The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-07-23
AFFAIRS or KANSAS.

AFFAIRS or KANSAS.
Repers Of she Investigating Co.-
aistse.
Confinued.
The committee say that they have felt it
70 he their duty not only to inquire into aud
collect evidence in regard to force and
fraud attempted and practised in the cleo
tons in the Territory, but also into the facts
and pretexts BY which this force and fraud
had bsen excused and justified.
For this purpose (thcy say your commit
tee have allowed the declaration OF nom
resident veters to be given as evidence in
their own behalf; also, the declarations OF
all who came up the Missouri river ~ emf
grants in March, 1855, whether they voted OF
not, and whether they came into the Terri
tory ct all or not; and also the rumors
which were circulated among the people OF
Missouri previous 70 the election. The great
body Of the testimony taken at tho Instance
Of til sitting delegate is Of this character.
When the declarations Of parties passing up
the river were offered in evidence, your CON-
mittee received them upon the distinct state
U~ut tuut thcy WOulu VIC cACluuCU unless Tue
persons making the declarations were bv
other proofs shown to have been connected
with he election. This proof vas not made,
and therefore much Of this class of testi-
mony is incompetent by the rules of law,
but is allowed to remain, rs tending to show
the cause Of the action OK the citizens Of
Missouri.
The alleged causes Of thee invasion of
- 80
ing charges:
|. That the New England Aid Society Of
Boston was then importing into the Territory
large numbers of men, merely Cor thb pur-
pose Of controlling the elections that they
came Without women, children, and baggage.
went into the Territory, voted, and returned
again.
II. phss men were hired in the Eastern
or Northern States, or induced to 60 to the
Territory, solsly "a vote, AID not to settle,
and by 90 doil6 td nafy it . free State.
Ill. Th3a the Governor Of the Territory
purpo ,el! postpoaa4 the day Of election to
allow this imniGsdtlpn to arrive, and notified
the Emigrant. Aid Society md persons in the
Eastern States .ef the day cf the election
before he gave notiss to tho people Of Mis-
souri, md the Territory.
That these chargaS Fereindustriously cir
culated; that grosslyexaggerated statements
we're made in regard to them that the news
paper press and leading men in public meet
ings in Western Missouri, aided in one case
By q chaplain OF the United States army,
gave currency and credit to them, and thus
excited the people, and induced many vol
meaning citizens Of Missouri to move into
the Territory to meet and repel the alleged
Eastern paupers and abolitionists, 10 fully
proven by many witnesses. :.
Tn committee then proceed to shsw, on
the testimony Of documents and oncers Of
the Emigrant Aid Society ,'as we'll ~ Of facts
which they aldace, that th4se .chdiges are
not sustained by the proof. s-As to the first
specific charge, they argue that : large pro-
portion Of the settlers sent before the cleo
ton under the auspices Of the society were
women and. children, that they carried con-
siderable baggage, and that though some,
dissatisfied with the country, returned to
their CID homes, majority remained in the
Territory. The second charge they charac-
terizc rs devoid VI any substantive proof,
aud tie third they assert 10 be " entirely
groun LESS" In fact, Us to the motives
wh.A. led to the charges themselves, they
say:
~ lur COMMITTEES are satisfied that these
charges were made the mere pretext to in
dace IN armed invasion into the Territory as
"A means to control the election and establish
slavery there
The invasion Of March 3Oth left both par
ties in a state Of excitement, tending directly
to produce violence. The successful party
Was itwicss and reckless, while assuming the
aaue OF the ''L,w aud Order" party. Inc
other party, ~ first surprised and confound-
ed, ~ greatly irritatei, and some resolved
TO prevent the success Of the invasion. In
some districts, IS before stated, protests
were sent to ths Governor; in others this
was prevented 10y threats in others by tn.
want Ut time, only four days being allowed
by tho proclamation for this purpose; and in
Others by the belief that new election would
bring in new invasion. About the sams
time, all classes Of men commenced bearing
deadly weapons abolt the person, 4 practice
whicli has continued to this time. Under
these circumstances, a slight or accidental
quarrel produced unusual violence, and law :
less a;ts became frequent. This evil canti4
ton Of the public mind was further increased
by ass of violence in Western Missouri,
Where, IN April, u newspaper press called
"Fhc Parkvills Lusninary," MAS destroyed
By q mob.
ABB the same time, Malcolm Clark IS
saullei Cole McCrea at . sqoAtter meeting
in Leavenworth. AMI was shot BY MuCrsa IL
alleged self-defcnse.
On ,he 18th day Of May, VIM. Phillips, I
lnwycr OF LeAvenwor,h, was 6rst notified t.
lease, and upon his refusal, was forcibly
seized and taken across the river, and carries
several miles into Missouri, and then tarree
and feAthered and one side Of his hea.
shaved, and other gross indignities put upol
his person.
Previous to the outrage public meeting
was held, ut which resolutions were unani
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