The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-03-06
From fhe Kansas IntsllIgsnesr (Free sAts. ;,
our Delegate TO Congress.

Andrew H. Reeder's chance for a seat
as Delegate from Kansas might admit Of
some speculation, but we think the anomol.
GUS course Of that gentlemen as the Gov. Ter
ritory and United States officer, from his fret
arrival in the Territory to the time Of his
dismissal by the President, would hardly
justify a belief that Congress could con.
Scientiously admit him.
Had some other good consistent Freesoil
man been sent to Washington instead of
Reeder-say DR.. Robinson, Judge Wake
field, Houston, and host of others consis-
tentin politics, :heir chance might have
been good, knowing as the world does by
what illegal acts Whitfield claims his seat;
at least if another consistent man had been
sent instead Of Reeder, their influence there
could have done much good for Kansas.
Governor Reeder has stood in false DO.
sition before the Free State party ever since
his first entry into Kansas; and finally when
dismissed by the President, the power that
called him into being as an officer, he ap.
Pealed to the sympathies of the Free State
party and induced many of them to believe
that he was martyr in the cause of freedom;
that Pier ce had dismissed him from office be-
cause he had stood up and maintained the
rights of the Free State party. 1t was not
SO; for as little confidence as we have in
President Pierce, we know that Pierce could
consistently with his duties do otherwise than
dismiss from Office Reeder, Elmore, Johnson
and Isaacs, for violating the laws and rules
prescribed for the government of the Terri
tory long before they came into power.
So far from Reeder being removed on
account of his Free State proclivites, every
act of his contradicts it.
Ifanything under heaven legalises Whit.
fields election and gives him title to seat
in Congress, it is Reeder, the very contest
ant himself.
Reeder knew, as the whole world knew,
that at the time that the Legislature which
ordered the time and place of electing De.
legate met at Pawnee, they were spurious
body of men, q majority elected by false
voters. Sensible as Governor Reeder was
of those facts, what does he do! Why he
sends in complimentary pro-slavery mess
age to this spurious body, recognizing them
as the legitimate body, to make laws, and
advising them to suppress abolitionism. He
says he is ready to cooperate with them
at Pawnee. We ask, now, up to that hour
where is the sacrifice of Reeder in behalf OF
Justice! much less ofliberty. Pawaee, near
Fort Riley, was certainly very improper
place for tho seat of government. 1t is at
the extremity of settlements, and near the
outside of where settlements can be ever
made, nearly two hundred miles from the
mouth of the Kansas river, and all supplies
had to be obtained from Missouri.
It is we'll known that Reeder had engag.
ed largely in speculation at Pawnee, and his
morbid propensity for speculation is his only
redeeming incident for recognizing that as
the legitimate Legislature. He was at that
time well pleased with that body of men, land
from his message he would have signed any
and every bill they might have passed there;
and the bill for election of Delegate with
! the rest.
1t may be said that Gov. Reeder stood up
for the Free State Party in ordering two OF
three new elections which did not change
the completion ofthe Legislative five
votes.
/ Now we ask when did Gov. Reeder COM
mence making his sacrifices in behalf of
liberty! Certainly not in ordering two or
three new elections, for in one of these
contested elections - that at Lawrence
city--he gave certificates to the Councilmen
who were elected by the same spurious
votesfrom Missouri,while refusing certificates
to the othersi so if he had intended any sac :
rifce in behalf OF justice he would have Sc
the whole election aside and continued to
do SO until he was satisfied that foreign
power was not overunning Kansas. Is his set.
| ting aside two or three elections a proof o.
his Freesoil proclivities! and does that enti
tie him to the sympathies of the Free State
party. If so, he strongly afterwards mani.
Tested his pro.savery attachments and pre-.
ferences until his dismissal from Office by
Pierce.
But this irresponsible body of men took il
into their heads that Pawnee was not con.
venient place to legislate, and that they
would adjourn to the Governors old quar-
ters at Shawnee Mission. But to this
the sensitive Governor to strict right ant
legal constructions demurred-they should
not remove from Pawnee-he sends in his
veto to the bill Of removal; but two thirdi
prevailed, and they removed to Shawnee. =
The Governor followed the Legislature, ant
continued to send in his vetoes on tha'
ground only to all the bills, still recognizing
them as. the legitimate Legislature but Al
ewrong place. ait4
/ Supposing Pierce had been disposed te
turn Gov. Reeder out for Freesoil proclivi-
ties, he could never have laid his finger on
one single wordof actto:haye proved Reed
er tobe in favor Of q free State
We sincerely depreciate the injury that
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