The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-04-12

l
ISLANDERS everywhere, rather than submit
to dishonor. and felt that he must hold
Office, if at all, unbribed, unbought-no
mans tool and no mans slave-is the
best evidence of his integrity and probi-
ty that could have.possibly been furnish
ed.
The gentleman from Georgia-Mr.
Stephens, has denounced Governor Reed
er with great vehemence, and declared
that. if what he-Governor Reeder-
now alleges, be true, he has acted most
inconsistently and dishonorably, and
fallen to the lowest depths of "infamy
and degradation - as if, when called
upon to act upon such records and facts
as were legally before him, and when he
was bound officially to decide upon the
question as then presented, he might not
honestly do what, at later time, and
upon further proofs, should appear to
have been erroneous. Would any gen
tleman like to be judged by the rule
which is here invoked for the condemna-
ton of Governor Reeder? Sir, differ
from the gentleman in my deductions
from what he AYERS was the conduct of
Governor Reeder. If what he soys be
true, and the Governor, upon full knowl
edge, and such as he could actupon, was
brave and strong enough to do what then
appeared right, even though at the ex-
pense of impeaching the correctness of
lis previous action, | say all honor to
him. And, sir, if what I see in the
newspapers be true, this was the xiew
which was taken of Governor Reeder
and of his official course, down to the
latest moment, by the President and his
official advisers. do not know how it
is,and | will not say that the report which
| am about to ailude to is correct. l
have had no communication with Gov
ornor Reeder, or information from him
or any of his friends upon the subject;
but will say thai. | have seen it stated
in the newspapers that, after all these
things charged against him had transpir-
ed, and were we'll known at Washington;
after he had reached, as the gentleman
from Georgia says. the lowest depths of
infamy and degradation, the President
did that which implied the most unlimi-
ted confidence in, and the highest re-
spect for, him. | have seen it stated that
the President, at the time when he must
have been in the possession of all the
facts upon which he defendsthe removal
of Governor Reeder, in order to induce
him to resign, did offer him, directly or
indirectly, in some such way, presume,
as Presidents are said to hay~ for doing
these things, foreign appointment Of
the highest grade, and importing, as l
have said, unabated confidence in his
character,-a mission to China, believe
it was said, in the first place and that
not proving sufficient inducement, the
appointment of Minister to the Court
OF st. James. l repeat, do not know
how this thing is, but | have seen the
statement which [ have made, or one
substantially like it, in the public jour
mails, and have never seen a contradic-
ton, although the ''Union'' has been
challenged to contradict it. Ii true,
Gov. Reeder has been indorsed by the
President to the fullest extent, because it
is not to be supposed that he would think
for moment of sending abroad to fill
one of the highest places in the gift of
the Executive. an unworthy or dishonest
man. But il he rendered such an ap-
pointment to man known by him to be
seoundrel. then, submit, he has him.
self fathomed the depths of degradation
and infamy, not only such as the late
Governor of Kansas never explored. but
lower than plummet ever sounded. Gen.
tlemen may take either horn of the di-
lemma.
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t'The next question, Mr.. Speaker,
which will consider is this: Granting
the truth of the charges and allegations
in the memorial of Governor Reeder,
has the House authority to inquire into
the fact whether there was or was not
Legislature in Kansas, by which laws
were or could be enacted in reference to
elections in that Territory, binding upon
the people and upon this House? That
has been made the great question in this
debate. The minority of the committee
deny that the House possesses this pow
er They deny it in the report, as well
as in the paper attached thereto submit
ted by General Whitfield, and which
they nave substantially adopted as part
of their report. the minority say. 1t
will be assuming jurisdiction which we
do not believe properly belongs to us.
and will be establishing, for the fir. t time
in our history. principle and prece-
dent of most dangerous tendency but
not half SO dangerous, would suggest,
as would be established, if we, by re-
fusing to assume jurisdiction, should de-
eide that fraud and violence in elections
where the rights of our members are
concerned. no matter how gross nor how
well vouched, are matters into which
we have no power to inquire.
..Before entering upon the considera-
ton of this question, there IS point
made by the minority; to which | wish to
say few words. 1t is this: that there
are no parties before the House on whose
motion the inquiry proposed can be IN
situated. They assert that neither Gov
ernor Reeder nor the people of Kansas
are properly here and that the House.
upon its own motion. can only inquire IS
to the qualifications of members, and
not to the elections and returns. To
this reply that, in the first place, Gov
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