Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-03-27

Ehiuh il relates, sod not elssVhese. Hence
fOs instance, ths Lords viii not euler The Com
mons to lalerfsre in setting the election Ol
Peer n Scotland the Commons will not al
low Ahe Lords 70 judge Of the election Of
basgess nor win either House permit the sub
tardinals eOurts Of lay TO examine the merits
of either case. But the marims upon which
they PrOseed, together with the method Oi
proceeding, rest entirely in the breast Of Par
GSment itself, and are not defined and aseer-
tained BY any particular stated laWs."-2
BlsekstOas, sse. l63.
s'The two Houses must decide according to
ths established Law Of Parliament. IBID
'Eaoh House is made the sole judge Of the
election, returns. aud qualification of its mem
bers. The same power is vested in the Biz
ish House Of Commons, and in the Legislature
OF the several States; and there is no Oihei
body known 10 the Constitution to which such
power might be safely intrusted. And as
each House acts in these cases 10 judicial
character, its decision, like the decisions Of any
other court Of justice, ought to be regulated by
known principles Of law. and strictly adhered
tofOr the sake Of uniformity and certainty. -
EaM
Such being the common Law Of legislative
bodies under our system, we must suppose
that Congress acted under this knowledge, and
intended to confer. and did confer, this power
on the Territorial Legislature Of Kansas. as
sumo this 10 be a fact, and submit that the
legality Of the elections Of The Territorial Le
gislalure has been authOrtatively passed upon
by the appropriate and exclusive tribunal, and
ths. it is not.conPetent for US now to go into
this question.
But il seems TO me, Of all objections, this il
the last Gov. Reeder should have raised, Die
he not give certificates to two thirds of th
very..Territorial Legislature? It strikes ME
have heard SO. Why, sir, is it not the mos
extraordinary spectacle that we have ever beer
called upon to behold Is there spectacle in
the history Of party politics in the mother
country, or in our own country, equal to it =
Was not Governor Reeder the Governor o
KanEas ? Was he not bound by his oath-ar
oath registered in heaven-to exercise and
perform bis duty iustlyG Andsdid he not, ii
the execution and performance OF that duty
give certificates to two thirds Of the member
Of The Kansas Legislature ? Does it, then
lie In hue mouth now to undo all that? Why
cir, he must have estimated the intelligence {
members Of this House very low indeed, if
thinks we can take the excuse from him, tina
he did not know then the illegaty of this elec
ton, and that he only acquired the knowledg
afterwards. Why and how was it that he di
not know itH Was he not on the ground ?
Had he not cogniEance Of everything? Wher
was be Aak he did not know Of the invasio
Of the Missouri army, Of which we hear {
much now? And il he did know these thing
which be now testifes to- he was traitor
his country, to bis mission, to history, in g
iLg these men their certificates, knowing th
they vere not entitled to their seats. He shoul
rather have dared every extremity, have RI
tired under the guns Of Fort Leavenwortb, @
persisted BY the swords OF sssassins, than thu
to baVe ignored his high trust. In charity,
must presume these things did not eTist, bu
thet Governor Reeder has since lent too faCil
ap,ssF to the tales Of inaamed partisans.
Isubmit that Governor Raeder is estOppet
from raising this question.
Butitis said that Governor 'Reeder should nc
legisIae elsewhere except at the permaner
seseof government do not propose to dis
euss hs point further, because l eoasidt
IL clear. But, inasmuch as the extra judici
opinion oi Judge Lecompte and his associa
has been passed Into dis controversy to sustai
he Legislation OF this Assembly az Shawnee,
will ipublish with my remarks the answer
thst opinion Of Ex-Governor Reeder.
But, say that this pretended Legislativ
Assembly.HQt only violated the organic act an
the Constitution in these enactments, but tht
twas not the Legislative Assembly Of Kama
that It usurped the powers Of legislation, W
Arevolutionary body chosen BY invaders al
conquereTs Of Kansas against the will of i
people. The memorial charges this, the stat
ment Of Governor Reeder reiterates it, and,
though the statement of the sitting Delega
puts this fact 10 issue, the minority report il
plisdly admits it, but asserts that this Hou
cannot inquire into it. The minority report
yers Governor Reeder to be estOpped by h
acts, and denies that any one but a candida
OF the same election. who has iorima tacia
claim 10 q seat, mty contest but the minori
ADMIT. fhst on question Of constitutional gu,
i6cAtion Of It's members the House may, on
memorial Of ANYBODY, or Of its own motion