Squatter sovereign., 1856-09-02
A Letter of Hon. J. ". Whitfield.
~ THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS TERRI
TORY.
WAsHIrGroN. Aug.


Tho looo threatened act has been con-
no,ed by the reckless violence oi the
Rinek Republican party in the House OF
representatives, and /, IN violation oil the
ar.,,ution and the law, have been re-
~ Oo,nI from my seat as your delegate upon
,ss floor of Congress. 1t is an act with
~, parallel in the history Of this country,
and is calculated to excite alarm IN the
minds of all good men. But 1t more es-
pecialIy concerns you, to whom 1t has de-
MED the right OF selecting your own dele
gate 10 Congress, and you will soon De
called on to approve or condeinn Tue us
ffanchisement. If you are feauy ~
come the supple slave oil mad ana !ahat. Ia
ical party, you will approve II; but il you
are the independent freemen suppose you
TO be. you will condemn the enofmlty.
Rv the constitution of the United States
the House of Representatives IS the eS-
Jasiv. Judge Of the qualification OF It's own
m.nbers. But this power must be exer-
@,ed under er,sting ideps. In my case Ii
has been exercised not only without law,
hut in defiance of law. The House has
,ro,npl.d with violence upon all the princi-
nles heretofore considered necessary 10
puard and protect the representative lea
ture of our institutions.
In order that the contest OF my right to
me seat should have been LTgot one, |
must have had competitor at the election.
Il is conceded that Gov. Reed-r was not
candidate. Therefore, he is an intrud-
er, and had no more right TO initiate and
prosecute contest than any other citizen
Of the Territory for whom vote might
have been cast.
To have made such contest as Is
eOplemplated by the law, the contestant
should have claimed that he was entitled
pmy seat, in consequence OF votes cast
4, the election at which | was voted for.
l. is notorious that Gov. Reeder sets up
no such claim, but that all the claim To
which he pretended was founded upon
votes given him at different time.
3. AS was sworn in as your delegate
without any legal contest Of my right, l
had the right. under the constitution and
law, to remain your delegate during the
,chol. Congress, unless had been guilty
of some act which subjected me TO re-
moral.
4. The House has appointed commit
tee for political purposes, and this com
mit,ee has gathered together mass oil
heresay statements. that are not proof OF
transactions with which l had no concern,
aud which have nothing to do with my
election, and these hearsay statements
have been used as evidence in my case,
and made the pretext for my removal.
And thus, in a most unparalleled ma n
psx ,und in violation of the plain principles
Of right and Justice, has the act OF my
ELECTION from nv seat been consumated.
Although my expulsion concerns you, the
people Of Kansas, more directly. yet it al.
50 concerns the whole people of the United
States; for the party who have perpetrated
the act consider it only as one in a series
of measures with which they threaten the
peace and safety of the Union. You have
done nothing more than act pursuant to In
existing law of Congress, which organ
ICED the Territory and conferred upon you
the sovereign right to mould your own IN
sutions in your own way.
Under this law you elected Represen-
tatlves to the Territorial Legislature, and
they, in the exercise of an acknowledged
power. provided by a law Of the Territory,
Tor the election Of delegate to Congress,
AT the time by this law | was elected
without opposition; yet in defiance of this
TACT, and after | was regularly admitted 10
my Seat, have been removed-not really
because was not elected, but because it
has been necessary to the consummation
oi certain party and political objects, with
IN the States, that the laws ef Kansas
should be stricken down, and all the rights
which have arisen under them should be
destroyed, even to the denial OF the right
oil representation. These are serious and
Startling matters, and it becomes you TO
meet them like men conscious of your
rights and prepared to assert them by the
Peaceful but powerful remedy efthe bal
lot.box.
This party was compelled to halta little
10 Its career Of recklessness. There was
one thing which even ii could not do 1t
could not legislafe Gov. Reeder into Con-
sFess, although it iegisiaied me out. Yet
there were eighty-eight of those who COM
pose majority of the House who did
vote that hesshould be admitted TO the seat.
"a utter defiance of principle. preceden,
and law. These men who thus voted
when it is considered that Gov. Reedsr
was not candidate at any legal election.
and only claimed his seat in consequence
of votes cast at certain popular meetings,
held rifhout the authority of any la,c-
must have terrible responsibility to an
swer for before the bar of the country
Blu, | have now only to deal with results
and this resuk-ihe rejection of Governor
Reeder. because he was not elected at a
legal election-shows that had no COM
peIitor; that he was in no condition TO
challenge my right; and that it was only by
the employment ofthe mere force and vio-
ienee of party that 1 have lost my seat
II this action shall become a precedent
hereafter. it may be applied to the STATES,
aod profigate majority may deprive any
district in the United States Of the right of
Representations. There never was more
alarming and startling question presented
70 any people. And It viii be proud day
s:Or the people of Kansas when it shall be
y. ., tneH power to rebuke this outrage
sk Il l. Il