Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1856-08-06
CONGRESSIONAL.

WAsHrScroS. July 3i-SESArE.-The
Senate confirmed. without opposition. the
appointment Of Col. Geary as Governor ol
Kansas.
HousE.-Bill providing for the settle.
ment Of claims of officers OF the revolu-
ton. and of widows and orphans OF those
who have died in the service OF the II. s,
was taken up and debated at length.
The Kansas contested election case
was taken up.
Mr.. Washburne. Of Me-. maintained
that the election of Whitfield was with
out the authority OF law. and that he
comes here as a choice OF a minority only
of the residents of Kansas, therefore he is
not entitled TO a sea. rs delegate. The
election under which Mr.. Reeder claimed
a seat was equally without authority. but
inasmuch as he is the choice of larger
number of residents than those who voted
for w hitfield. the Comuiittee recommend
that he be admitted TO a seat.
To deny In Kansas the right 10 t,e heard
through the choSe OF lis resident citizens
merely because thai choice was manifest
ed outside of the .egal form. and necessa.
rily so, because ihe law making power
was destroyed by foreign violence. is 10
deny TO Kansas the righ. to te heard at
all on the floor of the House.
Mr. Smith. OF Tenn, called attention TO
the fact that the Committee on elections
in other contested cases had reported a
resolution that the contestant was entitled
to his seat. but in this they recommend
that Mr.. Reeder be admitted. Was might
or right here 10 pretai'
Mr.. Washburne repeated that neither
Mr.. Whitfield nor Mr.. Reeder was chosen
by the existing law. In the present case
the Committee had followed the prece.
dent set concerning Wisconsin and Min.
nesota Territories. Ii was competent for
the House TO admit Reeder as delegate
Smith said Reeder had no legal right,
yet you would admit him.
Stephens. takingiss with Washturne.
remarked that where there is legally or.
ganized territorial government. some per.
son must be. under law, entitled TO a seat.
In the case referred 10 by the gentleman
from Maine, there was no organized gov
eminent. but in Kansas provision is made
by law for the election OF delegate, there.
fore the precedent did not apply.
In the course cf hts rct:iarks he alluded
to the adoption Of Sherman's amendment
TO the army appropriation bin, saying a
majority Of the House had thus evinced
their desire 10 strike down the main pillar
of liberiy-namely. the right Of the REQ.
pie TO bear arms, as secured by the Con.
stiuiion. When he saw such things. be
alnost desraired Of Anything being done
in behalf Of law and order. the Conslilu-
ton being regarded as no longer binding
Sherman replied 10 Oliver Of Missour.
is minority report. and maintained the
truth Of the statements set forth by the
majority concerning the r.asicns by Mis.
sourians. and their violent control OF elec.
lions, tramphng On the rights of resident
votefs. lie argued ,ha, the teriedy for
the free state men by judicial process in
Kansas, is Utterly futile. He would vote
for unseating Whitfield, because the lat
ter represented the fo.ees that invaded
Kansas. The laws Of that territory lie
gally passed out to be repealed. the mill
Tia disarmed. and the whole federal treas
ure, II necessa'y, expended to keep the
peace.
Savage insisted that the whole transaction
in ia origin Was an assault upon the Cons,i
tation and laws Of the United States. and in ia
progress was an assault on justice asa truth
Instead ~ fscss, the report Of The rsiority o
the Kansas Investigating Commitlee was
compound ef the gro-sest psrfislity. rnisrepre
seniation aud ialsehood. not 70 say perjury -
lie proceeded 10 show that the report was en-
titled 10 no credit, as I. vas conirsdieted b,
the records % the ezsf. The statements yer
base he said, and surpassed the hctitioos sto
rec Of Mrreta1sen. Gniiiser. and the ArabiaI
Nights. To the traitorous and bloody move
Dents - emgrant aid societies. and other
vho supported them. must be attributed al
the horrible events IN Kansas.
Like gamblers. they resort 70 the bovi
knife and grab game. four rrillions OF fedora
money being the stake for which they are nos
eondueting the Presidential campaign. Ifsni
Northern men say they have better men. NO
men and agrieulturc than the South. he va
ready 10 tell them they lie from the bottom o
tiesr shoss