Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1856-07-15

yon6 the danger Of repeal. The exci,emep,
which has always accompanied the discus.
sion OF the Slavery question wus area,ly In.
creassd by The hope on tho one hand Of ex.
tending Slavery into region from whicA it
had bsen excluded by Law; and on tho olher
BY sense oi wrong done by whs, waa "a.
Rarded as dlshonor Of na,ionsi compnc,.
This exci'eInsn, WINS naturally lransferred
iaio tho border counties OF Missouri and
The Terr!'CFv. as settlers favorina freq or
slave institutions moved into Il. Anew ,iif.
ficul,y soon occurred. Dlfaren, cons.ruc.
'ions were put upon .he organic law. liz
was commended by the ona pnr,y that The.
right TO hold slaves in the Territory existed,
and 'ha. neither the people nor tho Terrific,
rial Legislature could prohibit Slavery--,hst
that power was alone possessed BY The pso-
pie when they were authorized 10 form
State Government II was contendsd ,hst
the removal OF the restriction virtually 60,
,ablished slavery In the territory. This
claim was urged 6y many prominent ,nen
in Wes'sFn Missouri. who actively engaged
in the affairs Of the Territory. Every move,
ment '9f whatever character which tended
10 establish free institutions was regarded "A
an in,etferencs with their righs.
WithiR Few days aftaf The organic law
passed, end ~ soon as It's. passage cuud be-
known onthe border. .tieading ci,zens Of
Missouri crossed in,o. the Ten TORY, held
Squal,er mee,ing', and then returned 10 their
homes Among their resolutions are the
following: ~
"Tha, we will Offord projection to no Ab.
olisionis, aS a settler oi The Territory"
"Tha, We recognize the institution Of Sla.
very as already existing in this Tsrri,ory,
and advise Shareholders TO introduce their
property as early as possible"
Similar resolutions were passed In various
par.s Of the Territory. and BY meetings in
severa; coun,iesef Missouri. Thus The frs,
effec, OF the repeal OF The restriction against
Slavery was to-, substitute the resolves Of
squas.er meetings. composed slmos, excu.
sively OF cilizens Of a single state, for the
deliberate action Of Congress, acquiesced in
for thirty. FIVE years, t.. d. =
This unlawful interference hos been con.
,inued in everv important event in tho his,
tory Of The Territory; every election has
been controlled no, by the actual settlers.
bu, by citizens If Missouri, and 40 conse.
qusnce every officer in the territory, from,
cons'abies to legislators. exeep, those up.
pointed BY the President, owe their POSITIONS
10 nonresident volers. None have been,
elected by The sesIers. and ycur Committee
have beeL unable to find IhaI any political
power whatever. however unmporan,, has.
been exercised by The peopla of the territory.
In, Oc,ober, A. D. 1854, Gov. A. h. Reed.
e, and the other officers appointed by the
Presidan, arrived in The territory, Seulers
from parIs or, ,he country were moving
in, In etea. numbers. making their claims
and building their cabins. About the sams
lime, and before any election was or could,
be held in The territory. secre, political so,
cie,y was formed in The Sale OF Missouri.
U. l.was known by diff ren, names, such
as 'SociO! Band Friends Socis,y,' Blue
Lodge frhe Sppo Of The Soulh.' lis mem.
bers were bound together BY secret oo.hs.
and they had passwords. signs, and grips
by which they were known 10 each clher.
Penalties were imposed Tor violating the,
rules and secrets OF The Order. Wrllan
minutes were KEEP. Of the proceedings OF the
Lodges. and The diffsren, Lodges wsre con.
necled together by an effecuve organization.
1t embraced grea, numbers of. ..,he cilzsns
Of Missouri, and was extended into o.heL
: Slave States and into the Territory. lie
avowed purpose was not only TO extend sla.
very into Kansas. but also in.o other ,erri,o-
~ Of the United States, and 10 form union
Of al the friends Of that institution. La
plan Of operating was TO organize and send
men 10 vote at the elections in The territory,
: to- collect money 10 pay their expenses, and
If necessary 10 protect them in voting. Ii
also proposed TO induce Pro. Slavery men 10
. emprale into the territory. 10 aid and sus.
5 .uin Them while there, and to elect mona 10
y Off, 9 bu, those friendly TO their views. This
p dangerous society was controlled by men
= WHO ayowed their purp pose 10 extend slavery
= into the territory a, all hazards. aud wss el.
3 together The mos, effective ins,runspt ia,or
8 ganizina The subsequent armed invasions
!. and foruys. In ils Lodges in Missouri. tho
affairs Of Kansas were discussed, .he force
o necessary TO control the election wos divided
/! inro bands, and leaders selected. means were
70 collected! and signs and badges were sgresd
d upon. While The grea. body Of the actual
r seulsrs of the territory weln relying upon
n the rlghm secured 10 than bv the organic
I, law, and had formed no organization or com
y bina,ion whatever, even oil parry charac-
= TER. This conspiracy against their righls was
y gathering strength ia neighboring state
D. and would have been sdfficisn, q. their firsl
oi election 70 have uveypowersa them, II 'hey
q had been united lpa man., .
es Your Compiliee bad great difficulty Ii
d elci,inR ,be proof Of the deIoils in reRart
ID; 70 ,nis secra, society, One witness. mem
g., Der Of the Legislative Council, refused ~
10 answer questions in reference ioi,(2). An
G. other declined 10 answer fully, because 40 d
'e so would result v his injury (3). Osber'
o. could or would only answer as 10 ihe gener
u. al purposes Of the Society; bu, sufficisn, ID
H. disclosed in The testimony 10 show lhe inAo'
Ut encs !, had in controlling the elections in ,h,
n territory. .s<n
Ve The first election wns for delegate 4
g. Congress !, was appoinled, for The 29.h .
n November, 1854. The Governor divide'
" the iarr,ory in,o II Election Districts; ap