Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-03-14

or MAssAcHUsETTs.
IN SENATE, February 10, 1856.
A message 6rom the President Of
he United States Was receiUd
By the Henate, inciosing n report
from the Secretary Of state, on
the eristing state Of q6airs in
Kansas.
cGNcLuDEo.
MIR Gayer of Missouri interrupt
ed Mr.. Wilson to say that Atchlson
went to Kansas to make peace.
Mr.. WILsoS. / place, SIR the
written declaration Of Gen. Pume-
roy, a gentleman thoroughly conycr-
sant with affairs IN Kansas, and
gentleman Of the atrlclest yeracIty-
against the statement Of the Sena-
tor from Missouri The facts stated
in this memorial, drawn up 10y Gen.
Pomeroy have been published TO the
world, and never to my knowledge
questioned before. That Gen. Atch-
ison entered Kansas at that election
! do not entertain the shadow of
doubt That it can be clearly es-
,ablished ty persons Of veraclty and
character am assured 10y gentlemen
now in this city from Kansas.
Sir, do not wish TO do injustice
to the gentleman who so recently hl-
led your chair. Wien Congress as.
semblcd in December, 1854, he was
not here aud YOU, sir, were placed
in the seat which the Senate had as
signed to him. He came here after
wards, spent a few weeks, ard about
the lst Of February lett the capital
for his home IN western Missouri,
with the avowal that he went to look
after affairs in Kansas, and to organ
ize for the election to take place on
the 3Oth OF March. Gen. Atchison
was the organizing, moving spirit of
that Missouri movement from which
all Of these unlawful transactions have
originated.
congratulate the Senate and the
country, that the honorable Senator
from Missouri is sensitive in regard
to the position of Gen. Atchison -
1t is now admitted that there was an
unlawful invasion Of Kansas by excl
ted and armed men, and that the
late President of the Senate lett his
home IN western Missouri, and pas
sed over into Kansas, and used his
personal influence with these men he
had once organized, to prevent their
imbruing their hands in the blood of
the people Of Kansas, and making
Lawrence a heap of ruins | con-
graduate the Senate aud The country,
that the Senator from MissouT has
made the statement TO which we have
listened. | hope it will 90 forth to
the country, thai the late President
of the Senate went over to Kansas,
not to aid Shannon in executing the
laws, but to restrain the men who
were threatening Lawrence wlthswli,
destruction.
When yielded the floor yesler-
day for an adjournment, was speak
ing of the election of the 30lh of
March, 1855. The result of that
election was, that the nineteen dis
trlcts in Kansas were carried 10y the
prosIayery party, aud that more than
six thousand votes were given in that
Territory, where, thirty days before,
there were less than three thousand
voters.
The question was put yesterday
I by the honorable Senator from Con-
neclicnt, why the Governor gave Ger
ifcaies OF election on that occasion ?
! will simply say, that Governor
lteedor, IN the cases brought before
him, did refuse to deliver the cerli-
Gates that he made the refusal in
the presence of the men who claim
ed them, with bowie knives and re-
volvers in their belts, and amidst
threats of his life and while he read
the statement lie held cooked re-
volyer ia his hand for necessary self
defense. There were few devoted
friends around him expecting to see
him murdered on that occasion. In
the cases not, at the time, contested
in the cases where, at the time, no
one dared 10 raise a quesllon-ln the
cases where, at the time, contest
was neglected. the certificates were
given. A new election was ordered
IN those cases where the certificates
were set aside, and in pursuance
thereof, the people elected roprcsen-
latIyes and councillors, and comnls-
sions were issued TO them. They
met on the I'd day of July at Paw
nee, and both branches OF the le-
gislature, without examining the facts,
and positively refusing to do so, yo-
ted out the men chosen by the peo-
pie OF Kansas, and voted in the men
originally chosen by the Missouri In-
yaders The Legislature, thus chos-
EN-, moved the place Of meeting from
Pawnee to Shawnee Mission, against
the consent Of the Governor, who
refused afterwards TO recognize 1t as