OCR Text |
Show • A POLITICAL TEX'I'-llOOK FOR 1860. d evices, plansihlc p ret <>n~es, !W<l partisoo address ; ~ut j The e g e ntl men proceede d. to Kn.nsa and Lhc pennunent preservation 0 ~ thl~. uion Ct\n be mam· Spent several week there in takin<r test' 1 talu eli only uy franknes and llltegnty. Just.ice may be I . . 0 • llllOlly ll8 denied where it ought to be grn.ntcd; power may perpe- to the e l?cltOn A, e tc .• winch hn.d takeu place in tuo.te t.lmt vn ~sala g~ whi~h 1·iolcnce and u uqHltiou have j that 'l'erntot~y. The testimony titus ta.hn fOl'lltB produced ; the su1.>~ugat1on of white fr l!emen may be n. volume of nearly twc h 'C hunt! r ed h ·rr d ncccssnry, that Afn cnn Shwery may succeed; but such I ,1 . I . •• . u ' 1,oe ~n a course mu~t not be expected to produce p eace n.nd <.: ose ) -ptmte d P•loCS, the s ub. lance ol wludt eatisfacLion In o~r count1:y, ~o lo1~g ns the people retain was summed up on the ir r eturn by the tnaj o rity auv proper seut1mcut of JUStH:e, hl>erty, 0.11(1 hlw. ( ~le s t·s. llowaru 1tnd herm:lnJ in the follo ,· J . COLLHIER. ' \\ 111g The mnjority anti minority R e ports l>ciug re- REPORT o:-r Tm: OuTRA<a:s IN KA)/.' \S. ceived, Y:tl'ious matter r elating to Kn.nsa were A journal of proceedings, including sundry communicn-dcbatcd until the 19th of i\11tl'Ch, t.ho llou c tlons malic to au<l l>y the Committee was kept ft copy or l which Is hcr o.Jwith suillllit ted. 'l'hc test.imony ,:ltio is here· was brought to a. vote on t lC pr·oposition of with submitted; a copy of it hns been w:\de and ananged the conunittee of elections to empower said not nccorcling to the order In which it was i 1Lken, but 80 us committee to send to Kn.tt as fot· persons and to present, lt~! clearly us possiiJie, a com; •cutlve history or P:t})Crs, which was modified on motion of Mt·. events in the 'l'crritory, from its organization tv the l9th d;Ly of March, A. n. 1b56. Dunn, of IuJ., so u.s to raise a special committee Y~ur Conunit~ce <lcl'lll it their duty to sta te, as briefly 113 of three member , to be appointed by the posstblc, tltc pnncipal fact ~ proven before them. When Speake r. 'I' he re ' olutions raisiu 0 rr this com- the net to organize the 'l'erl'itory of l{;wsas was passed on the 24th day of MILY, 1 54, the greater portion of its eastcn mitt<'C gave it ample powers border was included In Indian reservation~ nnt open for 'l'o Inquire int.o and collect evidence in regard to s ettl~ment; anu,th ~: e were but fe ~v white st'tt lc·r·s in an1 the trouhlcs in Ka.nsas generally, nn,l particularly in port1on of tile l erntory. Its lnthan population was ra regard to any fraud or force attempted or practiced in pi<lly dce re a~in g, while many t'llli{;rants f nlln ditfl•rcnt pll!'t& reference to 1tny of the elections which have taken of our country were anxiou ·ly waiting the extinct ion of place in ·nid 'l'erritory, either UIHier tile law organizing the Indian title, nnd the esta blishment of :L 'l'•·ITitorlal sai<l Territ ory, or under any pretended law which may Government, to seck ucw homes on its fe rtile JlrairicH. H be alleged to hfLve t:tken efi'ect there since. 'J'hat they C1umot be doubt '<I t.lmt., if i ts condition :ts a fn·e 'l'<•nitory sh1Lil fully inv e:~tigate and take proof of all violent and hn.rl been ldt undistu rbed lJy Congress, it ~ "L't Ll ~: m e nt tumultuous J'II'OCel!d iup;;; in said 'J'erritory, at auy time W?