Litchfield enquirer., 1856-07-10
From the NJ H. Journal
Report Of Kansas InvestigatingC Committed

iAhhcu III Inc new 1ofk papers IL HIS ncaIIy ELK
teen columns, and Is of course too long for pa
but is of such great importance thas its length
should not prevent its being read by every voter in
the country.
1t shows that as soon as the bill to organize the
Territory of Kansas was passed, large number Of
the citizens of Missouri went into the Territory and
! held squatter meetings passed resolutions denounc-
ing Abolitionsts and declaring that Slavery existed
therein In the autumn of 1854, secret political
society. called '.1he Blue Lodge, formed, the
plan of operations Of which, with its oaths etc. are
given in the report. This Lodge controlled all the
subsequent movements and nvasions on the part Of
the Missourians.
! At the election of November 90 1854 for delegate
to Congress, there no evidence of fraud except
in the sparsely settled and remote districts where
citizens of Mssourians appeared and voted. Details
in relation to these facts given in the report
(which says 1t is reduced to the,nati,al precis-
ion that seventeen hundred illegal and residents
votes were cast by citizens of Missouri; the remain
der, being legal votes amounted to eleven hundred "
Mr. Whitfield would have been elected without the
aid of his Missouri votes he receiving plurality of
all the votes cast During the Winter of 81 3d.
of the invasion public meetings were held and much
bitter feeling was manifested
/ In February, 1865 census was taken, and the
number Of legal voters was ascertancd to be 1908
Previous to the election in the Spring of 1855 active
preparations made in Missouri to invade the
Territory, and complete organization effected
leaders were chosen, tents, provisions, ammunition
and arms distributed. and the forces were drilled in
companies in Missouri and on the day before the
election, it is testified at least five thousand Mssou-
rins took up the line of march for Kansas. and COM
@nies went into every representative district in the
Territory except In detail of the acts of these
companies and the declarations made by them great
portion of the testimony consists.
The Kansas Investigating Committee have had be-
fore thcm the poll books, census rolls SC showing
who were legal we'll as who were illegal voters.
and from accurate and almost absolute proof it ap
pears that Of about $500 votes cast at the clcctn
for members of the Territorial Legislature five tho--
sand were those of non-rcsidcnts. The majority of
both Houses of the Legislature would have been
Free State men if there had been invasion of Mis-
sourhns. The Governor set aside the election in
some of the districts, and a new election took
place therein on the 23I of May, resulting in the
choice of Free State men in these districts e,ccnt
Ieavcnworth, where there was still illegal voting
The Committee took large mass of testimony re-
garding the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly
which proceedings thcy state arc characterized by
rccklcssncss and injustice The report likewise al
ludes to the murders, robbcries, and other crimes
committed in the Territory anil states that in no
case except that of McRae "a Free State mani was
there any prosecution for those offences No ndict-
ments were found no arrests made, and no measures
taken to bring the perpetrators to Justice
The report contains full and complete details OF
everything connected with the Territory of Kansas.
prior to the 18th March last and says it is clearly
proved that Samuel J. Jones, the Sheriff, was the
main cause of the recent disturbances in which he
SO prominently figured. 1t Is also proved that Mr..
Oliver, one Of the Investigating Committee. went
into Kansas with one of the invading companies,
and made speech in the fifteenth district but it is
not proved that he voted
The following are the conclusions arrived at by
the Committee:
First: That each election held In the Territory
held under the organic alleged Territorial law has
been carried by organized invasions from the Stale
of Missouri, by which the people Of the Territory
have been prevented from exercising the rights Sc
cured to them by the organic law.
Second: That the alleged Territorial Legislature
WIS an illegally constitute body, AMI hnd no power
to ptss vail laws, AMI their cnactnuts arc there
fore null and voil
! Third: That these alleged laws have not as
general thing, been used to prosec. persons and prop
crty, and to punish wrong. but for uni .wtu PURPOSES
! fo.th: That the election under which the sitting
Delegate, John W. Whitfield. holds his seat, was
not held in pursuance If any valid law and il should
bc regarded as only the expression Of the choice Of
those resident citizens who voted for him
! Fyh: That the election under which, tho contest
ing Delegate. Andrew II. Reeder claims his scat
WAS not held in pursuance of law and that it should
bc regarie! only the expression of the choice of
A., those resident citizens who voted for him.
Slh: That Andrew Ii. Rce,lcr received a greater
number of votes of resident citizens than John w
Whitfield, for delegate.
Sete,th: That in the present condition If the Ter
ritorv fair election cannot I've held without n new
census and stringent and we'll qua c!cd election laws
the election of impartial judges, and the presence If
United States troops ut every place of election.
! Eighth That the vario,,s elections held by the
people of the Territory preliminary to the formation
of the State Government have been rs regular As
the disturbed condition of the Territory would allow
and that the Constitution pissed by the Convention
held in pursuance of said elections, emtu,iics the
will Of a majority of the people.
The report partly read in Congress on Tuesday,
notwithstanding the efforts of the Fierce party to
stave of. and to break up in row. The damning
eidence Of the guilt of their friends is too much for
them.
NJ. +. APPoINTNENrs-The following are
Al Al