Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-08-20
LETTER OF HON. JOHN W. WHITFIELD.
WAsHIEGTOH, Aug. 4, 1856


ted by The recklessness of the Black Republican
party in the House of Representatives. aud |, in
violation of the Constitution and the law, have
been removed from my seat as your delegate up
on the floor Of Congress. II is an act without
parallel in the history of this country. and it Is
calculated to excite alarm in The minds of oil
good men. But it more especially concerns you,
to whom it has denied the right OF selecting
your own delegate to Congress, and You will
soon be called Oh 10 condemn or approve the
disfranchisement II you are ready TO become
the supple slaves of Il mad and fanalcal party.
you will approve it; but if you are the indepen-
dent freempn suppose you to BE-, You will con-
dcmn the enormiiy.
By the Constitution Of the United States,
the House Of Representatives is exclusive judge
of the qualifications of its own members. But
this power must be exercised under e.riSting
Mcs. In my case it has been exercised not on
w without law, bat in defiance of law. The
House has tra,npled with violence upon all the
principles heretofore considered necessary to
guard and protect the representative feature Of
our institutions.
l. In order that the contest Of my right to The
seat should have been legal one. must have
had competitor at the election. Its conceded
that Gov Reeder was not 4 candidate. There
fore, he is an Intruder. and had more right to
initiate and prosecute Il contest than ny other
citizen of the Territory for whom vote might
have been cast.
2 To have made such n contest as IS conlclE-
plated bv the law, Tic contestant should laSa
claimed that he VAS entitled 10 ny seal, ln con
sequence of votes cast ut the election 4; which
was voted for. 1t is notorious that Coy. Recder
sets up no such claim, but that ali the claim to
which he pretended was founded upon votes
given him 1T different time.
3. AS | was sworn in as your delegate, With
out any legal contest Of my right, had the
right, under the constitution and law, to remain
your delegate during the sohols Congress, u"cs>
had been guilty Of some act which subjected
me to remOGa.
t. The House has appointed committee for
political purposes, and this committee has gath
cred together mass OF heresay statements, hat
are not proof Of transactions with which had
no concern, and which have nothing to do with
my election, and these hercsay statements have
been used rs evidence in my case, and made the
pretext for my removal.
And thus, in most unparalleled manner, and
in violation Of the plain principles Of right and
justice, has the act of my election from my seat
been consummacd. Although my expulsion
concerns you, the people of Kansas, more d.
rectly, yeLit also concerns the. whole people OF
the United States, for the party. who have per
-petrnied tho act ronsider-itenly as~one in a-se-
ries of measures with which they threaten the
pence and safety of the Union. You have done
nothing more than act pursuant 20 an existing
law of Congress, which organized the Territ"-
ry and conferred upon you the sovereign right
to mould your own Institutions in your own way.
Under this law you elected representatives TO
the territorial legislature, and they, in ths exer-
else of an acknowledged power, provided, by
law of the territory, for the election Of 4 dele
gate 70 Congress- At the time fixed by this
law was elected without opposition: yet, in de-
tiance of this fact, and after was regularly nd
mitted to my seat, have been reInoved-not
really because was not elected, but because it
has become necessary TO the consnmnlaliOn of
certain party and political objects. within the
States that the laws OF Kansas should be strick-
en- down, and all the rights which have arisen
undor them should be destroyed, even TO de-
NAL Of the right Of representation. These are
serious and startling matters, and it becomes
you 10 meet them like men conscious OF your
rights and prepared to assert them by the peace
ful but powerful remedy Of the ballot box.
This party was compelled to halt little in
its career of reckessness. There was one
thing which even it could not do. 1t could not
legisatc Gov. Reedcr into Congress- although it
legislated me out Yet there were eighty ght
OF those who compose majority Of the House
who did vote that he should be admitted 10
seat, in defiance of principle, precedence, and
law. These men who thus voed-when it Is
conceded that Gov. Reeder WAS not candidate
ut any legal election, and only claimed lis seat
in consequence Of votes cast ut certain popular
meetings, held ,citkom the authority Of any la'0-
must have terrible responsibility to answer for
before the bar of the country. But have now
only to deal with the results; and this result
the rejection of Gov. Reedrr because he was
elected at a legal eection-shows that had no
competitor; aud that it was only by the en.
ploymcnt of the mere force and violence of
party that haze lost my seat. If this action
shall become precedent hereafter, it may be
applied to the States and protligate minority
may deprive any district in the United States of
the right Of representation. There was never
a more alarming and startling question presented
to the people. And it will be proud day for
the people of Kansas when it shall be in their
power to rebukc this outrage. Although they
shall do so on their own account, yet they shall
do 80 no less on account, of every congressional
OlStIlcL III Tie OnlOU.
shall return Immediately home, and fully ex.
plain these matters to you, s" that you nay act
with fnll knowledge Of the whole of them. Al
the proper time II ne~ election will be ordered,
at which shall be again candidate, because
in my person this outrage has been offered to
you shall expect You to arenge ii; and this
trust, is not expecting too much III The hands
of liberal and enlightened constituency.
Very respectfully, JW. WHITFIELD.
NORTH CAROLINA ELEcTIoN.-Thc Whining
ton Herald, (know Nothing), of last Monday
surrenders, Internationally, as regards North
Carolina. The Journal, (Dcm) of tho same
place, exults as follows
"From the seaboard to the mountains the
peaceful battle has been waged, and the decisive
issue made at the ballot box The smoke Of
the contest is now clearing off, and the result is
becoming know. 1t is n result of which all may
we'll he proud North Carolina sends greetings
to her sister Of the Soulh-she sends greeting
to the conservative men Of the North, and she
proolaims by acts and majorilies which speak
louder than words, that she is ready. That
when tile day Of trial comes she can be depen-
dcd upon She will spea: even louder and more
empbatically in November next"
New CorToN.-The first bale of the new
crop reached Charleston on Friday last. it was
consigned to the house of E. Fl. Rogers & Co.,
and is from the plantation of George Norris, OF
Orangeburg District.
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