Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-08-28

several districts will be found to be sus
tanned by the proof. And from all the tes
timony collected, when compared ant
weighed properly, the undersigned feels
confident that it will appear TO every un
prejudiced mind, not only that Gen. Whit
field was duly elected, by the actual ant
bona .,fde residents. delegate to Congress
at the first election, in Nov 1854, but thai
the free-State party were in the minority
in the Territory at the March election in
1855, for members of the Legislature; and
that that election was not carried either by
force, violence or non-residents, but that q
majority of the Legislature was duly elected
as certified to by the Governor, and was
properly constituted as law making body
and, as consequence, that the laws pass
ed by them, as far as they are consistent
with the Constitution Of the United States,
and the organic act of the Territory, are
valid; and, rs further consequence, tha,
the sitting delegate, having been duly elec
ted delegate to Congress under terrific
rial law thus passed, is entitled to seat on
this floor as such.
And having gone through this branch Of
the subject, the undersigned now begs
leave to refer to other matters alluded to
by the majority of the committee in their
report. They speak of certain secret
political society, formed in the State Of
Missouri, known by different names, such
as "Social Band" "Friend's Society"
"Blue Lodge" "Sons of the Sonth"-the
object Of which was to send emigrants in.
to Kansas for the purpose of making it a
slave State
In reply to this part of their repor. it is
only necessary to state that the evidence
shows that these organizations were formed
for the purpose of counteracting similar
and other organizations, first started at the
East and elsewhere, for the purpose of col
onizing the Territory with persons for the
avowed object of making Kansas a free
State, and in this way ultimately affect
ing injuriously the institutions of Missou-
RI
The first society of this kind was form
ed in the city of Washington, Immediately
after the passage of the Kansas Nebraska
bill. 1t was composed Of members of Con-
sress of both branches, and others.
The undersigned refers, in this connec-
ton, to the testimony of the Hon. Daniel
Mace, member from Indiana, which is
appended to this report and made part
thereof. In his deposition he states that
such an association was formed in Wash
ington, Immediately after the passage o.
the Kansas Nebraska act. 1t was called
the Kansas Aid Society, the members OF
which subscribed various sums of money,
he himself, subscribing $50 or SlOO-he
is not certain which amount. The object
of the movement was to induce persons to
90 to Kansas who would make that their
home, and who would at all elections vote
against the institution of slavery. Mr..
Goodrich, member of the House of Rep
rcsentatives, from Massachusetts, was the
President of the society.
Soon after this society was formed other
societies were formed in the eastern States
for the same object; that is, for the purpose
of sending persons to Kansas to control the
elections there. A society of this kind
formed in Boston, Massachusetts,, com
menced sending emigrants to Kansas for
this avowed object.
The testimony also shows that emigrants
going out under those and similar organi-
cations were supplied with arms and mu-
ni,ions of war. Great numbers of Sharp
rifles and several pieces of artillery were
sent to the Territory. And if arms were
taken by emigrants from Missouri, it
was only for the purpose of defence against
arms in the hands of emigrants from other
quarters.
The testimony shows that large numbers
Of persons sent out by these eastern socie
ties went into the Territory during the
month of March, just before the election,
declaring it to be their intention to vote;
that they came there for that purpose; and
in a few days after the election geat mum
bers of these persons were seen returning
to the north and east, saying, many of them,
that they had voted.* The testimony also
shows that a large number of Missourians
went over to the Territory on the day of
election, merely to prevent illegal voting on
the part Of these eastern emigrants, and few
of these Missourians, and only few, are
proven to have voted, and their names Civ
en-, by the testimony; not as many in all
as those of the eastern emigrants, who it
is proven voted illegally at Lawrence.
The majority of your committee i'll that