-ulrt lmv.e IJccn. mpid, peaceful, and prospPrnus. Jts since the pnsl'ap;e of the K1wsas Nehraskn act, whethl!r chmat.e, sorl, !Lnll 11 ~ tasy access to the older :-~dtl~ m cnt 1, engage<! in by the r esidents of said 'l'erritory, or uy any woulcl have made 1t the favored course for tl~t• ticle of person or per::~ o os from el ewhere going into said Terri- c.migl:alion constantly flowing to the West, ancl by this to ry, and do: ug-, or encouraging otlicn:! to do, tmy !let of tunc 1t would have been admitted into tl• • l ' uion a~ a Free violence 01· pui.JIIc disturbance against the laws of the State, without t.he I L· a~t sect ional cx citcm<'nl. 1 f so orgnnUuitecl f'tn.tel1, or the rights, peace, un<l safety of the lzcd, u?nc but lhe kindc~>t fceliug could have ex isted he· residents of ~aid Territory; and for th:Lt purpose said tween 1t and the :t<ljoinin!{ 'tate. 'l'ht:ir mutual intcrcsts Com mitt•. e shn.ll have full power to ~end fo1·, an:l ex- nnd intercour~e, in ·te;td of, a' now, cnclangering the hartmine, ancl take copies of, all such paper~:~ , public re· mor_1y of the Union, wouhl have strcngthene<l tile tics of cords, and proceeding:;, n.s in their judgment will be use- natiOnal brotherli??<l. 'l'he testimony cl •arly shows, that fulln I he premises; and also, to scud for persons and b efo~·e the propo8lllon to repeal the J\li>'~ouri {)om proml~e exnmine them on oath, or a.tllm1;Ltion u.s to ruat.ters wa::~ Introduced into Congress1 t.lic p •ople of weHil!rn .\fl.,;. wi thin their knowle<lge, touching the m~tters of said in- souri appeared indilferent to tl•c proliihitlon of 'hLvery vestigu.tion; nod said Committee, by their chairman shall in tile 'l'crl'itory, an<l neither asked no1· de:;irl!d i t~ repea1. have power to administer all nccessl\ry oaths or anirma- When, however, the prohibition was r l!l!lOVeli by the Lions connected with their aforesaid duties. 'J'hat said action of Con,~;re11S, the aspect of all'ain1 cntirl'ly changc1L Committee may hold their invcst;glltlons at such places The whole country was agitated hy the reopening of 11 and times as to them may seem allvisnble, and that U1ey coutrovcn;y which co n ~c rvatlve men in clill'l!rent sections have leave of absence from the duties of this House until hoped had been settled, in every fitate and 'l'cr ritory, by they shall. have completed such investigation. 'l'h t~t th ey souye law beyond the dan ger of I'Cpeal. 'J'he <'X citemeut be authorrzed to employ one 01· more clerk!:!. and one or whtch has always acCOilljHWied the dis!' us~ion of the more n.ssistant sergeants-at-arms to aid them iu their Shwery qucHtion wa gre:Ltly increased, hy tilt' hope on inve ·ligation; and may administ~r to them an oath or ~he one hand of cxtcndi.Jig-1.-\la very into a rl'}.:ion from which afiil'mation, f<Li.thfully to p erform the duties assigned to 1t had been exclude<! by law, and on the other 111r n scu~c them, re~ pec tlvely, !lnd to keep secret all matters of w~o ng done l>y what was rcgardctl as a tlisiloHor of whi~h u ~ny come to their knowledge touching tmch in- a natiOnal cornpact. 'L'hls exciteme nt. was nnturallv transvest1gat10n, as said Committee mo.y direct. uutil the ferred Into the border counties of J\li:soul'i und the 'l'erri· Heport.of the same shall be submitted to tltis House· ~ory, as settlers favoring free or shLve in titu tion moved an~! saHI Committee may discharge any Much clerk 0; lllto 1~. A n l!w dlniculty soon occurred. .l)i ll'l'r·ent conas!. ustan~ sergeant-at-arms for neglect of duty or disr·e- struct1ons we re put upon the organic .n.w. lt was congard o f_ m ~tru~ti o r_Js in the premises, and employ others tended by tile one party that the right to hold slaves in under hke regulations. • . , • the '~'errito1·y existed, and that ueither the people nor the 'I' he vote of the Slave States was unalli !!lOllS 'L'erntorlal Legi ·Iature could prol1ihit Hlaver.)'