The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-17

ITO violating laws State or National the time
has come when such impositions must be dis
regarded, as your rights and property are in
danger; and advise you, one and ali, to enter
every election district in Kansas, in defiance OF
Reeder and his vile myrmidons, and vote, at the
point of the bowie-knife and revolver Neither
give nor take quarter, cur case demands it.
1t is enough that the slaveholdng interest Wills
it, from which there is no appeal. What right
has Governor Reeder to rule Missourians in
Kansas? His proclamation and prescribed
oath must be repudiated. 1t is your interest
to do so. Mind that Slavery is established
where it is not prohibited"
The Kansas Herald, an organ of both the
Administration and the Pro-Slavery party, an
nounced the result of the Legislative election in
the Territory Immediately afterwards as follows
yesterday was proud and glorious day for
the friends of Southern Rights. The triumph of
the Pro-Slavery party is complete and over
whelming. Come on, Southern men! Bring
your slaves, and fill up the Territoryi Kansas
is saved"
The Sguotter Sovereign, published in Missouri,
thus announced the result of the election, the
day after it closed:
INDEPENDENCE March 81, 1856.
"Several hundred emigrants from Kansas have
just entered our city. They were preceded by
the Westport and independence brass bands
They came in at the west side of the public
square, and proceeded entirely around it, the
bands cheering us with fine music, and the en-
igrants with good news. Immediately following
the bands were about two hundred horsemsn
in regular order; following these were one hun
dred and fifty wagons, carriages, &c. They
gave repeated cheers for Kansas and Missouri.
They report that not an Anti-Slavery man will
be in the Legislature of Kansas. We have made
clean sweep"
letter written at Brunswick, in Missouri,
dated April Goth, 1855, and published in tie
New York Herald Pro-Slavery journal, says
that " from five to seven thousand men started
from Missouri to attend the election, some to
remove, but the most to return to their families,
with an intention, if they liked the Territory, to
make it their permanent abode, at the earliest
moment practicable. But they intended to vote.
The Missourians were, many of them, Douglas
men. There were $50 voters from this county,
l75 from Howard 100 from Cooper. Indeed,
every county furnished its quota; and when
they set out, it looked like an army. y
They were armed. And, as there
were no houses in the Territory, they carried
tents. Their mission was a peaceabe one-to
vote, and to drive down stakes for their future
homes. After the election some 1900 of the
voters sent committee to Mr.. Reeder, to ascer-
tain if it was his purpose to ratify the election.
He answered that it was and said the majority
at an election must carry the day. But II is
not to be denied that the l 800, experimenting
that the Governor might attempt to play the
tyrant-since his conduct had already been in
sidious and unjust-wore on their hats punches
of hemp. They were resolved if tyrant, at
tempted to trample upon the rights of the SOW
ereign people, to hang him."
On the 10Th of May, 1855, the Squatter iSoper-
eiga, an organ of the invasion in Missouri, thus
gave utterance to its spirit:
"From reports now received of Reeder, he
never intends returning to our borders.
Should he do so, we, without hesitation, say
that our people ought to hang him by the neck,
like traitorOus dog as he is, so soon he puts
his unhallowed feet upon our shores.
"Vindicate your characters and the Territory
and should the ungrateful dog dare to come
among us again, hang him to the first rotten
tree.
"a military force to protect the ballot box
Let President Pierce, or Governor Reeder, or
any other power, attempt such course in this,
or any portion of the Union, and that day will
never be forgotten"
Governor Reeder, at Easton, in Pennsylvania,
on his first return to that place after the cleo
tons, declared the same result in frank and can
did words, which cost him his Office namely: u
1T was indeed too true that Kansas had been
invaded, conquered, subjugated, by an armed
force from beyond her borders, led on by ia
natical spirit, trampling under foot the prnci-
Piles of the Kansas bill and the right of suffrage"
The Honorable David r. Atchison, a direct and
out-spoken man, who never shrinks from response
bility, and who is confessedly eminent at once as
political leader in Missouri and as a leader
against Kansas, in speech reported as having
been made to his fellow-citizens, and which, so
far as know, has not been disavowed, said
81 saw it with my own eyes. These men
came with the avowed purpose of driving or
expelling you from the Territory. What did
advise you to do2 Why, meet them at their
own game. When the first election came off,
told you to go over and vote. You did so, and
beat them. We, our party in Kansas, nominated
General Whitfield. They, the Aboltionists,
nominated Flenniken not Flanagan, for Ffan-
egan was a good, honest man. but Flenni-
ken. WE'LL the next day after the election, that
that same Flenniken, with three hundred Of his
voters, left the Territory, and has never re-
turned-no, never returned
"Well, what next? Why, an election for
members of the Legislature, to organize the
Territory, must be held. What did I advise
you to do then2 Why, meet them on their
own ground, and beat them at their own game
again; and, cold and inclement as the weather
was, went over with a company of men. My
object in going was not to vote; had not
right to vote, unless | had disfranchised myself
in Missouri. | was not within two miles of
voting place. My object in going was not to
vote, but to settle difficulty between two Of
our candidates; and Abolitionists of the North
said, and published it abroad that Atchson was
there with bowie knife and revolver, and by God
twas true 1 never did 60 into that Territory,
never intend to go into that Territory, without
being prepared for all such kind of cattle. Well,
we beat them; and Gov. Reeder gave certif-
Gates to majority of all the members of both
Houses; and them after they were organized, as
everybody will admit, they were the only COM
petent persons to say who were and who were
not members of the same
A tree is known by it's fruits. If Missourians
voted in Kansas it would be expected that the
ballots deposited would exceed the number of
electors. Just so it was. We have seen that it
was so asserted. The Executive Journal recent
ly obtained, proves that in four districts, where
the results were not contested, 1864 votes were
cast on the 30th of March, although only 1865
voters were there, as ascertained by the census.
Again The Legislature chosen on the Goth of
March, 1855, withdrew from the interior of the
Territory to place announcement to its citizens,
and on the border of Missouri. There that Legis-
iature enacted laws to this effect, namely forbid
ding the speaking, writing, or printing, or pub
fishing, of anything, in any form, calculated to
disaffect slaves, or induce them to escape under
pain of not less than five years imprisonment with
hard labor; and forbidding free persons froms
maintaining, by speech, writing, or printing, or
publishing, that slaves cannot lawfully be held
in the Territory, under pain of imprisonment and
hard labor two years.
The Legislature further enacted, that no per-
son " conscientiously opposed to holding slaves"
or entertaining doubts Of the legal existence of
Slavery in Kansas, shall sit as a juror in the
trial OF any cause founded on a breach of the
laws which have described. They further pro-
vided, that all officers and attorneys SHOULD be
sworn, not only to support the Constitution Of
the United States, but also to support md sus-
tain the organic lar Of the TerritorI antkthe En-