The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-04-23

Tie Senate, as an committee ottjte Wboie
having taken up for consideration the biI
to authorize the people Of tie Territory q
Kansos to form constitution and STATE
government, preparatory to the admission
t;,sto the Union, a0hen they haze the requisite
Ipoputottom-
Continued.
But, sir, said that I would not take
time in the discussion of these minor
lpoints which my colleague desired to
bring into the debate, overlooking the
great question at issue. My colleague
states that question in these words:
''The great fact remains, and it is not
met by the report that the people Of Kan
sas have been conquered, as the Governor
himself once said, and Legislature has
been imposed upon them by violence.
Without denying this the report, to use
a legal phrase demurs to the declaration,
thereby admitting the charge, but deny
ling that it affords any reason why the acts
of such a Legislature should not be en-
forced"
Is ii true that the great fact remains
undenied that Kansas was conquered? Is
it true that the report demurs to this alle-
cation, and thereby admits its truth? In
what part of the report is such an admis-
sion to be found p? What line, what word
in the report, gives the slightest pretext
for such an assertion? On the contrary,
the report of the committee not only de-
nies, but disproves the truth OF such q
charge so eonclusively, that no man is
excusable for repeating it. So over
whelming is the proof Of the majority re-
port on this point, that the only mode in
which the minority could avoid or break
its force was by suppressingahe testimo-
ny which disproved the truth Of the allie
cation. / am aware that it is grave
and serious matter to state that the minor
ity report suppresses the evidence which
conclusively disproves the truth of the al
legation that Kansas was conquered in
order to arriye at a conclusion which could
never have been rendered plausible except
by the suppression of the facts as they
lappear On record and in official journals
| But make the declaration boldly, with
full consciousness of all its responsible
ties, and with willingness and ability at
all times to make good the proposition to
the entire satisfaction of all fair and i'm
partial minds.
The facts as presented in the majority
report, and proven 10y official and incon-
| troyertible evidence, are, that of the eigh-
teen election districts into which Kan
sas was divided, allegations of violence
and Illegal voting were made in seven,
while there was not at the time any pre-
text of fraud, violence, Or Illegal voting in
the other eleven districts. The election
was held on the 30th of March, 1855, un-
der the proclamation of Governor Reeder
and in pursuance of the rules and regula-
tions prescribed by him. The proclama-
tion provided among other things, that
Gin case any person or persons shall dis
pute the fairness or correctness of the re-
turn of any election district, they shall
make written statement, directed to the
Governor, and setting forth the specific
cause of complaint or errors in the con-
Quoting or returning Of the election in
said district, signed by not less than ten
qualified voters of the Territory, and with
an affidavit of one or more qualified voters
to the truth of the fact therein stated;
and the said complaint and affidavit
shall be presented to the Governor on or
before the 5th day of April next, when
the proper proceedings will be taken to
hear and decide such complaint
In view of this direct invitation on the
part of the Governor, to all men who were
dissatisfied with the result, to contest the
election, and the assurance that he would
hear and decide such complaint, " it does
not appear from any source that ten men
were ever found in any one of the eleven
districts who were willing to signthe state
ment, or any one man who was willing to
swear to the truth of the statement that
there had been fraud, violence, or illegal
voting in any one of these eleven districts!
Such statements were made and presented
to the Governor in reference to some Of
the precincts in seven of the eighteen dis
tricts, but none in the other eleven. These
facts are distinctly set forth in the major
Iity report, and conelusiveiy proved by
reference to the official papers. While
these facts are cautiously concealed in the
minority report, aud the vague charge oi
fraud and violence substituted for them in
general terms, there is no specific denia
of any one of these facts-no pretense
that the election was contested in any one
of those eleven districts, or any man found
to make the charge, much less to swear
to the truth of it, as required by the Gov
srnor in his proclamation. These clever
districts, where there were no contests anc
no complaints fled with the Governor
elected large majority of both branches
of the Legislature, to wit: Ten of thu
thirteen councimen and seventeen of tht
twenty-six representatives, of which, By
q the organic law of the Territory, the Leg
islature was composed, and a majority .
5 whom were to constitute a legal quorum
for the transaction of Legislative business
/