Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-08-08
LETTER OF HON. JOHN W. WHITFIELD,

To the People Of Kansas TERRITORY:
The ioug-rhr.atened act has been by
the reckless violence of the Black Republican party
in the House of Representatives, and ! III violation
of the constitution ani the icw, have been rcntnF,6
from my seat as your delegate upon The tuor OF Con.
srrss. |, IS an act without! parallel in the history oi
this country. and j; is calculated 10 excite alarm IN
the minds OF all good men. But 1t more especially
concerns you, to WHOM II has denied the right oi &C.
! iec,iEg your own delegate to Congress, and You will
| room be called on to approve or condemn the dIsi'an'
chisument. If YOU are ready 10 become The supple
slaves OF a insi and fanatical party, you vii! approve
Il; but II you are the independent ircenrn ! suppose
you 10 BE-, you will condemn the cn0rni'y.
By The constitution Of The United States the House
OF Representatives is the exclusive juds" q! The qua
lI,icatIun OF is own members. But TN" power mus
be rxrrri-ci under rr.Sijgg ""'. In my cnsc !; iiao
been exercised no: only without law, bur in dc!!aIc"
Of law. The .iousr has %traiup,-d with VIOLENCE upon
all la. .prir,ip.re heretofore considered NECESSARY 10
guard aud protect the representative feature "i our
institutions.
J.. IN order tina, The con;c,, q: ms r:.h; to tie sea,
should base L,sn Il ir-ai "sc, must nave he'd Il
competitor e. i!.c election. Ii t., conceded tia: G"f.
Iccicr was not Il caG!.1G:c. Therefore, he il an IN.
trudrr, and Ind no more Iigat 70 initiate aud prose-
cute u contest than any other citizen Of Tue territory
Tor whom Il vote might have been cast.
.. To have made such a contest as is contemplated
by tbs law, the contestant should have claimed thu;
h, was entitled TO my seat, in consequence OF votes
cast nj the election at which | was voted for. IL Is
notorious mat JpN. hccueT Sc'o up no ucu CIdItI, uut
ihatall the claim To which h. pretended was founded
upon votes given him at Il different time.
s. AS | vas Sworn i? ~ your delegate, without any
legal contest vi my right, | IL! the right, under the
constitution and law, 10 remain you. delegate during
the Tkot Congress, unless ] hei been SGi!:y OF some
act which subjected Inc 10 rcr'ocGi.
1. The House has appointed "A committee tor ro|th-
cal purrnaes, and this committee has gathered togcih.
cr L mass uf hcIrS1y ste;es!nents, that are not proof,
OF transactions with which | Lad no concern, end
,.hini, !,apa -,,bi,, f., RI ur,tb 40 ,i.rtipn and flasn
hsarsay Statements have been used MS 'r'dencfln my
Case, a.! Ha ie the pretext for ms removal.
Aud thus, III i most unparalleled inanner, and W.
o.ntioa o: tho p:G'n pfinci pies ot right and Jusilcc,
has the act .: my election from my seat been con-
su.IIGG,ed. Although my expulsion concerns you
the people OF Kansas, more directly. Yet II ais" con-
Germs the whole people ot the United Siaies. Tor tne
party who have perpctratct The act, c1ns!dsr ~ uniy
as Jas AZ L series vi measures %'i.i WHICH, lacy "i!e'''
en The peace aud s1,!c;y Vi the Cui0Ii. lou nave
done nothing more than act pursuant TO an existing
law ci Congress, which organized the Territory anu
conferred upon YOU the sovereign rIsht 10 iiion"; !Du ~.
own Institutions IN your own way. ch"el 'Hs I,
YOU elected representatives 10 The terriforlal isb,S'H,
irra. and ;i,ey' in The exercise Of III acknowledged
pvge-. crowded, by . ihw OF The territory, LOT ,ne 10
lion .! q ~drleYa,c 10 Congress. Atthe 'N'e .IAeuns
THIS law YVES elected Without oip"s''"h; le'; ,na
fance OF this fact, and att : Eas !esuii'ty -" 49,.
+, nv s..t I nav. been rc!DOved-!iot reh'? ree""s'
I rns M, eIrct.d. INT because Il has become .eech.c
~ +, Tie contamination Of certain party anu PvNu'
cal objects, within tie Siates, thar ,ne iunH ~ n,hioI,
su, st,uuld be strickea down. ana oil tue i'sI'' VIZ
have arisen under them e:!ouia oe u.suos0 rr,.,s =
IN n i.n; al of the right of reprceentnt9i' ine'eo W
s.r;on. ard startling matters, aud II becomes you 10
,,.o, ,I.n, like men conscious OF yoar riSIlts ahn pre-,
,nrai ,n avert them by the peaceful but powerful
e,rsdy Of the ballot box. tit r..u
Ti,;:' n.-,v was compe,lcd 10 haltin little IN It's career
If ,rckiessuess. There was one ming WIicn even"
could cot do. !; could rot f':'r'd's "ov: heeuei I"ro
TNny,.sa although il l~cc.Sidic! mo out let mere
w.. a.,htv.e,ch ot lhuse who cGlhi use a majority
-, III. iiuu.o Who did vote in&t ta sii"u!d &c hainh-
,ai In liza s.a;, in utter defincs oi principle, prete-
S S,,, md Ie,y: These men who thus ro'ed-"i!.n II
"'m., oad.,I TINT Gov. Rccd-r was no; q candidate at
ary ia,,ai election, aud only claimed his seat III conSe.
cn,rce Of votes cost d: certain pop'.'ar meetings, he'u
,n;iL,u, Mr c~uthOriy Of any "I-lnust hh!e ieffl'
Ill, ,.suousiDiii,y Ia answer Tor before i:e par u! inc
country. But ! have NO" "n.s I" dehi N!' 'e'"''e'
and ,h,, r~.sull-tle rejection Of Gov. Reeder because
49,. ,n. ,nt elected a, Is legal c!ec!iui--riiowS that /
noJ 49,, cuIuvetitur: ina: liz was "a M condition 10
oL.lIerr. nv right; end that Il WA Only ny i!!G EN-
-l,ym.,,, of tho mere force ana violence ni parry llhs
mgv. l,.l inv seat. Ii this uctICn shall become u
prc.c,.a:.: hereafter. 1t may he apP!ieu 10 'he .o!HcE'
and n ~urrG;.s!a mainrify may deprive any district III
IN, United S;u;"e >: the RICH. u! representations
it,r. never was n mere ctalIniis aud startling ques.
lion presented II any people. Ard II VIII D." 4 PROUD
lay far the people Of Kansas when IL s!Hli be In their
mayer To r,iuku this Outrage. ~ hong; tie" shall
lu 20 on Their avn gccu!l"i, yet they vii. 10 40 10
les. "a ec",lni Of every congressional distric' IN the
C:iiol,
| shall re,arn ims,cdiately home, and fully explain
these matters to you, 30 that you may nct with full
kuoYl.dse us The whole of thea. AT The proper TINE
q new -lrctiun will be ordered, nj which | -haii Oe
,paiu n candidate, bccnuse in my person tuic outrage
has been offered 10 you. Is!ia!l .rpcc. you to nvenge
1t; and this, ! trust. l. MOI expecting loo in"ch I'll 'he
hands of a liberal and enlightened constituency.
V.ry rasppc,fuiiy. j. ". WHITFIELD.