Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-14
THE INVASION OF KANSAS.

should read and ponder.l
The first election of members for the Terri
torM Legislature of Kansas was fixed for the
30th of March, 1856, and the law of Congress
prescribed that at that election none but sac
tual residents OF the Territory should be al
lowed to vote. Yet, to prevent people of the
Territory themselves from exercising the right
to prohibit Slavery, which the Act of Con-
gress had conferred upon them, the slavehol-
ding interest sent armed bands of men from
the neighboring State of Missouri, who enter
ed the Territory on the day of election, took
possession of the polls, excluded the legal vo-
ters, and proceeded themselves to elect MEM
bers of the Legislature without the slightest
regard 10 the qualifications prescribed by law.
The Judges of election appointed uder the au-
thority Of the Administration at Washington
aided and abettcd in the perpetration of these
outrages upon the rights of the people of Kan
sas, and the President OF the United States re-
moved from office the Governor whom he had
himself appointed, after he refused to ac-
knowledge the Legislature which the slavehol-
ding invaders from Missouri had thus impos-
cd upon the Territory.
That Legislature met on the ID of July, 1850.
It's first act was to exclude those members, du-
| ~ elected, who would not consent to the en-
actment Of laws for the admission of Slavery
into the Territory. Having thus silenced all
| opposition to its behests, the Legislature pro-
| ceeded to the enactment of laws for the gov
ernmcnt of Kansas upon the subject of slave
~. The laws of Missouri in regard to it were
first extended over the Territory. Itwas then
enacted that every person who should raise an
nsurrection or rebellion of negroes in the
| Territory every person who should enticc a.
way slave with intent to procure his free
/ dom every person who should aid or assist in
| so enticiug away a slave within the Territory
and every person who should entice or carry
| away slave Of any other State or Territory
of the Union, and bring him within the Terri
tory OF Kansas, with the intent to effect or pro-
cure his freedom, upon the conviction thereof
should suffer DEATH. 1t was further enacted
that if any person should write, print or pub
liSh any book, paper. argument, opinion, ad
vice or inuendo, calculated to produce a dsor
DERBY, dangerous or rebellous disaffection a
mong the slaves in the Territory, or to induce
them to escape from their masters, he should
be deemed guilty of a FELONY, and be punish
ed by Imprisonment at hard labor for term
not less than FIVE YEARS; and that if any free
person, by speaking writing. should assert
maintain that persons have not the right to
hold slaves in that Territory; or should intro
duce or circulate any book, paper, pamphlet
or circular containing any such denial of the
right Of persons to hold slaves in that Terrific
ry--he should be deemed guilty of felony, and
be punished by imprisonment at hard labor for
term not less than two years. 1t was further
provided that all officers and attornies shall be
sworn not only to support the Constitution OF
the United States, but also to support and
tain the organic law of the Territory and the
Fugitive Slave law and that any person Of
fering TO vote shall be presumed to be entitled
to vote until the contrary IS shown and if any
one, when required, shall refuse to take the
oath TO sustain the Fugitive Slave law, he shall
not be permitted to vote. Although they pas
sed a law that none but an inhabitant, who had
paid tax, should vote, yet they required no
time Of residence necessary, and provided for
the immediate payment of poll-tax, so pro-
viding in effect, that on the eve of an election
the people of neighboring State could come
in in unlimited numbers, and by taking up
residence of day hour, pay poll-tax,
and thus become legal voters, and then after
voting, return to their own State. They thus
in practical effect, provided for the people of
Missouri to control elections at their pleasure,
and permitted such only of the real inhabi-
tants of the Territory to vote as are friendly
to the holding of slaves. And having made
these enactmcnts for the establishment of Sla-
very, the Legislature appointed, or provided
for the appointment, of Sheriffs, Judges and
other officers of the Territory for their en-
forcement, for several years TO come thus de-
priying the people of all power over the enact
ment of their own laws and the choice of Off
GERS for their execution.
That these despotic acts, even If they had
been passed by Legislature duly elected by |
the people of the Territory, would have been
null and void, inasmuch as they are plainly in I
violation of the Federal Constitution, is too /
clear for argument. Congress itself is express
IL forbidden by the Constitution of the United |
States to make any laws abridging the free |
dom of speech and of the press and it is alb
surd to suppose that a Territorial Legislature,
'NA''i-'> 80 80 it"41 "SiSSo, oiiouiu
not be subject to the restrictions. But
these laws were not enacted by the people of
Kansas. They were imposed upon them by
an armed force. Yet the President of the T.
nited States, in special message sent to Con-
gress on the 24th of January, 1856, declares
that they have been enacted by the duly con-
authorities of the Territory, and that
they are of binding obligation upon the peo-
pie thereof. And on the 11th of February,