-Lhtlt that · 1 • • • power Wa!:! alone possl'ssed by the people when they were ~galllSt L .'e m.vesttgatton, 17 fi'O!U the .FI'ee authorized to form a t~tt.c govennnent. It wa3 con· St:,L~es ':oung_ Wtth them. Yeas 101; Nays 93. terulecl.that the rernov;ll of the restriction virtu:dly c~tab· 1 he followmg al'e the negatives ft·om the .Fr·ec llshcd Slavery In tile 'l'crritory. '!'his claim was urgecl hy States : many promineut rnen In west em i\li:;souri, who actively engaged In the atl'airs or the 'rerrit.ory. l•:very movement, Nays-Again t the Investigation: of ~vhatc vcr character, wllich tended to c~tahlish free lnsti· l\1.~1:->E-Thomus J. D. Fuller-1. tutto.ns, \\'Us r l!ganl ·u as an lnterferen··p wiLh their rights. Nt;w-Yon ~e-J\Jhn Kelly, lVllliam W: Valk, John Wttllh.l a few days nfter the organi.- lall' pa sed, anfl us Wheder, 'Thomas R. W!t.itney-4. S?~n as tis P~~sage couhl be knOII' II 011 rlw honla, leading Nr,;w.J~;RS Jn•-George Vuil-1. Clt17.ens of MIS:>ourl crossed Into the •'arit.orv hd u squat· J>~<:xNS\"LVA:\IA-Johu Cadwalader Thomas B. Flo- ter meetings, rLnd then retumed to t ill!ir ho;l{c!:!. Among renee, J. G lanc.v Jone::~-8. ' their re::~olutlons nrc the following: lXOIANA- William H. English, Smith l\Iillc1·-2 '' ThR.~ Wf• willn!lord prott•cllon to no AI.Jolitlolllut lt S a Rottler l\LlCIIrG .IN-Oeorge ,V, l'<!Ck--1. ' Of this 1 Hrltory." lLLil'iOIH J C All ' "'l'ha.t wo rt·co~nl?.e lhe lnstllullon of SlavPry HH a!rPatly eX· ' ·- ames · en, Thomas L. Harris Samuel l11llng In thl~ Tcrl'lwry, Hrt<l advise Fll:w•;hnld•;r;:~ 10 lnt rod uc'l S :'tlarsh;~ll, William A. Ricllu.rdson-4 1 hl'lr pt·opcrly llM <~nrly IlK poBsl l>l<'." U,ILH"ORN!A-Philemon 'l'. ller1Je1·t.-i. 0 i 'I S , " 1.111 ar resolutions were pa.ssed in various parts of the . 0 the 1'<: 'Olutioo pr·cvailed, and ~1 e!'-ls t·s. \\'il- .~erntor·y, and by meetln;;-s in scvcml count.I,·s of ~1bsourl. ham ~t\.. '. lowartl, of ~_fic1_1 igan, John Shemmn, ~ hus the tir:;t elf~:ct of the repeal of the rc:~Lri<'tion against of Olt o 1 .M .1 f.: Ia very was to sub tit utc the resolves of squatter mc<!tlngs, . 1 ' •lll< oruecm Oltver, of Mir;.sou l'i, wcr·e compose<! ahno~t exclu1>ively of Mis~ourianH for the uclllJc· nppomt :(I the Committee of luvesti~ratiO!I t.hct·e- ra,tc :tcUon of Co.ngrE'I-S, acquiesced in for a:'.J year~. by reqmred, 0 . Tins lllllawful Interference has been COIILinue<l in CV<!TJ lffiJJOrtant event in the hbtory of the 'l'l!r'l'itnry : 8178/'l TilE K.A.X, .\.S-~El311A. KA 'fRUGGLE. electir 14. lrllb h c<·~l <:outro!lc<l, not hy the rtctual seUlrrs, j Chapnltl.n's, over 40 miles from the ~ ~~~~' 011 ri , Lnte Ene. but uy clt izl· llti or. t1 ~~ou n ; u11d, n:c~ a con~eq u ~nce, every It wa~ a thlnl y-~ctt l cd region, coni;Linin!