Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-07-07
Thirty Fourth GOngresS--Ffrst sess.
,yasuIyGToN. July ]. 1856.


ling on the President for information relative to
The proclamation Of martial law. and the arrest of
the Judge Of tho District Court of Washington
Territory by Coy. Stevens. Mr.. Collsmer sub
mitted the minority report from the committee
IN Territories on The Kansas question. 1t was
read and ordered TO be printed. Mr.. Thompson
of kentucky. spoke somewhat in favor of the bill
reported yesterday. Mr.. Bigler and Mr.. Hale OPP
posed the bill.
Mr.. Adams moved to amend the bill by striking
out the part which gives the right of suffrage to
all persons who shall have filed declaration Of
intention to become citizens of the United States,
in compliance with the naturalization laws. Mr..
Crttenden favored the amendment. The Senate
then adjourned
House. Mr.. Barclay moved a reconsideration
of the vote rejecting the Kansas bill Mr.. Hous-
ton moved to table the motion. Nothing further
was dooe with the subject, it being superseded by
the majority report OF the Kansas Investigating
Committee which was read.
The report shows that as the bill to
ganize the Territory of Kansas was passed, "a large
number Of the citizens IF Missouri went with the
Territory, and held squaiter meetings passed res
olutions denouncing abolionsm, and declaring
that slavery existed therein.
In the autumn OF 1854, secret political soce-
ty, called the Blue Lodge. wa, forned--the plan
Of operations, oaths etc, of which given by
the report. This Lodge controlled the subsequent
movements and invasions on the part of the Mis-
sourians
At the election on November Doth. 1854, for II
delegate to Congress, there was no fraud except
in the sparsey settled aud remote districts where
citizens of Missouri appeared and voted. Details
III relation to these facts are given in the report,
which says it is reduced to mathematical pIocs
ion that seventeen hundred illegal and non resi-
dent votes cast by citizens of Missouri and
p hundred
votes. Whitfield received plurality, and would
have been elected without the aid of his Missouri
friends.
Doring the winter, very great excitement exs
ted ON account Of the invasion; public meetings
were held, and much bitter feeling manites
ted. In Fehruerv, 1855 census was taken, and
the number of legal voters was ascertained to be
1905. 1t was also discovered that the Both of
March, 1855, several days before the eleolion,ao'
tive preparations went on in Missouri. where
complete organization was affected
Leaders appointed tents. provisions, am
munitions and arms distributed and the forces
were divided into companies in Missouri; and on
the day of election at least 5000 citizens of Mis-
souri,, it Is testified took up their line of march
for Kansas Companies went into every council
and representative district of that Territory bat
one. The great mass of testimony consists in
detailing the acts and sayings of these compa-
MES.
The Investigating Committee had before them
the poll books, census rolls, etc, showing who
were legal as well "a who were illegal voters and
from accurate aud almost absolute proofs, it APP
peared that Of about 6.}0O votes 5000 of those
were non-residens. The majority of members
! Of both House of the Legislative Assembly, the
| Committee say,would have been Free State men
| had there been no invasion of Mi-,ourans. The
Governor set aside the result Of the elections IN
some of the districts on account OF lntornaIi'e-
| new election took place therein On the I'D OF
| MAY, but this did affect the the result. Free
! State men were chosen in these districts, except
| Leaypnworth, where there was illegal voting.
The Committee took large mass of testimo
ny regarding the proceedings of the Legislative
l Assembly, which they say are characterized by
| recklessness and injustice. They likewise speak
| of the crimes such murders and robberes,
! which frequent saying that in no case, with
! the exception of McRae, ia free State man, was
there any arrest, indictment, or prosecution tor
| those offences.
The report contains complete and full details
ofeverything connected with the Territory of
Kansas. prior 10 the 10Th of March last, and says
it is clearly and distinctly proven that Samuel D..
Jones' the Sheriff. was the cause Of recent dis
! turbances in which he SO prominently figured
/, Mr.. Oliver. of Missouri Zone of the inyesga-
| ting Committed made speech in the 18th dis
trict. but did not vote, although he went over
with one of the companies from that State into
! Kansas.
The conclusions of the Committee are that
each of the elections in Kansas were carried by
invasions from Missourl-that the Legislative
Assembly is an illegaity constituted body, and
therefore has no power to pass valid laws. The
election of }. W. Whitfield was not held under
any valid law, nor the election of Reeder
held in accordance with law. The Committee
suggested no remedy.
The report treats of distractions thrown in the
way of the Committee, and of the general vic.
lence which prevails in the Territory. 1t is We
ry vouminoas and is signed by Messrs. Sherman
and Howard.
The House then adjourned.
rHsO THE STOCKHOLDERS of The CsTl