Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-29

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February, and the election was in the following
March. BY the census there were but about
three thousand legal voters Yet at the elec.
tion about six thousand votes were polled
while large number Of residents did not vote
owing to the threatened violence of the elec.
ton and every member elected to the Legis.
lature at that time, save one, belonged to the
pro-slavery party. Is it to be supposed that
at fair election in that Territory but one free
State man would be elected to the Legislature
out of thirty-nine members, and that he should
be in the district furthest removed from Mis-
souri, But passing by the election for mem
bers OF the Legislature, desire to call atten-
ton to their official acts, for these are the first
fruits of popular sovereignty, as established by
the repeal OF the Missouri compromise With
out inquring into the validity of that Legisla-
ture on account of the mode of its election, or
by reason of its changing the seat of govern
ment TO Shawnee Mission, the legislation itself
is sufficient justification for the free State men
OF Kansas to appeal, in the mode they have
adopted, to Congress, to secure to them their
rights and privileges
| This Legislature, imposed upon Kansas bv
non-residents, has disfranchised large class of
its citizens, and deprived them of the right of
| holding office, or of practicng as attorney at
law In the courts, by imposing as condition,
nnwarranted oaths to support particular laws
| of Congress or of the Legislature, thereby de-
stroying freedom of opinion and the right of
| private Judgment as to the constitutionality of
the laws of the country, which is the birthright
of an American citizen.
Mr.. SMITH, of Virginia Quote the acts.
Mr.. GROW That is what propose to
/ do. The voter if required must swear, in ad-
dltion to other things, to sustain the fugitive
| slave law before he can vote-an unheard-of
requlsiton to require voter anywhere under
our form OF government to swear to support
any particular law as a condition to vote for
/ in most cases the very object of his going to
the polls is to secure the repeal or modification
OF such laws as he considers unconstitutional or
unjust. And every person elected or appoint
ed to office in the Territory must take the same
oath. 10 be admitted to practice as attorney
In the courts the applicant must swear to :" sup
| port the Constitution of the United States and
to support and sustain the provisions of an act
entitled an act to organize the Territories of
| Nebraska and Kansas, and the provisions of
an act commonly known as the fugitive slave
| law" and to which | understand the court has
added all the laws of the Territorial Legis-
| lature
The Legislature has appointed or provided
for the appointment of ali officers not already
appointed by the General Government, for
terms OF from two to five years, including sher-
! IFS, conStables, justices of the peace, county
commissioners, and election boards. So that
there is not an officer in the Territory of Kan
sas to-day, of any kind or description, civil
military, or judicial, except the thirteen mem
| berS Of the council, who hold their Offices for
two years, in the selection of which the peo-
pie of the Territory have had any voice. nor
can they have under present regulations till the
fall of 1857. The Legislature has prolonged
its own existence by legislative act till the Is
Of January, 1888, SO there can be no change in
the laws till after that time This is the pop
ular sovereignty that leaves the people per
fectly free to form and regulate their domes-
tic institutions in their own way And under
! these circumstances the people of Kansas are
are assured by the President that the con-
stitutionat means OF relieving the people of pn
/ just administration and laws by change of
/ public agents and by repeal are ample"
| But, in addition TO invading the right of
| private Judgment, and OF dcpriving the people
of all voice in the selection of their rulers, the
| Legislature has struck down freedom of speech,
| freedom OF the press, and the inalienabe rights
| OF men, and enacted into law q dcSpotiSm as
! CALLING, if not as odious as that Of the House
| of Hapsburg. The rights OF freemen are tram
| pied under foot, while the right 10 slave pro-
! perty is shielded and protected by the highest
| sanctions Of law. The penalty for advising or
assisting an apprentice to run away from his
master is fine of not less than $40 nor
| more than $500 but for cnticing or carry
ing away a slave, death, or ten years imprison-
ment.
| For harboring or concealing an dppreHiice
one dollar for each days concealment but for
| harbOring or conceaiing a slave not less than
| Eve years Imprisonment at hard labor.
| For advising or Persnadtng an apprentice TO
| rcbei against or asSauh his master. not less
| than $40. nor more than $500 but for Gdri-
| siRg or perSuading a slave to rebel DEATH.
| kidnapping free man and selling him into
| slavery. an otfense that should receive the Sc
verest punishment known 10 the criminal calen-
| dar, unless il be for taking lfe-and i know
| not as that should he excepted for what gra-
yer offense against the laws Of a civilized COM
munity could be committed. than TO seize a
peaceable citizen reposng upon its protection,
and place upon him the chain and the manacIe.
| and then conSign him to hopeless bondage
| vet the penalty for such an offenSe under the
| laws of Kansas is Not to sxcecd ten years i'm
. priSonment while death is the penalty for i'd
iEg or assisting IA pcrsaadlHg slave to obtain
| his freedom
For decoying and carrying away child un-
| der twelve years of age, in order to defaiH or
conceal it from its parents. Imprisonment not to
| exceed fve years, on six months i'm county Jail
| or 6na of S5fO at the dsSfrption of tho court
Even the innocence and hclpessness of child
hood finds less protection under the sanction Of
these laws than is given to the right of pro-
/, perty claimed in the souls and bodies of men.
A. MEMBER They do not sell the souls.