The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-04-11

nbolitonis and feesoles raying under the banner OF
the Emigrant Aid Societies the hand and the adyo-
Gates OF and the principles of selgoyern-
ment according 10 the Nebraska BILL the other On
that issue have good authority for saying that large
majority of the emgants from Illinois, and the other north
western States voted with the prosayery In prefer
ence 10 voting with tho abeonists and Emgrant Aid
party They voted thus because they In favor OF
making Kansas slave State but for the that they
opposed aboli,ionism in all its forms and phases
and determined that the political destnes OF Kansas
should be committed to the keeping of the emigrant
and abolition party by their votes 1t in this as usu
ally the case In all exciting struggles that
and ultra Ia each party obtained the control OF their
respective parties and in the hour Of triumph the success
full party exercised its power ia not entirely sat
sactory those no had turned the scale and them
the victory Notwithstanding their dsapproyal of some OF
the acts OF the Kansas legislature these same men bclev
ing the constitution of the United States is the supreme
law of the land and should be obeyed sueh would pre-
fer another victory in the hands Of the party rather
than allow the abolitonists and Emgant Aid Societies to
govern the Territory.
But find that am DEPRESSING from the line Of my
gument, and must return. think have adduced facts
enough to satisfy every unbiased mind that the disparity
between the number legal returned by the
in February and the number OF votes poed the 0th OF
March does not raise authorize the slightest preaump
ton that Kansas invaded and conquered by cit
ixens of Missouri There may have been Illegal votes
cast and probably were, on both sides In few pre-
cincts or election districts the number may have
been sufficient to have materially affected the result
The governor decided such to have been the case
in Of the eighteen districts but not in the other
4
lory report admits the invasion and conquest to the
districts and then argues that nasmuch as those
districts elect nine representatives out Of twenysx
members of the legislature being than one
third might sustain the governor in the proper exercise Of
the powerhis fact Of itself is sufficient TO induce
declare the whole void and the acts Of the legsa
invalid That labors under several mistakes
in making this assumption In the first place, we have
admitted and do not believe that the legal voters
in those districts overpowered and suba
gated by violence and intimidation alleged. There
doubtless irregularities to greater or lees extent at
several of the polls and inasmuch the governor adj
judged them all bad, and ordered elections in those
seven while he adudged the elections all fair and legal in
the other eleven districts did not feel disposed TO make
an issue with him on point which could not change the
result since by the governors decision, large
joy of the members of both houses of the legislature
fairly and duly elected The senator from Vermont
labors under mistake ALSO when he snpposes that the
setting aside the returns and ordering election in
those districts changed the seats of nine members
being than e-hird of the house He forges that
while those districts elected nine tayes,
three of the persons who elected at the first election
the 3oh Of March, reelected at the second eec
ton the Gath of May when there pretence Of
invasion conquest Hence, it made difference to
them which Of the elections held valid for they
had received majority OF the votes at both and bcd the
governors certificate under the last election Thus the
is reduced from nine to aix which, being less than
one-ourh Of the whole NUMBER could not affect the exer
else of the veto power and renders the objection invalid
on the ground assumed by the senator from Vermont
In view OF these facts ask where ia the authority for
mpeachng the whole legislature or for questioning the va
ty of its acts2 Where is the authority for saying that
the people subugated in most OF the dsretsf The
senator Vermont quotes Governor Reeder TO prove it.
quoted Governor eeder under oath to prove the
contrary have shown by his official acts, that he did
not believe word of it while he governor He never
deamt that the people of Kansas had been subdued and
conquered until after he turned out of Office for his
Indian specua,ions lie recognised them legislature
duly elected organized fully competent TO enact laws
which would be binding upon the people Of Kansas lie
awarded all the privilege of conestng the election
of each member before the certificate issued Contests were
had before him. and he decided each upon the facts
presented lie aside the returns in seven dsricts he
confirmed them in eleven Hence the presumption is that
there had been frauds in the other eleven, somebody
would have forward with their complaints lnasmuch
IS YOU could find sign remonstrance, ana
one IT, in the other election districts, the
fair presumption that there were no such frauds In hose
Districts rs would authorize him to set them aside.
The senator from Vermont that the reason why
tbs election was contested in OF those districts was
because the messenger who was sent with the protest do
reach the governor until il an hour TOO late am
much Obliged 10 him for that statement u, tells us In The
minority report that they intimdssd and subduea
and frightened by violence that they dared not DO ~
1t fesms that they got their fright and now The au
thor of the minority report has got his so far rs 10
find that they did dare to protest and contest They ana
ao ae i dS Sey not try IN the other
districts Evidently for the reason that there were no
facts upon which they could do It, .
i Now let us look at the evidence called attention IN
the majority report and the remarks which made
the other day the fact that the legislature when ~ as
sembled at Pawnee three months after tnc alegeu h
sion passed resolution authorizing any man who chose
TO contest any member In either house Men
did come forward contest the seats OF seven OF the mem
present.
they not know nj that time three months subsequent 70
the election that Kansas had been conquered Governor
Reeder did not know IT. Why7 lie addressed message
10 the legislature in which he invoked the blessings o.
Heaven upon those very there assembled while en-
gagged in the performance of their high and patriotic du
tics lie recommended them to pass laws on all rlgnuul
subjects of legislation Did not the six abolition members
who were elected at the second election and who then held
seats in the house under the governors cericae know
that had conquered2 Did not the representa-
tiyes from Lawrence know TT Did not the abolition rep
reseuativc elected the first election, Mr. Houston from
Il pawpee know t9 Yet when you look through The re
ports both Of the majority and minority OF the legislative
committee you find that in that contest before The egs-
re there prcence that fraud violence had peeh
uncsed outside OF the disputed districts Is ~ not
singular that II should remain profound secret until they
determined TO form State government and overthrow me
existing territorial government established by Congress
i Mr. President have said enough to bring back the
points the position in which left them in my former
speech going 10 follow the senator from err
mont through all his criticisms the majority report
They of character which call for reply al ihls
time nor would IL be fair detain the Senate for that
4 purpose nj this late hour.
The senator from has explained what he meant
by the word experiment in his minority reporthe nat
ural and perhaps unavoidable, consequence OF which
would be violence and boodshed He says be alluded 70
the experiment Of the Nebraska b by which the quesuoh
of slavery for the first time in our history @t 70 e
decision OF the people What the objection 70 leaving
the decision Of that well all other local and domestic
questions to the people who are Immediately interested
Il 10 it2
is objection that II has tendency TO bring opposing
elements and piiammable materials into collision rom
4 which violence may be apprehended Does not te same
Il ohiecon ,npy 10 all other questions which involve the
=. H. naotAn of rnGn ma IL ro