The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-06-04

receiving The protesfs, anu nearing the alir-
cations Of the parties, and inspecting the
returns, set aside the returns, and ordered
new elections in thute dist riots, 10 be beld
on the 24Ih Of May of that year. At this
second election three of the same persons
who had been returned as duly elected on
the 30Lh of March, and whose elections
had been set aside by the governor, were
re elected, and in the other districts differ
ent persons were elected than those who
received the largest number Of votes at the
general election on the 30th of March
Thus it appears that each one Of the twenty
ak representatives and thirteen councilmen
who assembled at Pawnee city on the ed
ofJuly, in obedience to the governors pro-
clamation, went there with bis commission
certifying that he had been duly elected
member Of the Kansas legislature. These
facts are all distinctly set forth in the ma
jority report, and no one Of them directly
contradicted in the report Of tie sniFority.
Now, let US see how the minority report
disposes Of these incontrOverLlble facts. 1t
says:
"The governor OF Kansas having in pursuance
70 law, divided the Territory iaio dists lets, aai
procured census thereof, issued his proclamation
or the election OF ategislative assembly therein TO
take place on the Both day of March, 1855, and d.
rected how the same should be conducted, and the
returns made to him agreeaby to the law tnblish
ing sald Territory. GA the day of election large
bodies of armed men from the State Of Missouri ap-
peared at the polls in Of the districts ami by
ost violent and tumultuous carriage and 9emean-
or overawed the detensesss inhabitants, AMI by
their own votes elected large majority of the mem.
bsrs OF both houses OF said assembly"
Not word about the eleven districts
where there were no contests and no COM
plaintsl Not word about the seven dis
triGts where there were contests, and com.
plants filed, and the election set aside By
the governor! Not word in regard to the
spe ciic number of districts to which the a..
legged invasion reached, and the number of
councilman and representatives whose elsc
tions were supposed to he effected by it l.
The minority report is not burdened with
such details as would convey to the mind Of
the reader distinct idea OF the real state Of
facts, from which the inference is attempted
TO be drswu that "kansas had been captu
red" In lieu of these facts, We have the
vague. unfounded statement that in ''most
of the districts" frau Is were prepetIated,
which controlled the election Of 50 large
majority of the members Of both houses of
the said assembly"
Most of the districta!" ga large ma
jority Of the membersl' Do seven oet of
eighteen constitute most of the distrcts?-
Do three councimen out OF thirteen, Gr nine
out Of twenty six representatives, constitute
a large majority? These vague. snsuppor-
ted declarations are intcrposed to break the
force of distinct statement of facts, the
truth Of which is sustained by the official
records, and the correctness Of which no
man can with truth question or deny.
The minority report continues thus:
"0n the returns Of said election being made to
the governor, protests and objections made 10
MIN III relation to part Of said districts; and to
them, he act aside sucl and such only, as by the
returns appeared to be bad"
| What is the inference? That the Cover.
nor did not 90 behind the certificate, and
only set the election aside because the Ger
tificate on its face was "bad?" Such is not
the fact. The governor did go behind the
certticates-did inquire into the regularity
of the proceedings, and the legality of the
votes, as well as tie form Of the cerii6cStes
But it so happened that. there having been
more OF less illegal votes cast in these seven
districts, the judges refused to to certify
in the form prescribed in the governors
proclams ton, and verify the same fy their
oaths.
In each Of Il other eleven districts where
the proceedings had been fa.r and regular.
the judges did make their returns in due
form, and, no protests being filed. no ale
cations Of fraud or illegal voting being
made. the governor granted certificates
as matter OF course, to the peison who had
had received The highest number Of legal
votes. This was the reason why, in every
case where there had been Illegal voting or
unfairness in the elections, there were omis-
sions or defects on the face of the returns,
showing that tn > judges appointed by Gov
| ernor Reeder would not certify and verify
the certificates by their oalhs that they
were all illegal voters wnen such was mol
the fact. This accounts for the coincidence
that in each case where thers were protests
or allegation of fraudulent or illegal voting
tiled, there appeared such defects or oms.
sionS on the face of the returns made by
The judges as raised the presumption that
the allegations were in some degree true -
But 1t does not by any means follow, nor is
it fact, as minated, although not directly
stated, in the minority report, that the gov
ernor cid not 60 behind the returns, but
confined his action to the defects and omis-
sivns apparent on their face.
The fact that the governor did 60 behind
the returns, and investigate the legality Of
the proceedings At the polls. is distinctly
stated in the report OF the minority of the
committee on credentials in the Kansas leg
lslature; and the evidence of this fact is set
forth in my report from the Committee on
Territories. Hence the intimation in the
minority report, that Governor Reeder ac-
ted only upon what appeared on ths face Of
the returns. and did NOT decide upon the le.
gslity Of the elections is NOT only unsup
ported by testimony. but expressly contra
dicted BY the record. Unwilling, however,
TO rely upon the assumption that seven out
of eighteen constitute most OF the DISTRICTS
and that the governor did not venture to 60
behind the returns to investigate fraudulent
voting, the minority re bort proceeds to as.
sign reasons why there we're no protests and
allegations Of illegal voting in the other
seven districts.
In continuation Of what ! last read. IL
says:
"In relation to others, covering, in all, majority
of the two houses, equally vicious in fact, but sp
parently good by formal returns, the inhabitants
thereof, borne down by said violence and intimida.
ton, scattered and discouraged and laborins under
apprehensions of personal violence, feirainef and
dessted from presenting any protest 70 hegoyeroS
In relation thereto; and he then unncEnied in