Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-08-14

district, the condition of the country prevented
he attendance of witnesses, who were either
rrested or detained while obeying, our process
n deferred from so doing. The Surgeant-at-
4 rms who served the processes upon them was
rinse, f arrested and detained for a short time
y an armed force, claiming to be part of the
nosse of The Marshal, but was allowed 10 pro-
.ae,I uoon an examination of his papers, and was
with pass signed by Warren ID.
w likes. of South Carolina" John Upton, an
other officer of the Committee, was subsequent
10 sooned by hwless force on the borders OF
the Territory, and after being detained and lrea-
ted with indonity was released. He, also,
was furnished with pass signed by two cit
liens of Missouri. and addressed to " FRO olS-
very men /" By reason OF these disturbances We
were DELAYED in Westport, so that while 10
session there our time was but partially oecu'
pied.
But the obstruction which created the most
serious embarrassment to your Committee was
the attempted arrest of Governor keeder, the
contes,ing Delegate, upon writ OF attachment
issued against him by Judge Lecompte to com,
Gel his attendance as a witness before The Ufaho
Ju,y Of Douglas county. William Fame, re
Gently from Georgia, and claiming to be the
Deputy Marshal came into the room of the Com-
mitlee while Gov. Reeder was examining wit
ness before US, and producing the writ required
Gov Reeder to attend him Subsequent evnts
have only strengthened the conviction OF your
Committee that this was wanion and uniaw
flu interference by the Judge who issued me
writ. tending greatly To obslruct full ana ialt
Investigation Gov. Reeder and Gen. Whitfield
alone were fully possessed of that local intelll-
gence which would enab q us to elicit the whole
truth, and it was obvious to every one that any
event which would separate either OF them from
the Committee would necessarily hinder, delay,
and embarass it.-Gov. Reeder claimed that uT1-
der the circumstances in which he was placed he
was privileged from arrest except for treason,
fel, nv, or breach of the peace AS this was
a question of privileged proper for the Courts
or for the privileged person acne to determine
on his peril, we declined to give him any pro
lection or take any action in the matter lie re-
fused to obey the writ, believing ii 10 be mere
pretense to get the custody OF his person ana
| fearing as he alleged. that he would he ass''s
snated by lawless bonds of men then gathering
in and near Lecompton. lie then lett the Ter
| rltory
Subsequently II. Miles Moore. an attorney n
| Leavenwnrth City, but for several years cit
lien o. Weston. Mo-, kindly furnished The com
miltee information as TO the residence ct persons
voting at the election, and in some cases exam
ined Witnesses before it, Tic was arrested on
the streets of that town by an armed band OF
about thirty men, headed by w ID likes,
without any color of authority, confined with
other citizens, under military guard ioT "a
hours. and then notified to leave the Territory
His testimony was regarded as important, and
upon his sworn statement that it would endanger
his person to give in openly the majority OF your
Committee deemed it proper TO examine hin or
exparle and did so
/ Ry reason of these occurrences, the contest
ant, and the party with and for whom he actt d,
were uurepresenle before US during greater
portion of the time, ands your Committee were
required TO ascertain the truth IN The best man
ner they cou Id.
Your Committee report the following fact'
and conclusions as established by the testimo
ny:
Frst-the last election in the Territory helC
under the organic or alleged Territorial law has
been carried BY organized invasion from hi
: State of Missouri, by which the people of thu
! Territory have been prevented from exercising
= the ri hts secured to them by the organic law.
' Second-.Tha the alleged Territorial Legis
la,ure was an illega ly. constituted body, and ha,
!, no power 10 pass valid laws, and their enact
=. :. men,. are, therefore M and void
- Third That these alleged laws have not
= = as general thing, been used to protect person
y y and property and to punish wrong, but for un
. lawful purposes.
= :, Fourth. That the election under which til,
= sitting Delegate, John w. Whitfield hold
7 his seat was not held in pursuance of any valid
l. l. law and that it should be regarded only as III
!, expression of the choice of ,huse resident Gil
- liens who voted for him.
!, Fifth That the election under which tn
~ con,esting Delegate, Andrew II. Reeder, claim
s. his seat, was not held ia pursuance Of law, an
" that it whould be regarded only as the expr
:. sion of the choice of the resident citizens VIII
no voted for him.
20 Srih.-That Andrew II, Reeder received
T., create, number of votes of resident citizens tina
=, John W, Whitfield for Delegate,
o Seventh That IN The present condition OF II
al Territory fair election cannon be held witho'
st new census, stringent and weli-gnarded ele
y, ton law, the election of impartial Judges All
w. the presence of the United States troops al e
d cry place of election
~ EighM-That the various elections held
n n the peope of the Territory preliminary to i
=; formation of the State Government, have bel
liz as regular as he disturbed condition Of the Ter
,;r tory would allow and that the Constitute
h. passed by the Convention. held in pursuance
IL, said elections embodies the will OF MAORI
nd of the people.
MS As ii is not the province of your Commit
on to sugges, remedies for the existing troubles
er- the Territory Of Kansas, they content thet
of selves with the foregoing statement Of facts
ere All of which is respectfully sub lifted.
~ WM A HOWARD