The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-02
Misstatements Corrected.

We have Just finished the perussi OF 2
letter in the Christian Advocate, pub
lished at St. Louis, which claims 10 make
certain corrections in regard to the state
ments of the public press as to the ac-
ton of the baronial Legislature, aad the
laws enacted by that body.
Among other charges for which the
press is arraigned, it IS claimed that We
have represented that officers were elect.
ed for our government for sir years,
when they were only chosen for four
years. As regards the facts in this case
we have only the authority of the writer,
and the uerbal statements of friend who
has taken the trouble TO examine the re-
cords at the Shawnee Mission. The
claws" have never been published, and
the only thing we have seen was the
printed bill of the body while it was
pending before them Six years was the
period mentioned in the bill but the
probability seems to be that they were
amended. and made four years before
their fnal passage. So far as the laws
are concerned they are quite as offensive
TO freemen as though it had been six, or
even hundred years for We are denied
the choice of our own rulers and might
as well live under a menarchical govern
ment as republican if We can have no
voice in the election of our magistrates.
Butthe writer claims further, that they
did not appoint only few of the county
officers, for instances a probate Judge,
Sheriff, and two Commissioners, who,
together with the Judge, should consti-
tute a tribunal for the transaction of
county business" I" 1t seems that he for
got to tell his "brother of the Advocate" !"
that this Judge and the two Commission
ers were empowered to appoint oH the
other officers OF the county, including
Clerks, Justices, Constables, DC, and
tina. these Judges and Commissioners"
were more Objectionable with the people.
if possible, than the bogus Legislature
itself, and that those of Douglas Coun-
ty" appointed such things as Hugh Cam
eron Justice of the Peace.
The writer also forgot to tell his read
ers that it was expressly declared by a
leading member in his seat, when these
bills were pending there, that the object
in appointing these officers, and for such
a length of time, was to get tools who
would do their bidding. ''lf we should
leave it to the people to elect their own
officers" said our eminent law-giver,
Sin such counties as Douglas they would
elect men who would nullify the acts of
the Legislature, and set our authority at
defiance" He might have said with
truth that every county in the Terri
tory would have done the same for not
single district was represented in that
Legislative body by the person of their
choice-consequeudy they spurned its
dictation.
While upon this subject we may state
that the free State press has been charged
with another misrepresentation-that of
asserting that the right of suffrage was
sold indiscriminately to all persons for
bonus of one dollar. The assertion is
truthful. although it takes two distinct
laws of those Solons to establish the fact.
The act provides that certain persons.
inhabitants of the Territory, who shall
have paid Territorial tax shall be enti-
tied 10 vote for all elective officers
Another act, and the only one we be-
lieve which pretends to levy a tax on any
person, is poll tax of one dollar on each
voter. In some districts at the election
for Whitfield this feature was complied
with and the dollar was paid, in others it
was wholly disregarded. The Judges in
most Of the districts decided that any
person in the Territory, it made no diff
ference how long he had been here, or
how soon he in;ended to leave, was an
.'inhabitant" within the meaning of the
law, and consequently oU persons who
presented themselves at such polls and
paid one dollar were permitted 10 vote.
Such, we are happy to say for the honor
of the Judges, was not the decision in
this election precinct.
We are anxious to get a copy of the
claws" as soon as possible that we may
examine them. 1t will then afford us
great pleasure to make any corrections
which may be demanded in regard to the
bogus Legislature but we must concede
at the outset that we have little hope of
finding them better than they have been
represented. We are apprehensive il in
Justice has been done them it was for not