CORRESPONDENCE WITH BUCHANAN. 257 



ished it, and this with only one eye which is useful. Now 

 this venerable gentleman, just on the verge of eternity, finds 

 in the Bible the rod and the staff, which will no doubt con- 

 duct him fearlessly through the dark valley of the shadow 

 of death, to fairer worlds on high. 



Once more, and this time, also, without any ex- 

 p^ctation on his part, the name of Professor Silliman 

 was conspicuously brought forward in connection 

 with politics. The Missouri invaders of Kansas had 

 framed a constitution in which were incorporated 

 more hideous features than are to be found in any 

 political instrument of recent times ; they had elected 

 their legislature under it, and enacted an inhuman 

 code of laws with the design to perpetuate slavery and 

 drive out or exterminate the freedom-loving settlers. 

 These in self-defence had met and had organized 

 a frame of government for which they did not despair 

 of obtaining the sanction of Congress. The admin- 

 istration of Mr. Buchanan, however, was determined 

 to sustain the government set up by the " border 

 ruffians," and to treat the actual settlers as rebels 

 against lawful authority ; and the military forces 

 were employed to carry out this monstrous injustice. 

 Professor Silliman was one of the signers of a re- 

 monstrance addressed to President Buchanan from 

 Connecticut. To this paper, Mr. Buchanan published 

 an extended reply, professing that on coming into 

 office, he had "found the government of Kansas," 

 that is, the government of the invaders of Kansas, 

 " as well established as that of any other territory," 

 and endeavoring to shirk all responsibility for the 

 origin and character of that government. The let- 

 ter was written in a tone of injured innocence. It 



VOL. II. 17 



