The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-06-28

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4 .scSs >st.ss ts.,. s,, For the 'Alnnesetian.
4 ;zas,os, y;EAEsAs- As II, -. -, q,
i sg. s.ss DrsvauE, Iowa, June -.
Ems MnsrsoT1ANs: I propose, through
ypur paper. tosgive the citizens Of Minneso
tass brief ssketch5of political Kansas, with ia
glorious" popular sovereignty, for tn.
benefit Of those who consider the people o
Kansas as abolitionists, and the Jeftersonia1
Democratic; or Republican party, disloya
and traitorous agitatorsscf the. peaceEqf THU
Cuion. < ~ IL 1,.s ,gv,... ,.s,s.a :.
When the Nebraska Kausas bill was I'M
der discussion, it was said that this bill tool
the ground that Congress had no right tt
legislate slavery in or out of the territories
but that the people of the territories should
be left perfectly free to regulate their ovr
mestic institutions in their own way. II
took the ground that it did not detract from
the intelligence of the people to become cit.
izens Of a TERRITORY +; that they were as capa.
BILE of legislating for themselves as citizens
of territory, as they were when citizens ol
state. -s,,rv ,ss ..-.t,.,ss.
This was National Democracy. z-... X /,
| Now we shall see how far the citizens oi
Kansas have had voice in regulating their
own domestic institutions. * .st g.,.,, .,l ;
In January, 1855, Governor A. II. .Reeder
districted the territory and made ghteen
election districts, and in some instances each
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-slx members of the Legis-
lature, and thirteen member of the Council,
to be held on the Both of March, s,g
He 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. s..-...T,-,
The, census was taken and the returns
made about the 26th of February. Up to
this tiae no emigration had come to the ter
itory, and none did come on that spring un-
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-
souri, on the 28th at Lawrence. 81
The Investigating Committee have .all the
names, and sixty-six are women and chill
dren !; and only two of the names OF. the
ninety-four 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-each having 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. IS $, ...,.s -, 3..f..-,
The wisp of hemp, had very significant
meaning it appears from the evidence that
it alluded to ropes, &c. Hemp fer negro
ers. They cooked their food by camp fires
and lived in cloth tents, though some slept
in their wagons. a r g. =
On the Goth, speeches were made in most
Of the precincts in which those 6 sovereign
squatteis proclaimed their right and i'm
tention to vote, and make Kansas slave
In the Leayenworth precinct two of thes e
heroes, Neal Burgess and Capt. Dunn, called
upon Of the judges of the election appointed
by the Governor, and said to him, g There
are about four hundred of the Howard
county and Charlton boys camped below
LeayenEorth creek, who are preparing g,l
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 lis
appoint some other man. Ifyou 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, - 80, 80 - ~.
I 1A eAAsS P"e sASua"s PtSSiASt WuctC tuc CELL
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 legal votes 273 yet there
were 967 votes cast. .'ss s~.,St ~ 7.'1 70
1t would appear from the ahoye that some
body voted in the Bloomi. gton precinct
where there are fiftyteight names on the
census list, we find thirteen names that are
not on the poll list, making the number o.
legal votes cast, As. Yet, here there Were
387 votes cast. y z4.t.5lf a sss3ira'-
Here S. J. Jones, Postmaster inv Westport
in the state Of Missouri, appeared on the
Imorning Of the election at the head Of 3O(
men. After the polls were opened, Jones
ofered his vote, which one OF the Judge.
refused, unless he would take the oath pre-
scribed by the Governor. This he refused
to do, and advised the Judge to resign. Ths
Judge told him that he would not take his
vote neither wonld he resign. - A ''si3 7
+ Jones then drew his revolver, cooked It
iput it to the breast of the Judge, takinl
his watch IN the other hand. p I
4 He said--a Now win give you just fiv
minutes to resign, or win blow yo0r G.,
3dAn abolitinn soul to he'll. . 81 s-sss So 8
/ syrba Ave minutes expired. lint the Undo