The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-05-31
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON. WILLIAM SMITH,


On Kansas affairs delivered in the House Of Represents
tiyes, March IL, 1856.
The resolution reported from the Committee of Elections
In the conesiedeeeton from the Territory OF Kansas
\ being under consideration,
Mr. SAITH, of Virginia, said ask the attention of the
House for the short time that shall occupy the floor
too unwe TO be here and respectfully ask their close
attention am sure this House ought to be desirous as
the guardians Of our great public interests to perform
their trusts as TO advance the happiness Of the people who
have sent us here this House ought not and
nope they will not establish any precedens dangerous In
their character or destructive to the best interests of the
| country. .........
Mr. Speaker know the country knows that the prop
ostion which is now substantially before the House. and
under consideration is the proposition upon the part Of
the Committee of Elections There have been various mod
idcatons proposed but still the fact remains gentle
men all understand j and the only proposition really be-
fore is TO send to Kansas for persons and papers, and
bring them here enable the committee pass upon the
legality of the election of the sitting delegate in this House
from that Territory. ~. ........a.
say that the question in fact and the only question
before u.s. for am not of those who to contend
that the sitting delegate is entitled to his seat right
wrong. Nor do mean TO contend that sitting member
may not be oused from his seat without any
claiming the right to occupy it. willing to concede
that much and take occasion to say that if appear to
this House that the sitting delegate is not entitled to his
seat ne ought to be turned out even there is no person
| contesting his election. aI f.
There precedents for this opinion and what Is more
there are reasons for it, do not to raise any ques
ton upon the point Itseems TO it is clear that there
should be no question about it,
organic act passed by the two houses of Congress-
and received the signature of the President creating two
territorial governments of the unorganized unoccupied
territory of the United States In conformity to the
provision of that lawI say in conformity the distinct
provisions set forth in that actthe President empow
cred to appoint chief magistrate for the government of
the Territory of Kansas That chief magistrate COM
missoned the 29th day of june 1854 He did reach
the Territory however until some time in October Of the
same year. but after reaching there in compliance with
the requirements of the organic act of the Territory he
here it is. call the attention of the House to it. give
it in this form to the country that the country may under
stand what is not now, perhaps generally known take
1t from an authority which is Official and therefore to be
believed especially as it relates to facts not disputed al
ude to the first message of A. H. Reeder at that time gov
ernor of the Territory of Kansas . ..I&#
By that it appears that there were then eight
thousand five hundred and wentyone persons in the Ter
rory; there five thousand one hundred and thirty
eight males and three thousand three hundred and eighty
one females Again, sir in this population there were,
according to this authority two thousand nine hundred
and four qualified voters This is the official statement
made by the regular authority Of the Territory and never
has been questioned so far as know. IL.
WELL sir, on the 10Th day of November 1854, election
for delegate to Congress took place in that Territory On
that occasion various persons voted for have be-
fore statement of the vote, made by member OF the
Committee of Elections in thus House. and desire to call
the attention of gentlemen to it. On that OCCASION JoS
w. WHITFIELD received two thousand four hundred and
eghty-sx votes. J. A. WHITFIELD received two hundred
and foreght votes, manifesty intended for j. W. WHIT
FIELD. .a :
Mr. WHITFIELD If the gentleman will allow me,
will remark that the votes given for j. A. Whitfield were
intended for ]. A. Wakefield.
Mr. SMITH Very well; then, Mr.. Flenniken received
two hundred and five votes and various others received
twenty-five other votes. Now, what wish to call the at
enon of the House to in this eonnexion is the remarka
bic conformity between the vote actually gwen and the
number Of legal officially reported in the Territory
repeat that two thousand nine hundred and four qualified
officially reported in that Territory and so stated
by Governor Reeder in his message and nearly that mum
Der Of reported having been actually given in
that election which took place the goth of November
1854 within short period after the census had been
taken He receives the without question There
were border ruans then TO interfere with the cleo
tons at this the first Kansas election There were no
armed multtudes from the State Of Missouri II is not
contended that there interruption OF the freedom OF
election WHITFIELD elected in compliance with the
regulations established by Governor Reeder himself and
by the legal voters of the Territory as has been shown by
the census Just brought the attention of this House
Here then Is demonstration important in Its character,
to which desire to call the particular attention OF mem
ber We fud far as this vote goes that the population
of the Territory at that time largely prosavery in its
procyities the anti slavery vote was in very small mi-
nory call special consideration TO those matters for
the that shall refer TO them in the latter portion Of
Mr. WASHBURN, of Maine. / rise for the purpose Of
asking the gentleman from Virginia question: IT he will
allow me.
Mr. WASHBURN. Do understand the gentleman to
say that at the first election, when Gen WHITFIELD was
first elected there were no citizens who came nom MIS-
souri, into Kansas TO vote for him2
Mr. SMITH The gentleman has all the information !
have and have labored 70 little purpose 10 satisfy him on
that subject IT, after have given the figures, be has not
deduced that conclusion. - s.
Mr. wASHBURN. | think the gentleman is laboring
under mistake II my recollection serves me- II was as
serted on oil hands upwards Of year ago, that large
number Of people did 90 from Missouri into Kansas
and vote in the Territory IL was charged and am
not mistaken, the charge was admitted by gentleman
| from Missouri. .....- .-.s
| Mr. PHELPS Who was the member from Missouri2
| Mr. WASHBURN. ] may be mistaken but have an
impression that In the discussion which occurred on
proposition submitted by the gentleman from Indiana
gentleman from Missouri colleague of my friend VINO ad
dresses the inquirya gentleman from the Nesport AIS
tct admitted directly by implication, That the charge
az made was true My recollection Is distinct that The
| charge was made and think II was not denied.
| Mr. PHELPS II was not the member from the West
| port district. 80
| Mr. WASHBURN. Then Il was the member from Mis-
| souri who s a member Of the Committee Of Elections.
Mr. OLIVER OF Missouri will remark, in reply to tht
statement Of the gentleman from Maine, that never mad'
any such admission, directly or indirectly.
i Mr. WASHBURN. ] have a clear impression that ad
missions Of the kind indicated were made on the other SID
Of the House thought my friend from Missouri was on
of those who made them II may have been done by some
body else reference the Congressional Globe OF las
session will show the fact ask the gentleman to lool
into IN do distinctly recoect that the charge was made
and that lis truth generally acquesced in There wa
| no denial.
think anything of the sort occurred for the tha
there was no occasion for IT, II not contested cleo
4 ton There was no exception taken to General Wmr
i Ftrt r,s election or 70 his taking his scat
Again allow me say that according to the census re
turns taken before the election there two Thousand
nine hundred and qualified voters in the Territory tn
election returns show that there were two thousand eigh
hundred aud odd votes cast for everybody less numbe
,i,a ns