Kansas weekly herald., 1855-08-11

sas, resulting In your return as delegate
from that Territory, allow me ask that you
will, if you think proper, inform me Uhst
grounds were taken by you In the canvas,
and aUhat were the Questions which that
election may, in your opinion, be regarded
as deciding.
Most respectfully yours,
HARRY HIBBARD.
Gen. John w. Whitfield, Delegate from
Kansas.
GEN. wH1TF1ELDs REPLY TO HON. HARRY
HIBBARD.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
January II, 1866.
DEAR SIR: I am in receipt of yours of
the 10Th instant, in which you ask me to
inform you "what grounds were taken by
me In the late canvass In Kansas Territory,
and what were the questions which that
election may, in my opinion, be regarded as
deciding"
In reply, beg to submit to you the fol-
lowing extract from letter addressed by
me to gentleman in Tennessee, and pub
lished in the papers of that State:
''In relation to the political aspects of
things in the Territory, the passage of the
Kansas and Nebraska bill Gas it is called)
of Mr.. Douglas, was an act of simple JUS
tice to the people, who otherwise would
have been placed under an unfair and anti
American restriction. 1t was the rean-
nunciation of great principle first promul-
gated in the charter of our liberties. Upon
the principle of this bill aDent through the
late contest, and triumphed, having been
supported by persons from slaveholding as
well as non-slaveholding States, who had
faith in their rights and capacity for self
government. Upon the principle of the
Douglas bill they have taken their stand,
and whatever shape they, IN their wisdom,
may give to their institutions when they
form State government, though to some
it may be source of regret-according to
the views they may happen to entertain, to
none can it afford just ground of complaint
The above extract contains, believe,
direct and explicit answer to your question
in relation to the ground occupied by me
In the late canvass. was elected as AN
ADMINISTRATION DEMOCRAT. Nmay, also,
conceive, be considered as equally ex-
plicit In reply to your second interrogatory
VIZ: "what questions the election may,
In my opinion, be regarded as deciding 2"
regard the election as deciding the ques-
ton whether the settlers of Kansas believe
themselves capable of regulating their do
mestic affairs in their own way, and de-
termine, SO fas as the decision is left to
them to uphold and maintain their rights of
government against all interference and
dictation from abroad. The people of that
Territory, composed of settlers from all
sections of the Union-Americans in 10y
atty to the constitution, Americans In the
spirit of adventure that has led them TO
their new homes, Americans In conscious
ness of their intelligence and capacity and
rights as freemen-have declared by the
late election that they ask of the general
government the treatment due to freemen
of mature age, and not the treatment due
to vassals or miners. Seyering the ties
which bound them to other States, they
have identified themselves with the fortunes
and the destiny of Kansas. To them, they
conceive, (and have so declared by the late
eleetion,) belongs the exclusive right of
shaping the institutions under which. they
are to live, and which they will transmit as
an inheritance to their children.
Hoping, sir, that this will be satisfac-
tory reply to your questions, and that it may
remove all doubts which have heretofore
existed in relation to the ground occupied
by the people of Kansas and by me, their
delegate.
am truly yours,
J. w. WHITFIELD.
Hon. Harry H1BBARD, House of Repre-
ssntatives, Washington.
The comments of the Washington Senti-
nel-in which paper we find the above
correspondence published-upon Gen.
Whitfeld's letter are so sound and sensible,
and so fully coincide with the previous
statements of this paper as to the grounds
taken by Gen. Whitfield, that we are In
duced to subjoin them.
The Sentinel says:
! We feel deep interest in all that con-
Germs Kansas, and in ell that relates to the
practical carrying out of the just and admi-
rable principles of the bill to which it is In
debted for its Territorial organization.
We took a warm and lively interest in the