The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-02-06
IN ADVANCE.
N U N B Z R So

of exercising constant vigilance and put
ting forth all lis energies to prevent or
counicract the tendencies 10 illegality,
which arc prone 10 exist in all imperfect
lv-organized and newly-associatcd COIN
munities, allowed his attention to be di-
vertel from official obligation by other
objects, and himself set an example Of the
violation Of law in the performance Of
acts which rendered it my duty, in the
sequel, to remove him from the Office Of
chief executive magistrate of the Territory.
Before the requisite preparation was
accomplished for election Of territorial
legislature, an election Of delegate to Con.
grcss h ad Lccn held in the Territory on
the goth day of November, 1854, and tho
delegate took his seat in the House Of Re-
presenta,ives without challenge. liar
rangemcn,s had been perfected by the
Governor So that tho election for members
ofthe legislative assembly might be held
in the several precincts at the same time
as for delegate to Congress, any question
appertsining to the qualification of the
persons voting as people of the Territory
would have passed necessarily and at once
und.r the supervision of Congress, as the
Judge Of the validity of the 'rcturn O: the
delegate, and would have been determined
be:ore conflicting passions had become in
famed by time, and before opportunity
could have been afforded for Systematic
interference OF the individual States.
This interference, in so far as concerns
its primary causes and its immediate
commencement, was one Of the incidents
Of that pernicious agitation on the subject
Of the condition Of the colorcd persons
held 10 service in some Of the States which
has SO long disturbed the repose Of our
country, aud excited individuals, otherwise
patriotic and law,abidinC, to toll with
misdircc,ed zeal in the attempt to propa-
gate their social theories by the pcrver-
ton and abuse Of the powers of Congress.
The persons and the parties whom the
tenor Of the act to organize the Terrific
rice of Nebraska and Kansas thwarted ia
the endosvor to impose, through the
agency Of Congress, their particular views
Of social organization on the people ofthe
future now States, now perceiving that
the policy Of leaving the inhabitants OF
each State 10 judge for themselves in this
respect was iperadicahly rooted in tie
convictions of the people of the Cn'on,
then had recourse, in the pursuit of their
general object, to the extraordinary meas
ure Of propaganda colonization Of the
Territory Of Kansas, TO prevent the free
and natural action Of its inhabitants in
its internal organization, and thus to an
ticipate or to force the determination OF
that question in this inchoate State. -
With such views associations were organ
lied in some Of the States and their pur-
poses were proclaimed through the press
in language extremely irritating and often
sive to those Of whom the colonists wer.
to become the neighbors. Those designs
and acts had the necessary consequence to
awaken emotions Of intense indignation in
States near to tho Territory Of kansas, and
especially in the adjoining State Of Ms
souri, whose domestic peace was that the
most directly endangered; but they are far
from ius,ifying the illegal reprehensibls
counter.movenents which en,ued.
Under these inauspiciou, circumstanc es
the primary elections for members OF The
legislative assembly were held in most, II
not all, Of the precincts at the time aad
the places, and by the persons designated
and appointed BY the Governor according
to law.
Angry accusations that illegal votes had
been PEELED, abounded on all sides, and
imputations were made both Of fraud and
violence. But the Governer, in the exer.
else Of the power, and the discharge Of
the duty conferred and imposed by Law on
him alone, officially received and consid-
cred tae returns; declared large majority
Of the members Of the council and the
house Of representatives "duly elected !"
withheld certificates from others because
Of alleged illegality Of votes; appointed .
new election to supply the place Of the
persons not certified (; and thus at length,
in all the forms Of statute, and with his
own Official authentication. complete legal.
ity was given to the first Legislative Assem-.
bly, Of the Territory.
Those decisions Of the returning Office n
and ofithe governor are final, except that
by tile 7 arliamentary usage ofthe country
applied to the organic law, it may be cor.
ceded that each house Of the assembly
, must have been competent 10 determine in
the "a, resor., d" qu,'is~..o~ srd ,l-s