New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-07-28
REPORT or THE Committee ON
ELECTIONS ON THE KANSAS CoH-
TESTED SFAT.
TESTED SEA


W.sHIseros, Friday, July IS, 1885.
Following IL the Report Of the Committee on Eiec-
tio1s on the Kansas contested seat:
REPORT.
The Committee on Elections, who have mao a"re'
corsid, ration the memorial Of A. H. Reeder Gaming
the seat A. delegate from the Territory OF Kansas no.
held byJ w. Whitfield al the report Of the oPecuai
Committee appointed investigate the troubles N Tue
T, niory Of Kan.as with the accompanying evidences
LOW submit the following Report thereon;
yonr Committee believe that all the CONCLUSIONS as
N ,p.,rs Of fact arrived at by the sid Speciai CON-
i,,ee are clearly and ncontrovertiby established oy
the tstin ony in the case. Among those conciuson7'
aplcsble 10 the question Of the seat in controversy
between J. W. Whitfield and A. Fl. Reeder, are the
following: ,, a..
seanic or ale ged Territorial law, has been car leo ~
on aplz. inv aston from Missouri by whcntne PePe
of the Territory have been prevented IRON eAe'o's
the rights 5. cured TO them by the organic la"' IN,
That the alleged Territorial Legislature VI an le
galy constituted body, ana had no power W PaSs
Sshd laws and their ensenents are therefore nun anu
void. III. s.,.r.,a
That the cotton under which the sitting delegate,
Join W. Whitfield, holos his seat, was not neiu IN
pursuance If any valid law aud that snouu g.
garc % only AZ the expression OF the choice vi "
Iesid. ut ciiizeDs Who voted for bun. ,.- AL.
That the elect on undtr which the contts'ing 9ele
gate Andrew H. Reeder Claims his seat, vas not ne'a
in pursuance of law and that 1t should DE iesMoso
only as the expression OF the resident ciu]en'
That Ar drew II. Reeder received q greater number
of votes Of resident citizens than John W. h'ne'o
for delegate. - Ct;
That in the present condition Of the Territory FAIR
election cannot be held without q new census, 9 sum
gent and well guarded election law, the seecuon OF
10 partial ju gss. and the presence OF o"'so os'e
tltops at every place Of election.
In vie W of h.se conclusions that the eecuon Oh j.
W. Whitfield was without any authority 81 law, anu
that he comes here az the choice OF only minority vi
the Re sioept cizens Of Kansas, you Comunt.es ~
eide that be IL Lot entitled the seat when ne hoiis
AZ ID, IL ate from the Territory OF kanss
The ii. ction unoer which A. II. Reeder CLAIMS was
equally without authority of law, but nasmacn a. ne
come. tere AZ the choice of much larger nunoer OF
TIE r. sidept citizens Of KaBsas than the numoet oi
those who voted for j. w. Whitfield, your COMMITTEE
recomu az that be be admitted to seat a. DeeSa'e
| from the Territory Of Kansas. 49,,
The Office of a delegation from q Territory Is not
r,sted nv the Constitution. Such delesa are not
members Of the House. aud have no votes 10 us oeo
eratioDs They received as mater oi is'oi, a.
| orgal through whom may be communicated the pm
ions and wiehes Of the people Of the Territories IL
compet If for the House and this power has been oten
exercised to admit private parties TO De head
| il b, coupse Ii must be equally competent TOT tne
house at it's discretion, Ia admit any person 70
In behalf of the people Of tie Territories IL may u
Il SECS 6t admit more than one such persor from each
| T.rrtory Under ordinary circumstances, no case
calling for the exercise OF this di tonary power WI
aise. In all the laws creating Territories ProvsoI
l. made for the election Of Delegates to Congress- ana
the pt ope Of the Tenitoies having the opportunity
TO be beard through sucb Delegates, and by men0ra
AID petition under the general PROVISIONS VI Tue YIN
stuiou, could not ask to be ht ara throuSn any
| agency In the present case, however, the people o.
the Territory of Kansas have been deprived OF the
power TO make strictly legal election OF Deiese,e
ty an inv sson from Missouri which has subVerted the
Territorial Government aud annihiated It's Legislative
lower To deny Ka sas the right TO be hearo throug
ire choice Of its resident citizens merely because ina
ct oc. was unaffected outede of legal forms ana ne
| c,s,arily co. because the law making power was de
,uoytd by foreign violence, is to deny to NAMES
the II, lit be heard at all on the floor OF the House
| Your Committee cannot recommend 70 the House u
declare that the seat of the Delegate from hanssS
| vacant snd TO order that election be held Iht
objections to such omme Ddaton are OBVIOUS anc
nsupe rabe. No Law exists in Kansas for the election
of Del. alton to Congress the provision on that SUP
ect ia the organic Law having reference only 10 ,he
tint ee ciop and no Territorial law for such an cleo
ton can be enacted for the plain reason that the law
max pg power Of that Territory hiss been subverted oy
| usurpaiion To seLd this Gaze back TO the people
Kantss for n, e ction is merely TO invite repetI
ton of the scenes of at October and 1t Bqute certain
that at the next sesion of Congress- some person woa
seaip appear, claiming election uooer rerntora
| laws which your Committee regard as nul ties, WINE
some other person would gaio appear claiming nes
election the choice, outside OF any laws OF ms
| jorty If the people.
| United States to enact law, unoer which legal elsc
| ton of q Delegate from Kansas could be effected
| should such q law be enacted, and should delegate
elected under i appear here your Committee csnno
doubt that he should be ana would be admitted 10
81 at But in the meantime, and until such an election
il ordered ard held, yeur Committee are Of opinion
that Kansas is entitled TO be heard the floor of h
| House, by the agent chosen by majority OF be
| cit 'z,D
Your Committee, therefore, recommend the adoption
| Of the folio wing resolutions:
Reloir5 Ths John w. Whitfield 10 not entitled 70 seat Il
this ouse delegate from the Territory Of Kansas
Rooted That Andrew Ree-er be admitted to seat OF
this Hooi q delegate from the Territory OF Kansas