True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-05-21
THE KANSAS INVESTIGATION
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CON-
NITTEE.


ence of attending witnesses.
The programme is, to first take evidence
on the election frauds, and then on the in
vasion of December. But it has already
happened that the examination has drawn
out evidence on both matters in connection.
The testimony thus far has been intro
duced by Gov. Reeder, who personally ex-
amined the witnesses. Gen. Whitfield is
in attendance, but has secured the legal
assistance of Col. Woodson, of Indepen-
dence. This gentleman, it must be remem-
bered, is himself.a Border Ruffian," and
sent into the Territory the cannon brought
with the invading force in December last.
He is man of shrewdness and energy, and
his influence has been great in stimulating
the excitement in Jackson county. His
brother.in-aw, it is said, Giving also in
Jackson county, was one of the judges Of
election manufactured for the seventh Kan.
sas District, by the invading voters on the
30th of March, 1855. 1t will readily be
seen that he RENTS no effort to obtain the
testimony as fair as possible for the Atchi-
son party.
The bearing of the Committee is emf
nently correct and candid. Both Mr..
Howard and Mr.. Sherman are men of pre-
possessing manners, and conduct the inves-
tigation with great fairness. Mr.. Oliver,
too, seems personally all that could be
asked of Platte County Congressman.
Were it not for his intimate connection
with the conspirators of his party, l should
have every confidence Of his treatment of
the case. And. intimate as is that connec-
tion. yet believe that this investigation
will have the effect 10 modify even HIS
course.
The different members of the committee
have expressed themselves in private on
the state of affairs here as being worse than
they could have expected. At Washington,
they say, no adequate idea is formed of the
emergency in which the people of Kansas
are placed. A few evenings since, while
the " Kickapoo Rangers" were lowering
about the town in the woods across the
river, Mr.. Oliver inquired who those scoun-
drels were; and, on being told, he said he
wished Yankee company would muster
and drive them off. 81 will help" said he,
" if necessary"
Good jokes sometimes enivent the inves-
tigation. Yesterday, during the examina-
tion of Mr.. Stewart, of Council City, Gen.
Whitfield insinuated that Gov. Reeder
might own stock in the town. This Gov.
Reeder denied, and retorted that there was
o town bearing his opponents name. Gen.
Whitfield denied owning any stock in the
town of Whitfield, and Mr.. Howard laugh
ingIy suggested that the General might be
too shrewd to take stock in any enterprise
bearing that name. Whitfield rallied after
a moment, and replied, whitfield stock
is a sort that you may be very glad to GET
SHUT Of" eyes," retorted Mr.. Oliver,
" and you will be very glad to get shut
of US before we finish with YOU"
Emigration is very large, and as the
Territory becomes further explored, people
here begin to learn that it is even finer
country than they had dared hope for.
There can no longer be q question that,
with free institutions secured, Kansas will
become one OF the choicest States in the
Union.
Touching the late political troubles here,
Of which you have been advised by other
regret to say that they
ure ominous of serious danger. Contrary
to all expectation on the part of the REAL
friends of law and order, the enemy will
not consent that the presence Of the Con-
gressional committee shall procure US an
armistice. On the contrary, with an auda-
city and depravity unconjectured, they have
seized the opportunity to commence new
system of persecution, which bids fair to
produce the reality of civil war which they
have so long seemed to court. The plot
now seems to be, to use the so-called Ter.
ritorial authority, tyrannical as are the
laws, and filled as are the Offices with the
INSCRIPTIONS tools of the Slaveocracy, fol
the purpose Of worrying out the last rem
nants Of patience on the part of the Fret
State men, and absolutely driving them t.
the extremity of forcible resistance. Ant
the issue is now darkened with the shadow
of the Federal authority; for the United
States troops are placed by the Presiden
at the disposal of Shannon, and resistanc'
to the bogus Sheriff of Douglas county, ha
now become literally resistance to the gen
eral government. So much for the SUFFER
ANcE, thus long. Of this gigantic wrong Q
tyrannical government founded on no
proven monstrous fraud a sufferance rem
dered ten-iold worse in its effect, throug
the shameless completely of a corrupt Pres
ident and his subservient appointees. An
how much longer will Congress permit thi
thing to last, and suffer the sacred name
law to sanction outruges which would di:
grace the veriest despotism of the Ol
World
There is no manner of doubt that th