The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-08-18
Original Correspondence.
Letter from N. F. Conway.
LAWRENCE, Aug. 13, 1876:

LAHRkNCE, aug. To- 1909.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD OF
FREEDOM, SIR:-Since my arrivalin this
place from Fort Riley, a few days ago,
my attention has been attracted to the
following paragraph, which frstappeared
in the Leayenworth Herald, as part of
letter from Pawnee-a letter pretending
to give an account of the meeting and or
ganization of the so called Legislature,
which assembled a. that place on the Cd
July:
IN. F. Conway, who has counseled
the people to disregard all laws passed by
the Legislature, 10 treat them as a nullity.
has failed thus far, up TO the second day,
TO come forward with the broad seal Of
the Governor and claim a seat. He is
here in the place, however, and we pre-
sumo does not intend to part with the
Governors certificate. He doubtless
wishes TO preserve it as memento of
fidelity and attachments of his friend, the
Governor. who gave it to him over maa
entitled to it, by having received ma
jority of 254 votes at the polls. The
vote stood-For Donaldson, 396; Con-
way, I54.
Conway, knowing that Donaldson
would contest his scat and expose the
fraudulent means he resorted to In order
to obtain his certificate Of election from
the Governor, fails to come forward and
claim his seat, making the iimsy pretext
that this was a Missouri-Kansas Legisla-
ture. Ii appears that in contesting this
district. Mr.. Donaldson charges that Con-
way, IN making protest against the
MarysYille precinct election, committed
fraud In signing names to it of persons
living fifty miles distant, who were not
at the election, and knew nothing of wnat
was therein stated. This with other
things may account for the absence of
Conway. He is probably acting wisely
IN not coming forward to claim his seat. !"
- The design of this publication is to
show that my refusal to engage with the
Missouri banditti in making laws to gov
ern the people of Kansas, resulted from
an indisposition to encounter charge of
fFaud-fraud perpetrated by me in OBJ
tanning my certificate of election 10 the
Council. This statement IS utterly aud ell
tirly-in word and spTit-in direct accu-
ton and cowardly impuation-a rank
and unmitigated falsehood.
My motive for refusing to cousort with
that amusing assemblage of harlequins
called Legislature. now performing the
farce on the borders of Missouri of max
ing laws TO be obeyed by the people of
Kansas Legislature d:sowned by the
people of Kansas-reprobated by the
universal sentiment of the nation-and
emasculated by the sharp knife of Exec
utlve repudiation--has been fully set
forth to the public. As to my having
been prompted to that step By any desire
to run away from charge Of fraud, the
remotest idea ofsueh preposserous thing
never for . naomen. suggested itself TO
my mind. | was at pamnee from the
time the bogus Legislature met till it left
for the Stale of Missouri, and not whis-
per of such charge was breathed TO me
there. The 6rst and only public an
nouncenient ever made of it appeared in
the Leaysnwerth Herald, and was sent
out through the country to neutralize
whatever effect nay letter of RESIGNATION
was calculated to make on the public mind.
Under the Proclamation of the Gov
ernor for the election of members of the
Territorial Legislature, 60 have the DOLL.
IN any precinct, reserved for a contest. il
was necessary, as you are aware, to entsr
aprotest against the legality of the same.
signed oy ten qualified voters and sworn
to hy oae. The protest entered to the
returns of the Marysyillc precinct was
prepared, signed and sworn to on the 4th
April last. partly at the Shawnee Mission
and partly at the Baptist Mission. about
one mile west of the Shawnee Mission.
The document as now on file in the ar
chives OF the Executive Department. con-
talns the signatures of M. i. CONWAY.
w. w. Moore. Col. McCrea, Francis
Barker. @. F. Earle. A. D. Scarf, Geo.
l.. Osborne. Geo. w. Deitzler. s. N.
Simpson, j. s. Grover and G. S. Pratt
These are all well known citizens of the
Territory; and NOD one Of them has eve,
insimased thai kis signature sras attached
to lhst document By aay other kaad tho,
Ais oun. W w. Moore keeps a public
house on the st. Joseph and Californil
road. The election in the district il
which he resides was held at his house
as viii be seen by reference 10 the GOV
erneE's Proclamation. He was. if mis-