Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-08-02
JUSTICE.
Kanzas observation-disclosures Outrages.


the Kanzas Legislature have taken matter in
to their own hands, and, in spite OF the re-
mons;rance of the Governor, have removed
their sessions to the extreme eastern line oil
the territory and within ten minutes ride of
the town of Westport, in Missouri, where, in
case of any difficulty with Governor, l&c.,
they could easily tally their pro-savery tools
to their help. The Lawrence Tribune brings
us some of the doings of this infamous body.
We put them upon record that our people
may see some OF the beautiful
fruits Of the repeal ofthe Missouri compromise,
and the labors of such men as Douglas, At
Gibson, S;rngfellow, &Co:
"a body calling itself by this title met at
Pawnee on the I'd instant.
In the Council, Thomas Johnson was chosen
Speaker, ]. A. Halderman, Chief Clerk, Chas.
Grover, Assistant, G. M. Whitehead, Sergeant
alarms and W. J. Godfrey, Door Keeper.
In the House, J. H. Stringfellow was cleo
ted Speaker, James II. Lyle, Chief Clerk,
John Martin, Assistant, - Cramer, Ser
geant- arms, T. C. Campbell, Door Keeper,
The members of both Houses were admit
ted o. the Governors certificates as prtma
facie evidence. The Free State men presen-
ted their certificates, but the Pro-Slavery
men merely presented the returns of the elec-
ton, thus denying the Governors authority
| in the premises. These vouchers were laid
upon the table without examinalion-the list
of those who had received such certificates
being read by the Territorial Secretary AID
the action based upon the list. Afterwards it
was found that the Pro. Slavery men had
presented nothing but the returns of the
Judges at the first election.
The next action-and that Immediately
after swearing in the members-was the ap-
pontment of committee upon credentials.
A resolution was passed, requesting those
contesting seats to present their protests to
said committee, and Lotify those whose seats
were contested.
Thursday morning the House committee
on Credentials asked further time. A protest
was offered by the Free State members
agains, the right of tina, body to set aside the
authority of the Governors certificate; but
they refused to receive it or enter it upon the
journal. In the afternoon bill was intro
duced, removing the seat of government to
the Shawnee Mission; the rules were suspen-
ded, the bill read once in full and twice by its
title, and passed within half an hour. 1t was
sent to the upper House, and passed forth
with by about the same process
On Wednesday nlorning,the House commit.
tee on Credentials reported against all the
Free State men obtaining seats. They
were elected unanimously except one vote
Free State man whose seat was undisputed.
The House adopted the Missouri Code of
' had Tod
when they adjourned to the Missouri State
line-Shawnee Mission--to enjoy the health.
full breezes of the Wes,port, (Mo.,) frog pond
and other fumes equally reviving, always to
be found in that enterprisng neighbor-
hood.
The action of the Council was very similar.
The Free State men were elected by ebout
the same process, but one man voting
against it-Mr. E. Chapman, ,ol this place.
Both houses refuse to consider or hear the
protests and affidavit in relation to the first
election, and denied the right to go behind the
first Judges certificate of election. Such was
the position taken by all the p-o-s.avery
speakers. They were bitter in their denun-
citation Of Free State men and declared that,
so lone as they lived KanzaS should not be a
Free State any how.
The action of this sef.style Legislature is
but the carrying out Of the fraud and villainy
perpetrated at the polls-outrages unpara Il.
eled in the history of this Government.
What will be the end Of all this is yet to
be developed. The adoption of the Missouri
Cole, we suppose, recognizes slavery In Kan
zas, and for aught we know-and by easier
construction Of law than some we have
heard--makes us colony Of Missouri. Lei
them work. The people cannot be made tc
succ lmb to invaders-their tongues cannot
be sill enced but they will continue to proclaim
their honest sentiments, and act their honest
convictions, despite of Missouri tire-eating
mobs, whether they assume the braggadoc's
and tyran in the shape OF legislative bodies,
or as as slmei invaders OF our soil. They,will
probably make il treason TO denounce slavery
as moral or political evil. Let them. Who
cares? For our part, so long as we have
CONTROL OF Free Press, we shall continue
to denounce it as "the sum Of all villainles,"
4 and to prove that it deserves the aPpe'la'ion
by the co ,duct of this corrupt selt-styled
Legislature. We seek % invade no mans
rights, hut the rights Of the people cannot be
tranple upon, and we shLll regard enact
mepts of the body in session at Westport as
iu,t as much binding and no mOrs,as acts OF
the Leavenwoyth mob, or the resolutions OF
the Weston Sclt-Defensive Association-to
be needed only as the ravings OF iniuriated
and misguided men.
M.F. Conway, who was elected to the
Council from the Pawnee district, has resign
ed, aud utterly refuses to meet with or in any
way recognize, or have any respect for the
acts and doings of this Missouri mob. His
letter of resignation to Gov. Reeder is
strong document, and we give 1t entire to our
readers,
To His Excsllency, A. II. REEpER'
GousrnOr of Kansas Territory
Sir. was officially declared by your
excsllency ,on the sixth Of April last to have
been duly elected a member OF the Council
of Kanzas Territory, from the sixth Council
District Of said Territory. was also fur
nished with a certificate to that effect au-
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