The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-06-28
3 49,. .. For the Aiunesotian.
KANSAS. AS 1T Is.
DUBUQUE. Iowa. .Jsne II.

/ Eg '1=s a DUBUQUE, Iowa, June IL.
1 EDS. M1HEEsorIANs: propose, throug
your paper, to give the citizens of Minnese
taa brief sketch of political Kansas, with II
|" glorious" popular sovereignty, for tn
benefit of those who consider the people {
Kansas as abolitionists, and the Jeffersonia
Democratic, or Republican party, disloys
and traitorous agitators Cf the peace of thi
Union. c.s ....s
| When the Nebraska Kansas bill was un
der discussion, it was said that this bill tool
the ground that Congress had no right t.
iegissate slavery in or out of the territories
but that the people of the territories shout,
be left perfectly free to regulate their ow,
d mestic institutions in their own way.
took the ground that it did not detract from
the intelligence of the people to become cit
liens Of a territory that they were as capa
BILE of legislating for themselves as citizen
of territory, as they were when citizens o
state.
This was National Democracy.
| Now we shall see how far the citizens O
Kansas have had a voice in regulating theil
own domestic institutions. --.
In January, 1855, Governor A. II. Reedel
districted the territory and made ghtee1
election districts, and in some instances eacl
district was divided into several precincts
He then ordered the census in each of the
precincts and districts taken, and an election
to choose twenty-six members of the Legis
lature, and thirteen member of the Council
to be held on the Both of March. 81
tie appointed justices of the peace, Judges
of the elections, and prescribed the oath for
them, and an oath to substantiate the proof
of citizenship fnr voters.
The census was taken and the returns
made about the Goth of February. Up to
this tiae no emigration had come to the ter
ritory, and none did come on that spring UNI
til few days prior to the election.
On the 10th day of March, the first and
only company sent out under the auspices OF
the Emigrant Aid Societies of Massachusetts,
in that month, left Boston. They numbered
one hundred and sixty souls. The Goth OF
March they landed at Kansas City, in Mis-
sonr on the 2Sth at Lawrence.
The Investigating Committee have ALI the
names, and sixty-six are women and chill
dren and only two of the names OF the
niuetyfour left appear on the poll lists. So
Massachusetts did not control the elections.
On the 2Sth and Goth, large companies of
men crossed the Missouri river into Kansas.
All were armed with bowie knives or re-
volvcrs having a little wisp of hemp
tied in the button hole Of his coat or around
his hat. These hemp men invariably en-
camped near where the elections were or
dered to be held.
The wisp Of hemp had very significant
meaning it appears from the evidence that
it alluded to ropes, &c. Hemp for negro
steg!ers is one of the notices of their lead
ers. They cooked their food by camp fires
and lived in cloth tents, though some slept
i'll their wagons. e..
On the Goth, speeches were made in most
Of the precincts in which those " sovereign
sqnatteis proclaimed their right and in
tention to vote, and make Kansas a slave
state or DISSOLVE THE UNION.
In the LeavenwoIth precinct two Of tEes e
heroes, Neal Burgess and Capt. Dunn, called
upon of the judges of the election appointed
by the Governor, and said to him, 8 There
are about four hundred of the Howard
county and Charlton boys camred below
LeayenTorth creek, who are preparing g,
lows they already have the rope prepared,
and are going to hang you at eight o'clock in
the morning if you do not resign and let us
appoint some other man. II you will en-
gage to us that you will resign, we promise
that you shall not be injured if not you
will certainly be hung" The Judge engaged
to resign.
In this particular precinct where the CEN
sus returns show three hundred and thirty
four voters, we find the names of sixty-one
voters on the census lists that are not upon
the poll lists of the election returns, making
the number of legal votes 273; yet there
were 967 votes cast. @ '@ 4~
1t would appear from the above that some
body voted in the Bloomi gton precinct,
where there are ffty-eight names on the
census list, we find thirteen names that are
not on the poll list making the number Of
legal votes cast, As. Yet here there were
387 votes cast. sr.} s's@,s-f
Here S. J. Jones, Postmaster inv estport,
in the state Of Missouri, appeared on the
morning of the election at the head of 300
men. After the polls were opened, Jones
offered his vote, which one of the Judges
refused, unless he would take the oath pre-
scribed by the Governor. This he refused
to do, and advised the Judge to resign. The
Judge told him that he would not take his
vote neither would he resign +
Jones then drew his revolver, cooked it
put it to the breast of the Judge, taking
his watch in the other hand. p :
He said-a Now will give you just fiv,
minutes to resign, or Twill blow your e..
| d-n abolition soul to help ~
The Eve minutes expired, but the Judg
remained firm. Jones then gave him on,
minute more, swearing that he was dea,
man if he did not resign before the minut,