Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-03-19
THE PRESENT KANSAS oUEsT1oN


The Kansas question is up. and, while Mem,
bers are debating ii in long and logical speech
es, full of devotion to Liberty and devotion 10
the Union, L propose to state the case-not
one side OF it, but the whole case-as briefly
ana clearly as can. With this view, L will
throw the antagonist assertions and positions
INTO the form OF a dialogue between Whitfield
Reeder and the House-as follows:
hatfield, I present my credentials as a
Reeder, Delegate elect from Kansas.
The Bouse-Stand back, gentlemen Which
OF you has the certificate of the legal return
| ing officer?
Whfeid-I have. Here it isl
! The House-Very good. You are thereby
| entitled to take the oath and the seat until an
investigation can be had Mr. Reeder. You
must contest and send in your memorial. 1t
snail be duly considered. Mr.. Whitfield's GER
tihcate is prima Jacie evidence of his right,
ont nothing more. Bring on your proof that
ne was not iairly elected and that you were,
and You shall be admitted in his stead.
Reeder--|ell, gentlemen | am here as a
| contestant, then, if you will have il so |
challenge the right of John W. Whitfield as
Delegate for Kansas, and claim to be myself
the true and fairly chosen representative of
the actual settlers Of that Territory
The Hoase-How do you propose to prove
this7
Reeaer-By showing that the alledged Legis-
lature. which passed the election laws under
which and prescribed the day on which Whit
field claims 10 have been elected was no Le-
gisatHre of Kansas-that it was chosen by the
votes Of residents of Missouri mainly or Who'll
iy-that those residents were enrolled organ
lied, and oihcered in Missouri through secret
societies operating for weeks before the cleo
tlon-that they came over in large armed bands
on the day before aud day of election-tbat
steamboats, black with them landed them in
Kansas on the day OF election, and took them
away after voting, before night caYal- |
cades OF them went over on horseback and in !
wagons, took possession of nearly all the polls, |
as had been preconcerted-that, when the /
Judges OF elections heStated or refused TO al |
low them to vote, they expelled those officers !
by violence and terror and appointed their own |
creatures IN their stead-that by this asteund- |
ing conspiracy and outrage the voice of Kan !
sas was stifed and Pro-slaveTy Legislature |
imposed on her by residents of Missouri |
Legislature which in no mruner represented
Kansas, and could not bind ier-a Legislature
whose existence she ignored and whose acts |
she has always repudiated
Hhitfe!d-O this won't do This same Rec
der, who now contests, was Territorial Cover |
nor, through the first half of the last year and |
himself commissioned the Members of this
same Legislature. He is thus estopped from
denying the validity of its acts.
Reeder-No, sir 1 expressly rsjccte9 the |
claims OF about me third OF the Members, who
sat in that Legislature. Proofs were submit
ted to me that they were returned by conspir-
acy, corruption, violence and fraud ard ca .l>a
icates and ordered new elections to I'll their
places. In one case, fresh irruption from
Missouri secured a return OF the same Members
by repetition of these outrsges, but no legal
evidence of such repetition Of abuse was sea-
Sonably submitted TO me, and l commissioned
the members returned. In every other case
Of second election, new members were cho- ,
sen all Free Stcte men. Yet, when the pre-
tended Legislature assembled, all these Free
State We1lbers-the only members honestly e.
ected by residents of Kansas-were erpeited | I
from their seats Ggd The elect Of the Border Rl.f-
fans at ths regular election icere pitched INTO ,
heir place., and helped make the laws under
which y hitfeid claims seat here
TYbitfei9-Weli. suppose this third o. tie /.
Members losrs bogus-the other two thirds !
we're all right-or at least yow are eStoppcd
rom questioning their right, Tor You commIs-
stoned them.
Ree5er-True, Sir, gave certificates TO &!i c
hose returned to me as duly elected except +
hose with regard to whom evidence was sub :
nitted 10 me that they had been returned oy :
raud had no discretion in the premises :
But does it follow that, because was not ie S
rally informed of specific frauds and usurpa- ,
ions within few days after certain election,
hat | should be estopped from proving such q
rauds and usurpations several months after '
vard, when l had been apprised of them . s
Shall my ignorance of most important facts in ,
II
# Kansas Of the power and right now to urge
hose facts in bar of perpetuation and aggra- I
alton of the fragrant wrongs 10 which they i
lad been subjected
WhtIie.d-Ths Legislature, after being or i. .
,anzed, was recognized and addressed by you
S legal body: and you must now abide by {
hat recognition. g
Reeder-No, Sir not the Legislature under
whose acts you claim a seat here. When the !
lleged Legislature first met at Pawnee City, :
did recognize it; but when it proceeded |
orthwith to adjourn to Shawnee Mission, l i'm 7
nediately notified the members that | would
lot recognize them as Legislature after such
emoval. The organic Kansas-N n ebrasla act c
ave TO the Governor OF Kansas the power TO
:fz" the place of meeting Of the Territorial | +.
legislature fired it accordingly at Pawnee
vetoed the act by which the Legislature :
ought TO remove TO the neighborhood of their L
iissouri homes; and, as they persisted, new +
r afterward recognized them as Legislature q,
All the laws in question, including that under
which you claim to be elected, were passed af-
er that removal-passed at place where no {
legislature was ever legally convened. you !
mean to be technical, therefore, and stand on ,
our legal advantage, tell you that you have
lone to stand on.
Whitfeid-But if that Legislature is not |
egal body, there is no lawful authority in |
Kansas, and chaos is come again.
Reeder-Oh no! there are the Constitution
If the United States, the laws of the United
States, including the organic law of Kansas,
md the officers of the United States-Gover-
Tor, Secretary, Marshall, Judges, and others.
All these are authoritative in Kansas, and the
People cheerfully obey them. 1t is your fraud
ilent bogus Missourians' Legislature that they :
'epudiate.
Whttfeld-But there was no day of election,
no election laws, except those prescribed by
he Legislature at Shawnee Mission.
Reeder-Precisely so-and by whose fault
our hackers vitiated the election ordered by
ne in pursuance of law-they debauched the