Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-11-03
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8. 1857.
Kansas EIectIon Frauds.


We repubIish this morning the proceed
ings of a democratic meeting in Kansas,
denouncing in bitter terms the action of
Gov. Walker and Secretary Stanton in re-
gard to the johnson county frauds--and
charging the Republicans with frauds as
fragrant as any alleged against the "na-
tional democracy" 1t is held that the
Governor and Secretary acted without an
thority in rejecting the Oxford vote; it be-
ing cOntended that it was their duty to
certify the vote as returned, and leaving
the question of legality to the Legislature,
which is the sole judge of the qualification
of its members This view has already
been taken by some of the more OntspOken
Journals of the South, among them the
Memphis Appeal Without familiar
knowledge of the laws of the Territory, but
Judging by the almost if not entire univer-
salty OF the practice in other States we
believe this view is correct-otherwise the
Governor and Secretary would have the
entire power of appointing the Legislature,
by determining among all the candidates.
who received the majority of legal votes
and granting certificates accordingly. The
proclamation of these gentlemen shows
that they acted without prO0f, and pro-
ceeded alone upon what thew saw and
heard from interested parties. Such AFRO
giant presumption and arbitrary assump-
ton, we venture, has no parallel. But
while we say this much we entertain not
the shadow of doubt but that frauds of
the blacklist and grossest character were
perpetrated at Oxford and elsewhere bv
both parties. And we hold that the poll
lists should be scrutinized and these frauds
exposed wherever they occur; and those
who perpetrated them, whoever they NAV
be, held up to the merciesS gaze of pub
lie Indignation and scorn. 1t has come to
light that the poll-list of Oxford was made
up in alphabetical order, and was literal
transcript of portion of the Cincinnati
Business Directory! Such facts are sufi-
cient to startle the country, and to call
forth the seVerest reprimand. To allow
such bold and reckless disregard of law.
and OF the sanctities of the ballot-box to
go UNPUBLISHED, would be fraught with the
direst evils
But the Lecompton meeting resolved a
recommendation to the Constitutional Con
Vention, which, if adopted, would be as
disastrous as any action of Walker could
be, and would still further and more deep-
ly embroll the affairs of that most unfor-
tunate of all Territories. They reouest
the Constitutional Convention "to meet as
a convention of the democratic partv y
The aspect of affairs are thus assuming a
character most gloomy and portentous:
ana the laws put at open defiance by all
parties. The chances of its pacifcation
appear to be more remote than ever before
10 the thoughtful patriot of every section.
these facts must bring the most serious and
unwelcome apprehenSions.
Whilst we consider the action of the
Governor and Secretary wholly without
authority, we must confess our inability to
see how the difficulty can be relieved bv re-
ferring these questions to the Legislature.
The decision of that body would be purely
partizan, and as its members and constitu-
ents have proved themselves devoid of
every feeling of fairness, and every senti-
ment of political honesty, we cannot sup
pose the decision would be at all satisfac-
tory. And if, in addition, the Convention
shall so far forget all propriety as to heed
the advice given by the Lecompton meet
ing, and discard its character as a conven.
ton OF the people and become an avowed
assemblage of violent partizans, any consti-
tuition it might form would, as it ought to.
meet with the prompt contempt of Con-
gress and the country. We hope the Pres
ldent may be able to evoke order from this
civil chaos. We firmly believe that the
affairs of Kansas have been conducted with
view of manufacturing political capital;
but they have now assumed a mein above
party, and afford work for the patriot.
Further agitation and further blunders
then, should be universally frowned upon
and onr rulers and its rulers taught to
know, that the people will not longer toler
ate them.