{ IHit -l7 voten otficl!r iu Llil' 't\ ;ITilnry, 11·o u1 constal>l c~ to l •grs lato r~, cx- j ln Fcl•ru a ry, h N5, whcu the cci1SU8 was tal,t•lt. on tt1e cept those ltppulnll·d hy I he l' re~o;itlcn L, owe their p o:;ltlont~ l.hty before the election, fr o111 1(11) to H10 citl1• 1· n~ of Cal-li to non-r ·~!dent l<>ler~. None have hccn clert •d IJy the\ and .lack::.on {)ountic!:l :'llo came i11t o tlli-; <li~trict sett ler!!; and .J ou r Committee have het•n urml!le to find decltLri ng thei1· pnrp os~ to 'vote, fiiHI that t h(•y 1-re r~ that any politH'II i power whatever, h ow t::~c r liOlllljlOrtaut, bound to make J\unsa ll ,'lave tate, if tlie.1• cl1<i it at ha~ uecn ex •rclsed hy the people of the 'J errltory. the point of the sword. L'er!>ons of tli1· partJ Ill! the way In Octohl!r, A. H. 1"5l, Governor A. II . He ' dl'r nn1l the drove each n. stake in the ground and cali l'd it a chin1- other o!llcer~ appoil~t1·d by the l'rcsi <lcnt arrived in the and in one ca c several uames 11'e1e put on oue ~tal..e. 'l'erritory. 1-il'ltkrs Jrom all part:~. of the couutry we re 'fhe pnrty of strangers camped a ll ni~;lit n~ar 11hcre tho mcJvi~lg in~~~ grc1~t numbers, rnak1ng tl!elr claillls and el ec t~ o n was to he h l'ld, an<l 111 the mor1.ing ll'erc nt the bulldu1g the1r cahlllM. About the ~ame tune, nnd before electiOn-polls nnd voted. One of their part,. got dn1nk any election was ot· could he hchl In tlHl 'l'c rrito ry, a HCc rct and to get rl<l of Jlr. Chapman a judge or'the elt•ctinn ' political society w_n~:~ formed iu the ~tate of , J\l l~sp uri. Jt thcj! seut for him to COIIIC a11d :-~~e a sick lllan, a11d in h i~ \VIIS known by dlllc rent names, such ns "::;ocial Hanel ," 1 ubscnce fl lle<l his plnce with ;uwthcr judgP who was not " J<'rlcnds' ~oclety," "JJluc Lodge," "1'ho l-ions of tl•c sworn. 'l'hey dl<l not tkny nor conceal th'at they were South." It:~ mcn1hers were bo.uncl togethct· hy secret r e~;;lclen ts of l\fissouri, :uHl many of them w!'rr recognized oaths, and th l'Y h:~d pll ssw o nlt~, Signs, nn<.l grip~, b_y wllich &!! such by others. 'l'llcy <lecl:Lrcd that they were bound they were known to each other. Penultlt!j were llll jHH!C<I to make K an~as a 8hLVe ..,'tatt·. 'l'h l!y insisted upon their for violating the rules and secret.s of the Onl ·r. Writtl'n right to vote in the Territory if they were iu it one hour . mlnu~e. were kl'pt of till! proceedings of the Lodges, ancl After the election, they again returned to th eir homes in the dlllcrC!Jt Lodges were connected together IJy lUI ctr:~- i\IIRso uri, camping ove1· night on t11e w11y. tlve orga111zntion. It cmhr:tcecl great numbers of t!JC c1t1- We find upon the poll-hook!! 161 namero: · of the. c not zens of .Mbsouri, and wall extended Into other t\lave States over 30 resided In the Territory· 131 were n:m residtnts and into the 'J'erritory. Its a. vowed purpot~e was not only But few s ·t t lcr!:! a ttcnd •d th~ el ·ctlon in the Yth Di~- to extend 'lavery into K:L11sas, but also into other terri- trlct the district locing- large und the sdtletn(•nt scattered tory of the nited fitates ; and to form a union of all the 2 vhtcs were cast ; of tht•:sc lh t ween 20 and 30 were sc~ friends of tllltt institution. Its plan of operating was to , t1 ·rs, and tile r esidue were cit izens of J\li!-houri. 'l'ht·y o_rganlzc and send 111eu to vote at the .dcctlons In the Ter- pa~~:~e<l into the 'L'erritory hy way of lhe 1:\anta Jo'e road and rltory, to collect moucy to pay. theu· cxpeuSl'H, and, If IJy the residence of l>r. We:,;tfall, who thtu liv1·d on the necessary, to protect them In votmg. H al!