True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-07-16


Mr.. Reeder in accordance with law. The
Committee suggest no remedy. The re-
port alludes to Instructions thrown in the
way of the Committee, and to the general
violence which prevails in the Territory.
1t is understood that the report Of the
minority (oIiver of Missouri.) will be
presented in a few days. We copy the
concluding portion of the majority report,
Abiding TO the difficulty of arriving at
the facts of the case, the committee
says:
In some cases, and as to one entire elec-
tiOn district, the condition ofthe country,
prevented the attendance of Witnesses,
who were either arrested or detained
while obeying our process, or deferred
from so doing. The sergeant at arms
who served the process upon them was
himself arrested, and detained for short
time by an armed force, claiming to be a
part Of the posse of the Marshal, but was
allowed to proceed upon an examination
of his papers, and was furnished with a
pass signed by Warren d Wilkes, of
South Carolina John Ubton, anoth-
er officer Of The Committee, was subse-
quently stopped by a lawless force on the
borders of The Territory, and after being
disarmed and treated with great indig-
nalion was released He also was fur
niShed with a pass signed by two citizens
of Missouri, and addressed to pro sla.
very men, BY reason Of these distur-
Dances we were delayed in Westport so
that while in session there our time was
but partially occupied.
But the obstruction which created the
most serious embarrassment TO your COM
miltee was the attempted arrest Of Gov.
Reeder, the conteStiDg delegate, upon a
writ of attachment is sued against him BY
Judge Lecompte, to compel his atten'
dance as a witness before the Grand Jury
of Douglass county. William Fame, re-
Gently from the State. of Georgia, and
claiming to be the Deputy Marshal, came
into the room of The committee while Gov
Reeder was examining witness before
us, and producing the writ, required Gov
Reeder to attend him. Subsequent events
have only strengthened the conviction o.
your committee that this was wanton
and unlawful interference by the Judge
who issued the writ tending greatly tt
obstruct (nll and fair investigations
Gov. Reeder, Gardened Whitfield alone
were fully possessed of that local informa
ton which would enable US 10 elicit th'
: whole truth and il was obvious TO ever,
} one that any event which would seperat
| either of them from the committee woul'
necessarily hinder delay and embarras
it. Gov Reeder claimed that under tn
circumstances in which he was placed h
was privileged from arrest except for trea
son, felony, or breach Of the peace. A
this was question of privilege, prope
!. for the courts, for the privileged perso
alone to determine upon his peril, we de
e clincd 10 give any protection or take an
G action in the matter. He refused to ube
The writ, believing it to be mere pre-
: tence to get the custody of his person, an
J fearing, as he alledged, that he would b
J. assassinated by lawIess bands of men the
! gathering in and near I.ecompton. Ii
- then left the Territory.
= Subsequently II. Miles Moore, an a
Al torney in Leavenworth City, but for SCI
Is eral years a citizen of Weston, Mo-, kinc
|, IL furnished the Committee, informatc
;. as to the residence Of persons voting
- the elections, and in some cases examine
~ witnesses before us. He was arrestt
VI on TIE streets of that town by an arm(
c. band of about thirty men headed by '
in D. Wilkes, without any color of auIho
Il ity. confined with other citizens, under
- ~ military guard for twenty four hours, al
'o then notified to leave the Territory.
p His testimony was regarded as imporiar
of and upon his sworn statement that
in would endanger his person to give
~ openly, the majority of your commit
- deemed it important to examine him
o. parte and did so. ...
n, By reason of these occurrences, {
r. contestant, and party with and for who
he acted, were unrepresented before
during greater portion of the time, a
ps your Committee were required 10 asct
DE tain the truth in the best manner tn
nd could.
ID. Your Committee report the followi
=. facts and conclusions as established
the testimony:
ne First-That such election in the 7
is ritory held under the organic or ailedg
N. Territorial law has been carried by
ia. ganizcd invasions from the State Of N
e souri,, by which the people Of the TIE
W. tory have been prevented from exercis
'ry the rights secured 10 them by the org
ex. ic law.
ost Second-That the alleged Terrific
or, Legislature was an Illegally conslitr
body, and had no power 10 pass v
'm' laws. and their enactments are theIeI
100 null and void
,ri. Third-That these alledged laws h
the not as a general thing been used 10
49,, leci persons and property and to puI
:. lave wrong, but Tor unlawful purposes.
lis Fourth-that the election under wi
p the sitting delegate, John W. Whit
|, Of holds his seat, was not held in pursua
or Of any valid law, and that it shoul,
" regarded only as the expression Of
'eu- choice Of those resident citizens who
'ck- ted for him. ..
H. Linl, sflaI Il,n nlecliAn mnder ,vl