Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-08-31
Governor Reeder in Kansas.

th' D'oe hiii IitNlltHtr uuu llllutIs nus tu-
joyed unusual facilities for acquiring a cor
rect knowledge of the estimation IN which
Governor Reeder is regarded by the actual
settlers. Our informant is not personally
acquainted with Governor Reeder, is polrtl-
cally. on party grounds. opposed to him. and
therefore will not be suspected of bias and
prejudice, which surely entities his repre-.
sensations TO high degree of credit. He
assures us that three out Of four Of the resi-
dents in the Territory are strongly Free Soil,
and could there to-day be a fair reelection,
not one Pro-Slavery candidate could be cleo
ted.
The feeling against their Missouri nvad.
ers aud the hatred and disgust for the body
of impudent fre-eaters now in session at
Shawuee Mission, constituting themselves
the Legislature of Kansas, continues unaba-
ted. and were 1t not for the confident hope
that the next Congress viii repudiaie oil
their acts, it is highly probable that the peo-
pie would rise and tisperse them.
The feeling toward Governor Reedcr and
the opinion as 10 his official action Is undi-
vided and enthusiastic.
They DO no, forget the threat Of Atchison,
Sltnglellow & Co., to oppose and neutralize
every act Of the Governor even before rs
after the election nor that there was well
concocted scheme 20 embrol him III person
al quarrels; to charge him with frauds and
neglect Of duty. and with being an ally of
the Euigraut AID Society. and worse than
all things else on .4bottioniJ that the re-
solve was registered in some way or other,
Governor Reeder must be driven from office
and though It was reasonably supposed that
his message, containing as It did ialr expo
slton Of moderate and conservative princ-
pies. would have m de him acceptable 10 all
parties. Vet the opposition was too bitter
to be appeased. aud their first action was to
remove the seat OF legislation from the place
where the Governor had convened it. Paw
nee Ciiy was peculiarly adapted for the
transaction OF business. being central ia It's
location, IT, the immediate vicinity Of the ma
tional torticalions. which at all tunes were
supplied with every material desirable to
the new settler The Government had ercc-
ted there spacious stone buildings Cor the
accommodation Of the legislative bodies,
and every provision was made tor their
comfort III the way of hotels and boarding.
houses.
hut nothing would satisfy the Missouri
ans short of Shawnee Mission. but four
miles from their border, and as the Govern.
or, under he act Of Congress, had the un-
disputed right to appoint their temporary
seat, It was to he expected that he woul We
TO their remyai; and being elsewhere than
At Pawnee no more than any other body Il
men acting under an usurped power his on
ly course left was simply 10 veto their &C
ton without comment
I he complaint made by some Of the Nor
theru Press, that Governor Reeder should
never have recognized the members as how.
ing been legally elected for the reason that
It wss notorious that VI issourians did the
voting, and not residents of Kansas, cannot
be sustained when all the facts are remem-
befed, for the polls having been IN possess
SION of the enemy with few exceptions, only
eleven members we're rejected and a new
election was promptly called by the Govern
or to tll their places.
Our informant had il directly from tho
Governors bps, rs he was conyersing with A
party Of gentlemen, that he would have set
aside az the elections, had the iudges Of
the polls pat hlm 10 possession OF aiiiJayl,s
alleging fraud as did those presiding over
those eleven polls.
Notorious as was the fact that every spe-
ces OF cheating and fraud had been practi-
ced, yet the Governor had no right to act
upon tins general notoriety and had 40 dis
erection IN The matter, but was obliged 20 L.
sue hls certificates to the parties presenting
the sworn returns.
Il was the same 10 the case Of Whitfield.
Tor though al. the world knew that his cleo
ton had been procured By violence and
fraud, yet the aiiicml reiurns OF the Judges
left the Governor no choice
Al Official can negnf he guided by news
papers or public rulnor.
The silly stories about land speculatons
nr'v', "nh fia r"nnle. reee.vei my e,hef
than the contempt they deserved.
h. practice Of trading IN Wild lands is as
ancient as The Incorporation of Terrio0os
and IN tins case Governor Reedcr's contracts
were all made subject 10 the spprobluun OF
the President winch, having been dislpproy-
ed, one would suppose there should ue the
end OF o..
he Governors mastery correspondence
with Secretary Marcy has been real aud
commented upon everywhere IN the enlto-
ry, and The surprise Of the people Is only
equlled by their disgust that the President
should have mide use Of 50 miserable pre-
text tor hs removal.
From OH tie abu which has been so
laylshly heaped upon him from all the real
danger TO he aud character which have SO
ihlckly surrounded his every step siuce first
he came among us, Governor Reuder has
come out harmless and unsuilled, and could
the real wishes OF the people be known. he
would by wide acclinalion be still their
ruler, aud soon their representative IN the
National Senate.
Ills conservative politics are peculiarly
calculated tor the times and people OF Kun
sas for, being an advocate Of popular SOW
erelgnty, he ought to be acceptable to all
the rational people Of both North aud South;
aud, having been an ardent champion OF the
Kansas and Nebraska bill, would BE- the
more acceptable TO the HunkersIns Of his
party That bill, as the Governor under
stood it, SIMPLY declared the doctrine Of pl-
pular sovereignty, meaning thereby that II
the majority OF State or Territory prefer
red slave labor TO free labor they might have
II and be protected m It.
We have good reasons to believe, and
lac makes no secret OF 1t, the Governor Il
strongly free Soh IN his principles, and was
willing 10 uss all fair and honorable means
for making Kansas Free State.
PdSmore Williamson. = We publish below