The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-02-03
Hogus Voting In Kansas.

The following article, which we clip
from the Washington, D. c., Star, shows
thekindof anapology our southern friends
are getting up for coming over to Kansas
at the Delegate election to aid us in Sc
lecting suitable officer to represent us
in Congress. The fact that 81, 800 was
actually subscribed aud paid over a. one
meeting to hire individuals to come here
on that day, and that they remarked on
the route that they were going to the
Territory for the first time, rather spoils
the force of the Stars argument:
General Whitfield, the Delegate from
Kansas in the House of Representatives,
denies IN toto, we hear, the stories alleg-
ing that Missourians voted In the recent
Kansas election who were not fairly enti-
tied to vote there. In that first election
all citizens were very properly authorized
to vote, whether they had been in the
Territory week or year, provided
they were willing to swear that they had
made the necessary arrangements in the
Territory to become citizens thereof
Thus, many of the Yankee Abolitionists
who had their expenses paid thither by
anti-slavery organizations in the East, to
vote to suit the purposes of the organiza-
tions aforesaid, voted-though more or
less of them had not been week in the
Territory. They designed becoming its
citizens, and could truthfully swear to
that intention on their part. So also
many Missourians, living near the Ter
ritory, who had made their claims TO
lands in it in the first rush for choice loca-
tons, and had returned over the border
to finish their arrangements for moving,
stroye to and did effect them in season to
get back in time to participate in the
election.
Others who had not completed theirs,
also came back and voted, being able to
swear that their absence from the Terri
tory was but temporary, and that they
had considered themselves citizens OF
the Territory from the moment when
they made their respective claims-not
citizens of Missouri to which they return
ed, only to complete the removal of their
effects to Kansas. We are satisfied from
all we can learn, that such only was the
denounced Missourians' who voted
there. 1t viii be recollected that On the
instant the lands of Kansas were thrown
open for settlement, thousands rushed
over the border to secure homes there.
It stands to reason that comparatively few
moved bag and baggage in that rush, it
being much more convenient and econ
omical to complete their removal subse-
quently, and at their leisure. The de-
nounced voters were altogether of the
large class who had rushed in with the
first, and remained long enough to estab-
lish their right to land there, and then
went back to sell out a portion of their
effects in Missouri, and move the balance
over into Kansas.
This is evidently the reason why Gov
Reeder did not dream of refusing to
Whitfield his certificate, though his sym
pathies were all for the member of his
"suite," Flenniken, who was In the field
By the by, it might appear that Mr.. Flen-
niken, the anti-slavery candidate, has lefi
the Territory. We hear of him now in
Pennsylvania, In the bosom of his family
We are, however, satisfied that, like the
Missourians who went to their old homes
prior to the election, to prepare for the
removal over of their families, Mr. F
simply postponed his journey to his own
home to the same end-untl after the
election-haying further to go than the
denounced Missourians, and more interes'
than any of them in remaining constantly
on the ground up to election day.
Gov. Reeder, according to some of the
Missouri papers, is cutting wide swatf
in the way of fancy town Operations, >
dc. 1t would do no harm if Congress
would look into the truth of these news
paper accounts of the hand he is alleged
to be taking in land speculations ou
there. L is due TO him, if untrue, that al
such stories concerning him should be Sc
at rest.