<o lll''>JlOI:!ed to western line of Mh;sourl. fio1nc litt le excitem<"ut nro,e at Induce Pro-Sia_ver,y men to emigrate int.o the 'l'erritory, to the polls :~s to the ll'gality of tl1eir voliul{, lJut thl'y <lit! nid nnd su~tn lll them while there, ltiHI to elect uouc to vote for Gencnli Whit field , nnd ~:~a i d tl ll'Y intended to otncc but those fri endly to th eir vicwH. 'J'hls dangerous make J<:a nsas u Shti'C l:'tut.c, and that they had chrin1s in soclet,y wns coulrollcfl IJy men who avowed their purpose the 'J'cnlt.ory. J udt(e Teazll', judge of the court in Jackto extend Slt~very into the Terri~or.v 1tt all hazardH, n.u<i son County, .1\fi~sourl, was present, hut did uot \'o le. lie was altogether the most efTectlvc wstrument In orgnnizing said he did not intcn<l to vote, but came to S<'l' that oth ers the suhsequeut armc<l inva~io us nnd fo roy~:~. l nIta Lodges voter!. A ftcr the e l ecti~ the 1\Ih>~:~ourlau~ returned the in Missouri, the all'ai rs of Kansas were d iscussed, the fo1·cc wny they came. neccs$ary tu control the elccllon was divided Iuto band8, 'J'hc election in the YHh Dll:'trict was l1l'l<l at l~t>rt Scott and leaders :;cll!ctcd; rncaus were collected, and signs a nti in the southeast pnrt of th , 'l'erritory, an1l ucar till! Mls~ bn<lge~:~ were ngreed upon. While the gre1lt body of the sour! line. A party of about one hundred men, from Ca~s actual settler:> of the Territory were relying upon the nnd the counties In 1\lissourl Routh of il, wrnt iuto the rlght8 sc~llrl·~l to thl·lll by the organic law, and hnd fo ~·med 'l'erritory, tra 1· ·ling ubout 45 miles, most llf them with no o rgaru?.;~tw_n or comiJlnatlo? whatever, ~h is conHjllmcy their wttgons and tent.<!, ancl camping out. 'J'hl'.Y app!•arcd ll!(aln:;t the1r nghts wai:! gathenng strength 1n l\llssouri, and at the p lace of election. Some attempts \l'<'re lll!Hle to would have been su_ll_icient at their fir~t election to lmv(J swear them, but two of the judges wer • pn·vuiiL•d upon ovcrpowe1·cd tht•m, 11 they hall been umted to a mn n. not to do so, and none were sworn and as many ns clJOSO You1· ComrnitLcc had great dlfliculty in eliciting the v oted. 'l'herc were but few resi<Jc~t votcrf< uL the polls. proor or the <lel!Lils in regan! to this secret society. One The settlement waa spnrse-ttbout 25 ~<ctna l ~>ettil' rf! voted witness, rncm.bcr of the legislative council, refused to out of 105 votes cast, leaving 0 illegal vot<•s. After the answer quest IOIIH In reforcuce to it. Another d eclined to voting was over, the Missourians went to their wagons and answe1· full.v, lit•c:wse to do so would result to his Injury. commenced lca.vlng for home. Others could or would only answe1· as to the general pur- 'l'he mo t shameless fmud pmcticed upon th<' rl ~ht s of poses of tho 'oci •ty, IJut sufllcient Is disclosed In the the settlers at this cluction wns In the \'Jlth l>istrict. It tesLlmony to bhow the inOuence it bad in controlling the Is o. remote settlement ahout 75 miles from th • Mis omi elections in the Territo ry. line o.nd contained In 7.l<'e!Jruary A.n. 1 ~o5 three mouths '1'1 fl 1 • , , , l~ rst c cct1on was for a Delegate to Congr ess. It was afterward, when the census was taken, but !i:3 l'o tcrs, and ap~omte d for the 2!Jth of November, 1 '!54. 'l'he Governor yet the poll-IJooks show that 604 votes w<· rc cast. 