Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-07-29

~ . Il
Slater, St. Louis" Generally this was con
signed as freight to the care Of commission mer
chant. This party had IN addition to The usual
allowance of one hundred pounds TO each pas
senger, large quantity AZ baggage on which the
respective owners paid the usual extra freight
(24O). Each passenger Qf party paid his OF their
own expenses; aud .heonly benefit they derived
from the Society, not shared by oil the people or
the Territory was the reduction Of about 81 in
the price OF the fare, the convenience of travel-
ing in company instead of alone, and thel
cheapness and faciltyof transporting their freight
through regular agents. Subsequently, many
emigrants being either disappointed with the
country or its political cofditicn or deceived by
the statements made by fbe newspapers and by
agents of the Society, bdcafne dissatisfied, and
returned, both before andl after the election, tai
their old homes. Most oflthem are now settlers
in the Territory (24i). Sdee few voted att the
election IN Lawrence, but tie uilDet Was small
The names Of these emigrahts have been ascer-
tanned. and ---- OF them were found upon the,
| poll books. This company " peaceful emigrants
moving with their household goods, was distorted
into an invading horde Of pauper Abolitionists,
who were, with Others Of alsimilar character, to
control the domestic institutions Of the Territory,
and then overturn those ofla neighboring pow
erful State. a sa.,l
| In regard to the second charge: There IS no
proof that any man was eitker hired or induced
to come into the Territory fbm any Free State,
merely to vote. The entire emigration in March
1855 is estimated at 300 persons (242), including
men women and children. They came on steam
boats up the Missouri River. in the ordinary
course Of emigration. Many returned for causes
similar To those before stated, but the body 70
them are now residents. The only persons of
those who were connectedby proof with ,the
/ al yUhn Vntad NJ the Rio Rlua
Precinct in the Xth District, and at Pawnee in
the lXth District Their purpose and character
are stated in formeI part of this report. =
j The third charge is entirely groundleSs.!qT The
organic law requires the Governor to cause an
enumeration Of the inhabitants and legal voters
to he made, ana that he apportion the, inembeIs
of the Council and House. according Ito this
enumeration For reasons stated by persons en-
4 gagged in taking the census, 1t was not compile
ted until the early part of March, 1855 (243)
At that time the day of holding the election had
not been and could not have been named by the
Governor. As soon as practicable after the re-
4 turns were brought in, he issued his Droclama-
1 ton for an election, and named the earliest day
of election. The day on which the election was
to be held was q matter of conjecture all ovei
the country. But it was generally known that
it would be in the latter part of March. The
precise day was not knownby any one until the
! proclamation issued. 1t, was not known TO the
agents of the Emigrant Aid Society in Boston on
the 18th of March, 1855, when the party of emi-
: grants before referred.te, left l244).
Your Committee are satisfied that these charges
were made the meie ,pretext to induce All armed
iavasion into the Territory, as means to con-
troll the election and establish Slavery there
J The real purpose is avowsd and illustrated b,
the testimony and conduct Of Col John Scott, ol
TlCt hto Missouri hn antad no ha attor.
ney for The sitting delegate before your commit
tee. The following are extracts from his deposi-
ton: -,-,-.-.-.-.-4.-4--
Il "P1iorto the election, in Burr Oak precinct
J in the XfVth district, on the 29th Of November
! 1854, had been a resident Of Missouri, and
} then determined, if found it necessary, to be
} come resident of Kansas Territory. On the
4 day previous to that election settled up m,
h board at my boarding horse, in st. Joseph'l
Missouri, and went over to the Territory, ant
took boarding with Mr.. Bryant, near whose house
the polls were held the next day, for one month
e 50 that might have it in MY power, by merel!
determining to do so. to become resident at the
: Territory on the day Of election.
= "When my name was proposed as Judge o
: Election, objections were made by two person:
i only. y ,*1Sia
: then publicly informed those present that had
!. claim in the Territory; that had .aaken boar
! in the Territory for month, and that l could
q at any moment become an actual resident ant
e legal voter in the Territory, and that woult
y do so If / concluded at any time during the da.
: that my vote would be necessary to carry tina
lprecnct in favor Of the Pro-Slavery candidst
IS fol delegate to Congress. \ did no
If during the day consider it necessary to become
d resident of the Territory for the purpose men
IS toned, and did not vote or offer to vote at tina
n election. ..,l
n "I held the office for City Attorney for st
o1 Josephs al that time, and had held it for thre
70 years previously and continued to hold 1t un
n til tins Spring. I" voted at an election
n in st. Joseph's in the Spring of 1855 and wa
ID re-appointed City Attorney. The question o
ID Slavery was put IN issue at the election OF No
:. vember, 1854 to the same extent as in ever
a, election in this territory Gen. Whitfield wa
10 regarded as the Pro-Slavery candidate for tn
j. Pro.Slavery party. ] regarded the question o
n Slavery as the primarily prominent issue at tina
s, election.
"It is my intention and the intention Of
a. great many other MissouTians now resident i
a, Missouri, whenever the slave issue is to be de
/. termined upon by the people Of this Territor
sa in the adoption Of the State constitution, to re
~ ~ move to this Territory in time to acquire tn
- right to become legal voters on that question
=. The leading purpose of our intended removal I
the Territory is to determine the domestic insti
ts tutions OF this territory, when it comes to be
,s Stats, and would not come but for that puI
:. - pose, and would never think Of coming her
~ but for that purpose. believe there are gres
Z, many in Missouri who are SO situated"
u The invasion ol Marsh 30,h left bot
Mt parties in state OF excitement, lending d
e. g rec.ly to produce violence. The successfr
ee Ss party was awless and reckless, while assum
'ss ing the name Of III Law and Order" pal
", The other party, a, frs. surprised an
mt confounded, was greatly irriia,ed, apd SOP,
ne resolved 20 proven, The success Of the iDvs
q q sion. In some Districts. as before s,a.e(
- protests were sem 10 the Governor; in OH
III ers This was prevented BY threats; in Other
ne BY the wan, Of time, only four days bein
Wy allowed by The proclamation for this pu
i. e. pose; and in olhrrs by he belief that ne
xn election would bring new invasion Abol
in the same. time, all classes Of men CONNER
ny ced bearing deadly weapons abou. the pe
n. ~ son. a practice which has continued 70 ,b
in time. Under these circums,ances. a slIql
in or accidental quarrel produced unusual VII
rs lsnce, and lewless acss became frequent;
nS' This evil condition Of The public mind W,
an lpr,her Increased by acts or violence
lp- Western Missouri, whore, in April, ney
le- paper press called The Pdrkpille Lun,inGr
4 was destroyed BY mob. IVA e h.