The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1855-10-27
Bogus ELECTION.

the day upon which the inhabitants"
of Kansas should choose for themselves
delegate to represent them in the
thirty-fourth Congress of the United
States but the inhabitants of Kansas
made no such choice on that day, nor
could they have done SO if they had
been so disposed, as hundreds of our
best and Oldest citizens will testify
We do not intend to make exaggerated
statements in relation to the conduct of
the people of our neigboring State, but
we do intend to speak the truth when and
wherever it should be spoken.
On last Sunday evening several stran-
gers arrived in our city, some fifteen or
more in number, from the State of Mis-
souri,, several of whom stopped at the
Leavenworth Hotel, received the hospi-
tality of our citizens, and on Monday
morning walked to the ballot-box, and
then and there violated the most sacred
right of which it is the pride of an
American citizen to boast. We confess
we felt humiliated when we saw men
looking like gentlemen, go and thus
act, knowing that thereby they disgraced
not only the State from which they came
and in which they live, but they dis
graced their fathers whose name they
bear, the mother that gave them birth,
and last, though by no means least,
they disgraced the father of our much
beloved country, who fought for the
liberty they denied to us on Monday last,
VIZ: the liberty of choosing our own
Representative. 1t is perfect mockery
for men to talk about the Nebraska bill,
Squatter Sovereignty, and liberty, who
will. as soon as they get the power, turn
round and violate, with perfect impuni-
ty, each and every one of those sacred
principles. We have said that we felt
humiliated when we saw strangers, look
ing like gentlemen, thus act; what then,
reader, do you suppose must have been
our feelings when we beheld men whom
We thought we could claim as friends,
arrogating to themselves the authority,
and denying to us the right, to elect our
own Representative right for which
our fathers fought in the revolutionary
war of America We felt as though our
last hope was gone.
| The Legislature of Kansas appointed
for useef Leavenwerth county, a County
Court. and gave that Court the power to
appoint for us judges of election. The
gentlemen appointed for Leavenworth
Precinct were Mr.. G. B. Panton, of
Leavenwerth City, Mr.. A. Russell, of
salt Greek, and Mr.. Benjamin Nc
Creary, of Stranger Creek. We confess
that when we heard the above named
i gentlemen were appointed judges for this
Election precinct, we did expect to see
the law of the late Legislature observed
strictly, for we thought those gentlemen
to be the special friends of that body,
since they had been so fortunate as to
] have been the recipients of its favors
| but it came to pass on last Monday, that
they knew no law, nor did they know
Eany person, Notwithstanding they (as we
have been informed) took an oath to
discharge the duties of Judge of the
/ (then) election impartially, to the best
of their ability and according to law
We give copy of the oath as prescribed
| by the Legislature, which we are in
formed they took:
81 do swear (or affirm that I, will
Iimpartially discharge the duties of Judge
fof the present election, according 70
law, and the best of my ability
1 Now, we give below the law of the
Legislature prescribing the qualification
of voters. aud which is part of the law
the above named judges swore to Judge
the election accordingto. 1t isas follows
Every free white male citizen of the
United States, and every free male In
dian, who is made a citizen by treaty or
otherwise, and over the age of twenty
one years, who shall be an inhabitant OF
this Territory, and of the county or dis
trict in which he offers to vote, and shall
have paid Territorial tax, shall be a
qualified elector for all elective off
GERS" dc.
i It is plain to any man who will read
the above extract that before man shall
be entitled to vote in this Territory, be
must be an inhabitant thereof, and not
only an inhabitant of the Territory, but
an inhabitant of the county or district in
which he offers to vote We are credi-
j bly, informed that Messrs. John Wells,
i Z. D. Washburn, DR.. Bonifant, Perry
Walingford, James Hardesty, Clinton
CockriIl, William Miller, and dozens of
others who are known to- tue above
named judges to be citizens of Missouri,
and inhabitants of Platte county, voted
here on Monday last with the full knowl-
edge and consent of the judges, not
withstanding the above oath they had
taken to permit no man to vote unless he
was an inhabitant of this Territory, and
! of the county or district in which he
offerd to vote. 1t may be eontended by
these Judges that man is an inhabitant
of this Territory as soonHas he gets into
it; If so we will show them what a
! wonderful mistake the great lexicogra-
pher, Mr.. Webster, made when he said
the meaning of the word " inhabitant'
4 is ga dweller; one who dwells or resides
permanently ina place, or who has a
fixed residence - as distinguished from
an occasional lodger or visitor. Judge
Bouyier, the author Of the great Law
Dictionary, says; Zone who has his
domicil in place is an inhabitant OF
that place; one who has an actual, fixed
residence in place. A mere intention
to remove to place viii not make man
an inhabitantof such place, although as
a sign of such intention, he may have
sent his Nife and children to reside
there" We are informed that 2l6
votes were east here on Monday last.
100 of which were from Missouri; 800