Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1855-06-01
from the Kansas Free State. April 20.
Memorial TO Congress.

Kansas, IL a faithful and correct account OF
the recent outrages at the late election
To ne Scnais and House Of R,pr1cHiaiirui,
CoHgreJ as'olJicd:
The memorial Of the subscribers, citizen,
and residents Of the territory Of Kansas, sc,.
Poctfully represents
That state Of things exists in sid Ter.
ritory, unparalleled, as We believe, in n.
history Of our country. and which, become.
our solemn duty to lay before you, and
through you, before your fcllow-citlens Of
the United States. Under the guarantee. Of
your law Tor the organization II this terri.
tory, and in consideration Of the privileges
which that law held out to rs, we left our
former homes, met the priAtion. Of an unin.
habited country, and prepared Tor adding
another republic u our Union.
one fthe states Of our Union, strong in
wealth, population aud resources, relying
upon her accumulated strength Of almo,,
halfa century, and taking advantage Of our
feeble infancy As people, has invaded our
soil sciIing upon our rights, suhusated
our territory, and selected fOr us our ruler,
intending, also, 10 dictate our laws and
make us the slaves Of their will. This nav
well secm an almost incredible thing in the
nrn,oonth century, and in this Republican
union-thc peculiar and boas,cd land Of
liberty and sclfgovcrnment-but tho cvi.
dcnee oft Is as palpable and undcniAble a,
the fact Is bitter and Notifying 10 u.s. and
di.graeeful to the pulIic
This invasion Of our sol and usurration
Of our rights commenced at the Grs, moment
Of calling those rights into action. Theirs.
ballot.boT tha, was opcncd upon our virgin
soil was closed 10 Us hy overpowcrins nun.
hers and impending force. !; became, no,
what Americans have bccn proud 70 dcsig.
nate Il, the exponent Of the peoples will,
hut was converted into the sword Of the op.
pr-ssor. To strike that ciyillihcrty 50 bid
and reckless were our invaders that they
cared not To conceal their attack
They came upon ~, not in the guise q
voters, 10 steal away our franchise. but
boldly and openly, TO snatch It with the
strong hand They came directly from their
own homes. and in compact and organized
hands, with arms in hand and provisions 5r
tho expedition. marched % our polls, AMI
their work was done, returned whence they
came. I, is unnecessary 20 enter into the
dctiis; Il is enough to sny tina, in three
districts, in which, by tho most irrefngal's
evidence. thcrc arc not one humdr,i anil
Gny voters. most Of whom REFUSED To par.
ticiratr in .hI. mockery Of ,h, elective fran.
chi',, these invaders p,ll,i over thousand
votes.
Loving our country and its Institutions,
W. were willing, If this was 20 D. only a
solitary instance, % suT'r u in silence, rather
than IN proclaim a. tho world that even in
this remote spot Il our great country, civil
liberty was but name Bitter and mourn.
ful experience has taught ~, however, that
.Li- - 60 i-Jiat0d a,t-no temporary
chulliiion-but the commencement Ola we'll.
maiurod and settled PLAN by largo p5r-
ton Of the people of one Of the states OF 9gr
Union, permanently 90 onslayo us, and cone
'u,ute themselves our masters.
ON tie 5Oth day Of March last, We vera
again invited :, the ballot.hoI, under the
aw which We, ia common with our lsIl1v.
citizens u the states. had. through YOUR
body, enacted our yigil1ni and faithful
Chef Magistrate had surrounded % with 40
the guards and prccaution. with which hi'
authority invested him, and We were pre-.
pared ~ exercise the dearest and mos, cher
i.hcd privilege Of American citizens, with q
fill .cnsc Of the vital and interesting impor-
lance u this peculiar occasion.
The occasion came, and with It came 0sr
invading and slccoustitutcd master, IN
thousands, and with all the plraphernalia
Of war. They came, organized in bands,
with officers, aud arms, and tents, and pro-
visions, and munitions Of war, o. though
they were marching upon a foreign TO-, 10.
stead Of their own unoGending frlllw-cit-
fcn'. Upon the principal road leading into
our territory and passing several important
polls, they numbered not les than twelve
hundred men, and one camp alone contained
not les than si1 hundred.
. At ono Of these polls, two Of the judge
having manfulIy stood up in the face Of this
armed mob aud declared they would DO their
duty one portion Of the mob commenced 20
tear down the house, another proceeded TO
break in the door Of the judges room whilst
others, with drawn knives, posted them.
ssly,. at the window, with the proclaimed
purpose Of killing any voter who would al.
low himself To h. sworn. voteD were drag
from the window brcaus, they would not
show their ticket. or vote at the dictation OF
the mob, and the invaders declared openly
at the polls that they would cut the threats
Of the judges il they did not receive Their
votes without requiring an oath as to their
residence.
The room was finally forced, and the
judges, surrounded by an armed and excited
crowd, we're offered the alternatives ofresis-
nation or death, and FIVE minutes we're h'
lowed Tor their decision. Tho ballot-hoI
was seized, and, amid shouts Of " hurrah TT
Missouri" was carried into the mob Tie
49,, ,-.,,,,I ;,,1..o. che, Isft the ground,