The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-11-11
IMPORTANT FROM KANSAS.
Gov. Walkers sRrOciAmatisns---
,FraudulenfE 6 Election Returns Re-

LEcoMPToS, Oct 10, 1867.
10 The People Of Kaasas:-
By the 32d Section Of the Organic act estab-
fishing this territorial government it is-proYdsd
Interference to the election Of delegate TO Con-
gfess, that ''the person having the largest ntln-
Der Of votes shall be declared by the Governor,
10 be duly elected. and acertifeate thereof shall
bsgiven accordingly"
BY the 18th Section ofthe Act ofthe Terri 1
torial Legislature OF Kansas, entitled ian act to
regulate elections, /" it is made the duty of the
Secretary to examine the rvturnsh the presence
Of the Governor, and to give the person having
the highest number Of votes in their respective
districts, certificates of their election to the Leg
islative Assembly"
Under these two provisions Of the laws pre-
vailing in this territory, the recent general elec
ton has presented for the JOINT consideration OF
the Governor AMI Secretary question OF the
gravest Importance not only to our own people,
but also TO those of the whole Union. This
question arises upon the extraordinary returns
made from the precinct Of Oxford, in the county
Of Johnson. What phrported to be the returns
of the election held at that preenct on the 9th
and 9th inst, have been received by the Secre
tary, containing sixteen hundred and twenty
eight names OF pretended voters, or nearly one
half the number gwen in the Representative
District, The disposition to be made of this
supposed vote is rendered all important by the
fact that the political character ofthe Legisla-.
tive assembly will be controlled by the addition
of three Counclmen and eight Representatives
to'the strength of one party or the other accord
ing to the adoption or rejection OF the returns
in question.
In point of fact it is we'll known that even the
whole county OfJohnson, comprising as it does
part OF an Indian reserve, which, upon examina-
ton Of The law, we find is not yet suojet to set
Element or pre-emptioh, can give no such vote as
that VII ch is REPRESENTED to have been polled at
tfis inconsiderable precinct of Oxford. But while
this Unofficial knowledge, well established and
aRiversal as it may be, could not become the
ground Of decision and action upon electiQA.fe-
turns, in themselves regular and authentic, the
legitimate effect of an apparent enor4nity, such
as that in question, would necessarily be to in
duce closer examination of the papers presen
ted, and to require for its oxceptance a perfect
compliance with all the essential provisions of
the law. Such an examination of this document
conscientously and impartially made, has brou't
us to the conclusion that the returns from Ok
ford precinct, in johnson county must be who'll
ly rejected for the following reasons
lst. 1t does not appear on the face osthe doc
ument presented to u.s. or in any other manner
that the Judges Of Election took the oath imper-
a'iyely required by the statute, to secure the
impartial discharge oftheir duties according to
law
I'd. 1t does not appear that the paper presen-
ted to us was one of the two original poll-books
kept at the election as requiredby law; but on
the contrary it does appear, from unmistakable
internal evidence, that the paper is either copy
ofsome other document, or has been made up
for the occasion, and is not the genuine record
of the votes taken at the election, The law re-
quires one Of the pol-books to be returned to
the Secretary, the other to be deposited with the
Clerk of the Board of Commissioners olthe pro-
per county.
3D. AS the vote of each elector was to be re4
corded for each one Of twenty-five candidates,
and in more than hundred cases for twenty
five, and that by ViUG Uoce vote, it was a phys
ical impossblity that the number of votes pre-
tended to have been taken on the second day,
being more than fifteen hundred, with the name
of the voter written, and each Of twcnty-rw0
candidates properly designated, could have been
taken and recorded within the time prescribed
by law. 49,. f.
4th. It is an extraordinary fact, tending tc
throw dstrust upon the whole proceedings, tha;
Of the sixteen hundred and twenty-eight votes
lonly one is given to the delegate elect to Con
gress; and only one hundred and twenty -foul
arc recorded as having been cast for the loca
candidates of tie township
Influenced by these. considerations AMI i'm
!. pressed with the grave responsibility resting
upon Us in regard to the fairness OF the eleGtiof
and its freedom from all fraud susceptible of de
lection and prevention within the scope Of ou
duties, We deemed it essential to truth and jus
tce that we should ascertain every fact cacula
ted to refute or confirm the conclusions derive'
from the lace OF the papers. Accordingly, W
went to the precinct OF Oxford, (Which is vii
lage with six houses, including stores, without
tavern, )and ascertaned from the citizens of tha
!, vicinity, and especially those of the handsom
" adjacent village of New Santa Fe, in Missouri
(seDarated by street, and containing abou
twenty houses that altogether not more tina
one tenth Of the number of persons represente
to have voted, were present on the two days
the election, much the smaller number, not ea
ceeding thirty or forty, being present ofthe la
day. when more than fifteen hundred votes al
represented as Eaving been given. The peop
of Oxford as we'll az those Of the neighbour
village of Santa Fe, were astounded at the ma
nitude of the returns; and all persons of all pa
ties, in both places, treated the whole alfa
with desision or indignation, not having hea
the alleged result until several days after it ha
occurred.
-e In the course of our journey to and from O
ford, we passed over much the larger portion
the county of johnson, and we became the
~. oughly satisfied that there is no population
the whole county from which more than on
third the vote of that single precinct could ha
been given, We learned that some very fe
persons, having cabins on the reserve in Johns
county, and claiming residence therein thou
kgeneraIly absent had voted at some of the pl
cincts in the county; but we are convinced I'll
but very inc0nsiderable number not reachi
we believe, one hundred OF Mssourians, or OF
er persons having no admitted right to vote q
claim or attempt to exercise that right,anywh,
within that county. Fhe people of Misso
cannot be justly charged with any interferen
in the late election nor are they in any deg
complicated with the evidently fraudulent
turns made from the precinct Of Oxford. Tho
resturns, beyond all doubt, are simulated a
fctcious.
Under these circumstances we do not
EN- barrassed by any technical difficulty, as
our right to go behind the returns. We h
the returns themselves TO be defective in 70
In and in substance, and therefore inadmissable.
We 60 behind them, and inquire into the fac
only for the purpose OF ascertaining whether
these valid objections to the mere returns 0
rejection of them will have the effect of defe
e .;e., ing the will of the people sought to be ai
~ expressed at the polls. In the event of su
consequences, we might hesitate TO reject "
- upon any defect OF form, however essential
.,.a law. But in the present case we feel oursel'
~ ~ bound to adhere to the very letter of the law,
order to defeat a gros9 and palpable fraud. |