The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-17

some millions of money, in acquiring the re-
mainder of Mexico, by just having the Govern
or of the adjoining Territory issue his procla-
nation, and include it in his territorial limits
as reservation. Verify, sir, it is given to a
citizen of Nebraska to discover this new means
of territorial acquisition--by means of which
we can stop all ilibustering, and peaceably &C.
quire Cuba and all the land adjoining to US.
But, why are not those men living on the
halfbreed lands just as legal voters as any in
the Territory?
They were assessed, and can be compelled to
pay taxes to the Territorial Government. Then,
why not be allowed to vote? May be, sir, among
the many strange doctrines that are coming In
fashion with the present ruling powers of this
Territory of Nebraska, that the old doctrine of
taxation without representation, quite unpopu-
lar eighty years ago, is to be revived and put
in force.
A similar state of facts existed in the half
breed lands In Lee county, Iowa, and the set
tiers right to vote there never was question
ed; neither would it have been questioned in
this instance, by this party. serving Board of
Territorial Canvassers, had it been supposed
the vote on this halfbreed tract was given TO
Chapman.
This correspondent must not be understood
to say that half-breed Indians voted for Ben
nett, (such being the impression he leaves on
the minds of your readers, for no halfbreed
Indians voted at the election at all; and all the
persons living on the hafbreed tract, who
voted at all, voted at legally constituted poll,
situated in the same county, (Richardson,) off
the said half-breed lands.
And, sir, even admitting that illegal votes
from the half breed tract were cast for Bennett.
ask, had Board of Canvassers the right TO
investigate it? Can Board of Canvassers con-
stitute themselves court of investigation. and
try the legality Of an election? Is not that DOW.
er vested somewhere else
1t seems to me, sir, if the Board had that
power, there is but little necessity in any au-
thority in the House of Representatives to be
the sole judge of the election returns and the
qualifications of its own members
That Territorial Board of Canvassers. com.
posed of T. b. Cunning, Secretary of the Terri
tory, B. p. Rankin, Treasurer, and C. b. Smith.
Auditor, all of them active and warm support
ers OF Chapman's election, and unscrupulous
in their opposition to Bennett, met on the Odd
OF November, 1855, lone of them, at the time
having large bets out against the election of
Bennett;) and it is true, as your correspondent
says, they invited Judge Bradley and General
Estabrook to be present during the canvass,
and did ask the advice of those candid and hon.
orable gentlemen with regard to some of the
official returns, dia not all Of them and it is
equally true, sir, that those two gentlemen said
that the returns from Douglas county (which
gave to Chapman the greater part of his ma
yorlty In the Territory were as informal and
illegal as any returns on file; but, as their opin.
ions on that point were not asked by the Board.
and, moreover, being contrary to the wishes of
the Board, OF course no weight was attached to
them, and the return was passed over in silence
but the opinions OF these gentlemen were the
very best OF authority with the Board, when
they favored any informalities in returns which
gave to Bennett a majority
BY such procedure on the part of that Board
OF Canvassers were the returns from five coun-
ties, which gave to Bennett in the aggregate
one hundred and one majority, reected-redu.
cling his true majority of thirteen, in the whole
Territory, to a minus quantity, and declaring
Chapman elected by lightweight majority.
That Is allowing the people to govern and
control their own domestic concerns" that is
iSqudtter SOrereignty with vengeance.
There IS another feature in the action of this
consistent Board of Canvassers which is worthy
of remark.
Notwithstanding the returns fi15r Delegates to
Congress and for members to the Territorial
Legislature were all made together under the
same certificate from each county, vet this very
Just Board could refuse to consider them, SO
Tar as related to the vote for Delegate to Con-
gress, but secured and considered them as legal
returns with regard to legislative officers. If
illegal In the one instance, being a part of the
same return, why not in the other?
AS regards the vote in Richardson county be.
ing cast for Henri p. instead of Hiram p Ben
nett, that is false. There was proper testimony
before the Board, from the Clerk who certified
to the official return, to the effect that the wri-
ting OF Henri p. instead of Hiram P. Bennett
was clearly clerical error, and, being such,
should have been corrected by the Board, and
not been permitted to defeat the will, distinctly
expressed, of over hundred voters of the Ter
ritory.
1t may be proper here to say, that all the off
ces of the Territory were filled by executive APP
pointments; and from the least to the greatest,
with few honorable exceptions, were filled by
men who were active in their opposition to
Bennett until this election, and had every op-
portunity, after it, in making the returns, to
practice fraud, and cheat Bennett out of his
true majority.
do not say they all practced fraud against
Bennett, in making out and sending up the re-
turns; but / do say they had the opportunity
to do so-and large majority of them were
his bitter opposers
How the House of Representatives will de-
termine the matter, remains to be seen bat it
seems to me, if sufficient evidence is placed
before it, that Bennett had a majority of the
votes of the Territory, notwithstanding the re-
turns made to the Board of Canvassers may
have been somewhat informal, that the House
will consult the aoiU of the People, and not al
low any little technicaEties of the law to step
between them and their choice of man to rep
resent them, but at once give to Bennett the
seat as Delegate to Congress from the Territory
of Nebraska, to which he is Justly entitled by a
true majority of thirteen votes
Yours, &C.,