meant to drag him along. Even New Hampshire wavers about supporting the Bill. Maine is in a rebellion, all Rhode Island except perhaps Jones is against it. Every northern Whig Senator without exception is against it; Houston & Benton are against it

I hope the Columbian will [get the] slips of the Appeal and circulate it through the Legislature. You [don't] need to be told who wrote it. Please see to having the slips struck off & circulated.

I suppose the Senatorial [question] decided in this time. Feeling no interest in it, since no man can be elected who is not proslavery I only desire to call the attention of the people to a much greater matter. I am sorry to hear that you have electioneered for Manypenny. I like him personally, but I would cut off my right hand sooner than aid him or any other man to reach a position in which he will make Ohio the vassal of the Slave Power.

I shall soon return among the people and I mean to see whether shams will rule forever. I know that the advocates must bite the dust and they shall

SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. ChaseAnnual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 256-7

Sunday, November 9, 2014

John Brown to Congressman Joshua R. Giddings, February 20, 1856

Osawatomie, Kansas Territory,
20th February, 1856.
Hon. Joshua R. Giddings,
Washington, D. C.

Dear Sir:

I write to say that a number of the United States soldiers are quartered in this vicinity, for the ostensible purpose of removing intruders from certain Indian lands. It is, however, believed that the administration has no thought of removing the Missourians from the Indian lands, but that the real object is to have the men in readiness to act in enforcement of the hellish enactments of the (so-called) Kansas Legislature; absolutely abominated by a great majority of the inhabitants of the territory and spurned by them up to this time. I confidently believe that the next movement on the part of the administration and its proslavery masters will be either to drive the people here to submit to those infernal enactments or to assume what will be termed treasonable grounds, by shooting down the poor soldiers of the country, with whom they have no quarrel whatever. I ask in the name of Almighty God; I ask in the name of our venerated forefathers; I ask in the name of all that good or true men ever held dear, will Congress suffer us to be driven to such “dire extremities”? Will anything be done? Please send me a few lines at this place. Long acquaintance with your public life and a slight personal acquaintance incline and embolden me to make this appeal to yourself. Everything is still on the surface just now. Circumstances are, however, of a most suspicious character.

Very Respectfully Yours,
John Brown.

SOURCE: Walter Buell, Joshua R. Giddings: A Sketch, p. 200-1