Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-07-24
]Dolitifal.
The Kansas Invasions of '64-55.
REPRoT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.
Tc0NrJNurp

FIRST pIsTRIcT-MARcH 30, 1855.-LAwRENcE.
fIhe com pany of persons who marched into
this district, collected in Ray. Howard Carroll,
Boone, La Fayette, Randolph, Saline and Cass
counties, in the state of Missouri. Their expenses
were paid-those who could not come contribu-
ted provisions, wagons, &c. Provisions were
deposited for those who were ex 2ected to come
to Lawrence in the house. Of William Lykins,
and were distributed among the Micsourians af-
ter they arrived there. The evening before and
the morning of the day of election, about 900
men from the above counties arrived at Law
renee, and camped in ravine short distance
fran town, near the place of voting. They
came in wagons-of which there were over one
hundred-and on horseback, under the COM
mand of Colonel Samuel Young, of Boone
county, Missouri and Claiborne F. jackson, of
Missouri, They were armed with guns, rifles,
pistols, and bowe-knives, and had tents, music
and flags with them. They brought with them
two pieces of artillery, loaded with musket
balls. On their way to Lawrence some of them
met Mr. N. B. Blanton, who had been appoin-
ted one of the judges of Election by Gov.
Reeder, and after learning from him that he
considered it his duty to demand an oath from
them as to their place Of residence, first at
tempted TO bribe, and then threatened him with
hanging in order to induce him to dispense
with that oath. In consequence Of these threats,
he did not appear at the polls the next morn
ing to act as judge.
The evening before the election, while in
camp, the Missourians were called together at
the tent of Capt. Claiborne F. Jackson, and
speeches were made to them by Col. Young
and others, calling for volunteers to go to 9TH
er districts where there were not Missourians
enough to control the election, and there were
more at Lawrence than were needed there
Many volunteered to go and the morning Of the
election, several companies. from $50 to 200
men each, went off to Tecumseh, Hickory Point,
Bloomington and other places. On the morn.
ing of the election, the Mssourans came over
to the place Of voting from their camp, in bod
40 Va ohO Nb tlulE. MI DtuuJUU
not appearing, and judge was appointed in his
place Col. Young claiming that, as the pco-
pie of the territory had two judges it was moth
ing more than right that the Missourions
should have the other one, to look after their
: interests, and Robert A Cummins was elected
in Blanton stead, because he considered thai
; every man had right to vote if he had been il
the territory but an hour. The Mssouran
brought their tickets with them, but not having
enough, they had three hundred more printed
tn Lawrence on the evening before and the day
= of election They had white ribbons in thei
T. button-holes, to distinguish themselves from
the settlers
When the voting commenced, tho question
: of the legality of the vote of Mr. Page wa
; raised. Before it was decided. Col Samue
I Young stepped up to the window where th,
e votes were received, and said he would settle
d the matter, The vote of Mr.. Page was with
drawn, ond Col. Young offered to vote. He re-
fused to take the oath prescribed by the Cover
nor, but swore he was resident of the terrific
ry, upon which his vote was received. He
told Mr.. Abbott one of his judges, wher
asked if he intended to make Kansas his future
:, home, that it was none Of his business thai
-. if he were Il resident then, he should ask nc
:. more. After his vote was received, Col. Young
got up in the window-sil and announced tt
- the crowed that he had been permitted to vot
and they could all come and vote He told tn
Judges that there was no use in swearing tn
" others, as they would all swear as he had done
" After the other judges concluded TO receiv
- Col Youngs vote Mr.. Abbott resigned a
', Judge of Election, and Mr.. Benjamin wa
:, elected in his place.
=, The polls were so much crowded. until lat
:. the evening, that for time, when the me
had voted, they were obliged to get out by be
ing hoisted up on the roof of the buildin
where the election was being held, and past ou
over the house. Afterwards passage wa
Oh through the crowed was made, by two lines c
he men being formed, through which the voter
n could get up to the polls. Colonel Young aske
to that the old men be allowed to go up first anC
ho VOTE as they were tired with the travelling, an
d. wanted to go back to camp.
in The Missourians sometimes cameup to til
ur polls in procession, two by two, and voted.
u- During the day the Missourians drove off tt
nu ground some of the citizens, Mr.. Stevens, NJ
ne Bond and Mr. Willis. They threatened
III shoot Mr. Bond, and crowed rushed after hir
'i- threatening him, and as he ran from them son
'o' shots were fired at him, as he jumped off Il
ny bank of the river and made his escape. II
u citizens of the town went over in body, Ia
gn in the afternoon, when the polls had becor
no comparatively clear, and voted.
leu Before the voting had commenced, the Mi
o'' sourians said, if the judges appointed by Il
'u' Governor did not receive their votes, they wou
'a. choose other judges. Some of them voted Sc
VI eral times, changing thesr hats or coats ai
se' coming up to the window again, TheyA sa
they intended to vote frst and after they h'
got through, then the others could vote. Son
of of them claimed right to vote under the o
mt ganic act, from the fact that their mere pre-
rec ence in the territory constituted them resident
zap though they were from Wisconsin, and hi
,ne homes in Missouri. Others said they had
this right to vote, because Kansas belonged to Nj
ess souri,, and the people from the East had
is right to settle in the territory and vote ther
Pc They said they came to the territory to elec,
ore legislature to suit themselves, as the people
,en the territory and persons from the East Al