The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-02-07

November, 1854, and the Delegate took his
seat in the House of Represen tatlves without
challenge. If arrangements had been per-
fected by the Governor, so that the election
for members of the Legislstiye Assembly
might b. held in the several precincts at the
same time as for Delegate to Congress. any
question appertaning to the qualification of
the persons voting as people of the Territory.
would have passed necessarily and at once
under the supervision Of Congress. as the
Judge of the validity Of the return Of the Del
eea.e, and would have been determined be-
! fore conflicting passions had become infiamed
by time, and before opportunity could have
been afforded for systematic interference of
the people of individual Sla'cs.
+ This Interference, in 50 far as concerns It's
primary causes and It's immediate commence
ment. was one Of the incidents os that rerni-
cious a arisa.ion OF the subject Of the condition
of the coored persons I:eid to service in some
of the States which has SO long disturbed t.e
rarose Of our country, and excited indiVidu-
as. otherwise patriotic and law abiding %
toll with misdireered zeal in the attempt to
propagate their social theories by the perver-
sion aud abuse Of the powers OF Congress.
The persons and parties whom the tenor of
the act to organize the Territories of Nebraska
and Kansas, thwarted III their endeafor to i'm
pose, through the agency of Congress their
particular views of socal organization on The
tc3pla Of the future new States, now perceiE
lng that the policy of leaving the Inhabitants
CT each State to JUICE for themselves in this
respect Wa iueraiIcahly rooted in tie con
vctions of the people ot the Union, then had
recourse IL the pursuit ot their general OBJ
eet, to the extraordinary measure Of propa-
gaudi=t colonization OF the Territory OF Kan
sas 10 prevent the free and natural action Of
It's inhabitants IN lis internal organization. and
thus TO anticipate or to force the determination
of that question in this inchoase State.
With such views associations were organi
zed in some of the : -. and their purposes
were proclaimed throI5h the press IN language
extremely irritating and offensive to those OF
whom the coonists were to become tn neig gh
bors Those designs and acts had the nece>-
s5ry consequence 70 awaken emotions Of IN
ten e indi 1nation in the a'es near 70 the Ter
rtory Of Kansas, aud especially in the aiIoin
ing Safe OF Nj ssouri whose domestic peace
was thus most directly endangered; but they
are far from justifyins the Illegal and repre-
hensibie countermovements which ensued.
Under these inaus?Icious circumstances
tie primary elections for members of the LIE
gislative Assembly were held in most if not
all the precincts at the time and the places and
by the persons designated and appointed by
/
Angry accusations that illegal votes had
been polled abounded on all sides, and impu
tations were made both of fraud and vio
lence But the Governor, in the exercise Of
the power, AMI the discharge Of tho Gaty en-
ferred and imposed by law on him alone, of
ficisllv received and considered the returns,
declared large majority Of the members of
the Council and the House Of Representatives
duly elected; withheld certificates from 9th
ers because of alleged illegality of votes, ap-
! pointed new election TO supply the place Of
! the persons not certified, and thus at length,
in ali the forms OF statute and with his own
official Authorization, complete legality was
given to the first Legislative Assembly Of the
Territory.
Those decisions fthe returning officers snd
of the Governor are final, except that by the
parliamentary usage Of the country applied 20
the organic law, i may be concluded that
each House of the Assembly must have been
competent TO determine, in the last resort. the
qualifications and the election OF Its members.
The subject was by its nature. one appertain-
ing exclusively to the Jurisdiction of the local
authorizes of the Territory Whatever rreg-
ultrities may bave occurred in the elections.
/ II seems too late now to ,aise thar question.
At ali events il Is question as 10 which, nei-
Their now ror a. any previous time. has the
BY the Presdent of The United States For
a.I present purposes, the legislative body thus
constituted and elected, was the legitimate as
sem5ly OF the Territory.
Accordingly, the Governor, by Proel-ns-
tier. convened the Assembly thus elected to
meet a. 4 place called Pawnee City. TIE
two Houses mat. and were duly organized in
tire ordinary parliamentary form: each sent 20
and received frcrn tie Cover the official
communications usual on such occasions; an
elaborate message ureninI the session was
communicate by the Governor. and The gen
es-l business al legislation was entered upon
by the Legislative Assembly,
Il will oe perceived that if any constisui
t;oaal defect attached 10 the legislative acs Of
the Assembly it Is not pretended . consis,in
irregulsrtY Of the election or want OF quail
Nea:,on ot the members. but only in she
change Of Ifs place oi session. However
trivial tie obj-c,;aa NAV seem 10 be. il requires
10 b. considered, because uDon il is founded
All thai Superst-ueiuTe OF acts, plainly against
law. which now threatens the peace not only
of the Territory Of Kansas, but Of the I'm
ion.
. Such an objection 70 the proceedings Of the
Legislative Assembly of excepti3nable
origin, tor the reason that, by the expres,
terms Of the organic law. the seat of govern
ment of the Territory was located Tempora-
rily at Fort Lraven worth" and vet the Gov
ernor remained there himself less than two
months and of MS own discretion. transferred
the seat Of Government; TO the Shawnee Mis-
sion. where It in fact was at the time the AS
senblv Were called 20 meet at Pavnee Civ
II the Governor had any such right to change
temporarily the seat of government. still more
had he Legislative Assembly. The objection
is o: exceptional origin for the further reason
"a. ih.- nIacc Indicated hr the Goxernnr