'l'lic dlvHI.ed the Territory into seventeen .Election-Districts; election was held at. the hou e of .l<'rey 1\lc<:(•<', nt n place appo.rnle<l .J udgcs find prescribed proper rul e::~ for the called "11 0." llut few of the actual l:!dtlt~ were pn::<cut electron. In the l si., llld, Ylllth, lXth, Xth, Xllth, nt the polls. A witn •ss who formerly re~lcle<l in Jackson Xlll:h, an <I X\' l ith Dist ricts there appears to have been Count.y, Mi«sourl, ancl was well acqualntc<l with the cltibut little 1f any fmudul cnt voting. :r:ens of that county, says that he saw a f(rcat many wagons The cil'ctiuu in the lld District was held a.t the village and tents at the pla ~c of election, aJHI nwny indil'i<lunls of l l"ti)!la~ , ucal'ly fifty miles from the Mi ~~ourl line. Ou he knew from J aclnwn Couuty. lie was In tlwir tent~, and the da_y before the election, large companiel:! of men conversed with some of th 'm, nnli tht•y toW hi1n thL·y had cnn•e 11110 the diHtrict lu wagons and on h o r~cback, and come with the intention of voting. He went to the polls declared that they were from the State of Missouri und intending to vote for l<'lcuniken and his ticket being of n were going to J>ouglas to vote. On the morning o'f the di!fcrcnt color from the rest, 11'1s vote was ehallengc<l hy e.lectlon, they gathered around the houl!e where Lhc elcc- Frey McGee, who had bceu appointed one of the judgt•g, t10n Wll!! to lie h1·hl. 'l'wo of the judges appointed by but diu not serve. Lemuel ltal· tone, a citizen of ~ll~so url, the Governor did not nppear, nnd other judgl!s were waH acting in his place. 'J'he witness then challc11g~d the elected by the c:·owd. All then voted. Jn order to vote of n young 111an by the name of Nolnn, whom he ID<tke a pretense of right to vote, some person~:~ of the knew to reside In Jnckson County. Finally , tlt.• thing was company ke!Jt a pretended r eglMtcr or squatter claims, hushed up as the witnc ·s ha c\ a good many friPndij there 011 which nuy one cou ld enter his uame anti then assert from that 'county and it might lead ton tlb'lit if he chulbe had a claim in the Tl!nitory. A citizen of the district lcnged any morl!' votes. JJoth vote<!, nnd he then went who wns hi mself a candidate for .l)elegate to Congress, down to their camp. He there saw many of hil:! old acwas tol<l by one of the strangers, that he would be quaintances whom he knew hud voted nt the eledivu in al>uset~ and pruhably k illed if he challenged tL vote. He August pre~ious In l\ll~sourl , and who slilln·~lclo:d In that wa~ serzed I.Jy the collar, called a d-d Ab o lition i~t1 and State. ]Jy a careful cor npar i~:~ on of the poll-lists with the was COlli pel led to seek protection in the room with the ccusus-rolls we find l.>ut l 2 munl'S on the poll-book who Judges. About tile time the polls were clo:~e<l, tht:t~e were voter~ when tile census wus taken thrPe mout11s strangers mounted their hor::~e~ anu got Into their wagons afterward nnu we are satisfied that not more than 20 lt·}.:al lln<l cried ouL : votes could have been polled at that l'k·l'tinn. The only "All aboard for Westport and 1\:nnsRs City." Anum- residents who are known to have vott•d nrP nnmPd h,v tho ber were recognized as res ident.s of Ali!Miourl anu witness !lnd are 13 In number-thus ka vintt 5 i ill ega I among them was ::;amucl H. Woodson., a leading l;twyer vot1.-s e~st in a r emote dl::!trict, where th &eUler::~ witl•ln of lnuepen<11•nce. Of those whose names a.re on the poll- many wiles were acquainted wltl.l ea ch other. "ooks, ~ were resident settlers a.ud 226 were not. '1'11e total numlJcr of whi t t: inhalliLiults in tltt- Xl th 'l'be election in the IVtlt District was held lit Dr. Dilnrlct, iu the month of l<'el>ruary, A.D. \o,)~, induding |