The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-26
4olititaI Wstus.
ELECTION oUTRAaEs AT THE POLLS

on the Nakarusa ana at other points near this
place; AID the afternoon before election the
main body OF these men, principally from Mis-
souri,, ana numbering in all from eight to ten
hundred. camped Immediately west of town.
They declared their intention and determination
to vote, but stated that, if permitted to vote,
there would be no difficulty, and expressed a
determination to avoid violence or the destruc-
ton of property; but this determination was
| always accompanied with the proviso that their
right to vote should be recognised
On the morning of election, the polls were
crowded by men from Missouri and other States.
The judges appointed by the Governor were
Hugh Cameron, j. b. Abbot, and n B. Blan-
ton- Previous to election, however, Mr. Blan-
| ton, who was Missourian, and a very worthy.
honorable man, resigned. His Missouri friends
urged him to permit all to vote without swear
ing, and as he could not conscientiousy do that,
he preferred to withdraw rather than have diff
Guilty. Messrs. Abbot and Cameron appeared
at the place of election about halfpast eli ght
when the Missouri voters insisted on filling the
place made vacant by the resignation of Mr..
Blanton. Mr. Abbot objected to the person
named, unless he took the oath required by the
Governor, but Mr.. Cameron consented to his
appointment and he was sworn, we believe,
simply to discharge his duty as Judge. The
two Judges everything Mr.. Abbot in regard to
requiring the oath of voters prescribed by the
Governor, Mr.. Abbot resigned and his place
being filled, voting commenced and, with one
or two exceptions, no oath was required, and
the voter was simply asked if he was a resident
The Missourians mustered their men in COM
panies under leaders, with flags flying, and to
the beat of the drum.
About twenty Missourians passed the window
who, when asked if they were residents of Kan
sas, replied "NO," and of course were not per-
United to vote. There were said to have been
from forty to fifty Benton men present, who took
no part in the transaction, but came simply to
"see the sights perhaps to ascertain who vo-
| ted, in order to know who would be entitled to
| vote in Missouri, and to prevent any general
| outbreak.
The Missourians were well armed, most Of
| them carrying two revolvers and bowie, and
many of them rifles or shot guns also. The
delegation from Clay county had two small
| cannons with them.
We venture to say that more unprincipled
usurpation of the rights of the people was new
| or perpetrated in the Union. And yet many of
these men gravely argue that they have right
to vote. What the remedy is, remains yet to be
| decided. The rights of our people may be
| trampled upon in the infancy of our Territory,
but thase Is a sturdy yeomanry settling here
| from the Western and Northern States whose
| rights cannot be trampled upon with IMMUNITY.
| All that the people of Kansas desire is, that
| they be permitted to manage their own affairs,
and that the questions at issue here shall be
decided by fair, honest, and honorable ex-
preston of the voice of the people.
| We learn that the election at Tecumseh was
accompanied by great excitement. The Judges
refused TO receive the votes of Missourians un-
less they would take the oath prescribed by the
Governor, and several pistols were snapped at
them. They were finally compelled to resign,
and driven from the election stand. The Mis-
sourians then appointed Judges to suit them,
and voted without regard to "the powers that
| be-" Of course, the election went for Slavery.
In the, Douglas district, two of the Judges
acted nlanfully, refusing to resign or receive
| votes in any other manner than that prescribed
by the Governor. Mr.. Ellison was willing to
receive votes without voters taking the oath,
but Nessrs. Burson and Ramsey refused, and
were forciby elected from the stand-not, how
ever, without taking the poll books and ballot
| boxes with them. But they were followed,
houses searched, and the missing poll books,
&C., taken back. The free State men then re-
fused To vote or have anything to do with the
| illegal proceedings.
In the Ottawa district, there was no free
State vote, the Missourians taking possession
of the polls, and the free State men refusing to
/
vote.
We learn that the vote in Leavenworth Dis
trict stood about sixty free State to one thou
sand slave State. Many of the Missourians
wore false boards, made of hemp, hanging down
over their bellies, and caps in the similitude of
geese,
PoTTAwATTAMIE, AprI 81, noon.
The election here yesterday was entirely over
ruled by the Missourians. We had one free
State Judge, and the others were Missourians.
At Big Sugar Creek, the free State men had
| nothing to do with the election after the Mis-
sourians came. The Judges resigned. The
seventeen free State votes were cast before the
illegal voters came. Here, at eight o'clock,
there was about $50 Missourians on the ground,
who declared that they would rule the election.
/ Mr. HISS AND THE NUNNERY CoNAITTEE.-In
the Massachusetts, House of Representatives,
on the 2lst instant, the subject of the visit of
the N1nnery Committee to Lowell came up on
the question of having the evidence read to the
House; when Mr.. Hiss made speech, in which
he declared his innocence, stating that he car
ried no woman to Lowell at the expense of the
State. The House voted to hear the evidence
with closed doors, and the reporters were invi-
ted to retire. 1t is understood that the commit
tee made report exculpating him from the
charge Of criminality with Mrs. Patterson, but
censuring him for spending the States money.
The NUNSERY CoMMrTTEE.-The report af
firms, first, the right of all persons to be secure
in their houses, persons, papers, &C., from un-
| reasonable and unlawful searches and seizures !;
and asserts the sanctity of the household, the
liberty TO worship God and the liberty of the
press, as our highest safeguards. That news
papers have right to inquire into and advert
upon the proceedings of public bodies is not
denied, and the investigation, leaving the i'd
rertiser to pursue the path which it deems
| proper, had been turned entirely to the doings
of the Nunnery Committee. The history of
| the origin of that committee was sketched;
| springing from petitions sent into the House,
and the order offered by Mr.. Hiss, of Boston, it
| became. the eyes and ears of the House on GER
tain subjects. No report was heard, TILL late in
February, its chairman, Mr. Littlefeld, reported
| to the House an order authorizing the commit
| tee to visit and examine nunneries, &C., with
| certain powers.
The Legislature believed that none of its
| committees would ask for what was improper
| or unnecessary; it did not believe that the
| order authorized the dissertation of affairs, or
the violation of the sanctity of female retire
ment; or a warrant to authorize the invasion
of unofending persons dwellings, by calling
forth a slumbering power in this way; or TO
| authorize strangers to go to and fro at the ex-
/ pense OF the State, upon the precedents estab-
lished BY the rlotous proceedings of some COM
Il nIttAea in prlyIOus voara and Oh tho Kossufh