The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-17


The vote was taken upon the report as
amended, which was unanimously adopt
ed.
On motion, the Secretary was directed
to forward copy of these proceedings to
the Westport Mo. Z" Frontier News, :"
for publication, with request that the
papers of the Territory copy the same.
G. H. JOHNSON, Chairman.
LEVI OwIsGs, Secretary
Kansas--The Election Crisis.
The election which is ultimately to de-
cide>the destiny of Kansas is at hand |;
the census has been ordered, and the re-
turns will be made on the 9th inst. Let
the day of election come when it may, tits
the result of that day work which finally
determines the institutions of the Terrific
ry, and the future State. 1t is, therefore,
into this battle, heart and soul, that our
southern friends must throw themselves.
The triumphant election of our Delegate,
though of no political importance, as far
as the great cause is concerned, yet acted
as powerful prestige, both to ourselves
and our Abolition foes. Greeley was
disheartened, declared that there was four
chances to one in favor of Kansas being
slave State and already heard 1.-THE
clanking chains of human bondage, and
saw the hideous shambles for the sale OF
human flesh" But this triumph was a
mere skirmish, calculated to lull the ener-
gies of the South into peaceful slumber
The real battle, the decisive conflict, ha:
yet to be fought and think you, south
erners, if we lose it, that the South car
ever again obtain foothold in the Terri.
tory? Vain thought! The code oi
Lawrence, digested by Messrs. Robinson,
Thayer d Co, and inforeed by Abolition
tyrants, will be the code of Kansas ; and
the chivalric South must bow beneath
the yoke. How CALLING. how degrading
to sense of your manhood are you
men Then gird up your loins, be up
and doing; remember, that which has
been done once can be done again.
Let his Excellency forge what instructions
he pleases /; let him make the census re-
turnable on the 9th of February let him
declare that no one "who is not duly re-
turned on that census shall be qualified
voter p Let him do this; but we ask
calmly, reasonably, and dispassionateiy,
"upon what meat doth this our Caesar
feed, that he is grown so great ?" Is
he mightier than Congressman the
President who made him, and whose
servant he is Can he be permitted
with impunity to set at naught and defy
the provisions of the bill and defy you,
southernets, who, as freemen of this Re-
public, claim your rights under that bill.
Suppose he should do this thing, and
should order the election on the 1st of
April, or lst of May, would he not vir-
tually declare that a residence in the
Territory of two or three months was a
necessary qualification for legal voter I?
The bill requires only an actual residence
in said Territory, whether that residence
commences on the day of election, or a
year before. Thus is it written-such
is the law upon which this Territory was
erected-and the South and West are
willing to abide by it. The bill only
gives the Governor power to appoint
the "time and places" and the persons
who shall superintend such elections and
the returns thereof" but it takes upon
itself the Office of defining the qualifca-
ton of voters, in language so plain,
SO unmistakable, that the " wayfaring
man, though fool, need not err therein. !"
The judges of the election, says the bill,
shall superintend the "returns thereof"
The votes recorded in these returns are
prinaa facie legal votes and the Gov
ernor, Notwithstanding any number of
protests from the defeated party, cannot
60 behind them he must declare those
having the highestnumber of votes in these
returns tobe duly elected. There isanothel
tribunal-the Assembly, and nottbe Gov.
ernor, who shall Judge and decide of the
eligibility of Its own members. The Or
ganie bill in its words, like the constitu.
ton of the United States, is plain and in,
telligible, and it is meant for the home.
bred unenlightened understanding of ouI
fellow-citizens."
How little have our southern friends,
impulsive. hospitable, and rash, under.
stood the character of the Governor o.
Kansas. Many have oftentimes said he
viii favor the South, his sympathies ars
with the South, but coming from a free
State he dares not do it openly Upon
what reasonable premises, upon what IA
tional induction of the Governors acts
and conduct, could such an absurd by.
pothesis be predicated. We viii ye'
make proselyte of him." said they
Such a proselyte as they would make Of
the shrewd, calculating, and far-sighted
Governor, would be to them "two-fold
more child of hell than he was before. .
The developments that have already ap-
peared in the Executive character, are
amply sufficient to found a sound conclu-
sion in regard to his future course and
intentions. Inpulsive and unrefeeting
people-you have not scrutinized him
closely. You have misread and mis-
translated him he has understood your
character better than you have under
stood his. Affable and polite in outward
manner. but cold, guarded, and design
ing within-the external manner of a man
wholly engrossed with self-aggrandize-
ment, and the steady accomplishment oi
his ewn private purposes. Possessing
many qualities that go to make up a
strong man, the Executive character is
yet deficient in one great essential-an
infrmity of purpose. and weak, Aervous
oscillation of mind are idiosyncracies with
the Governor of Kansas. Governor, he
is-and would be Senator hereafterl He
is not without ambition-would play
false; would wrongly win and yet he
fears to do it boldly like man. He is
| q small, nonpariel edition Of Talleyrand
and Metternich combined, without one
spark or scintillation of the jackson
i.s'eernal " in his whole composition.