The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-12
WASHINGTON. D. c..
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
HON ne K clnltIl7I- = a U-II; OCIODtI %
CONSERVATION OF THE KANSAS FRAUD.

Whether the State of Kansas shall adopt
free CT servile labor may be a matter of COM
rsrativelv little influence upon the relative
pozer Of tie two sections of the Union but
Ina. the Constitution Of Government adopted
by the citizens Of Territory shsll present q
fair expression Of their will, unbiased by the
intervention Of any other authority, does, in
oar opinion, involve the existence of this Fed
eral Uaion.
Locking upon the success of the Democratic
party as q guarantee for the stability of the
Kansas act. we have been solcitous that the
application of that act to the orgsnizstio Of
the frat State under the principle Of non-inter-
vention should be 50 unexceptonable, that no
future objection could be made to its adoption
as the formula Of State organizations for all
time 10 come.
When the success of the Free State party in
the legislative elections was made known, we
scquiesced in the supposed will of the people
as a triumph Of this principle. We did so not
without a consolatory feeling of pride that we
had signalized that triumph BY some sacrifice
of the interests Of the section to which we be-
long.
4 nat our motives had been misrepresented
or misunderstood, did not affect our composure.
Conscious OF our own integrity, as we were
convinced of the wisdom Of those with whom
We acted, we left to experience of the future 10
show that we were influenced by no malignant
hatred to another section, by no insincere ad-
vocacy Of the Administration which we aided
into power, by no wish to impair the sacred
bonds which unite the States of this Confedera
cy in a common Union, but rather by sincere
anxiety to insure the perpetuty of the Union
by preserving it from the usurpations of Fed
eralism and Consolidation.
We acquiesced in the result of the elections
In Kansas, with q protest against the unwar
raDiable Interference in its affairs by Governor
Walker. The specific charge of misconduct
upon his part had been met by proof that the
instructions emanating from the State Depart
ment did not justify it. The letter of Mr.. Blu
chanan showed that the acts attributed to
Walker could not have met his appreciation.
and the subsequent prevarications of Walker,
with his positive retreat from the most absurd
positions attributed 10 him. induced us to be-
lieve that if his interference had produced some
injurious effects they were perhaps more than
counterscted 10y their disavowal and repudia.
ton.
The evidences, however, begin now to appear
that Walker has been engaged in a systematic
and, we fear successful design to employ the
whole Influence Of his position for the purpose
of excluding Shareholders and slave labor from
the State of Kansas
1t seems that the Territorial law of Kansas
of 1855 restricted the right Of suffrage to these
who had paid their taxes. 1t also allowed the
Federal soldiers IN the Territory to vote. Gov
ernor W alker decided that the law of 1857 vir.
tually repealed the law Of 1853. and (" il was
by the course Of Governor Walker" SAYS the
New York Commercial Advertiser. a Fremont
paper, citing the authority of the Herald OF
Freedom, That many of tie Free State men
Ioho had refused 10 pay tares secured the riqht
10 UOfe." Our italics.
But farther and conclusive proof of Walk
er's betrayal of his trust is tn be found in the
late telegraphic news from Kansas published
and commented on as authentic by the Black
Republican papers of the North.
Il is said that thelate contest in Kansas
turned upon the vote of an election district
composed Of the counties of Johnson and
Douglas, and entitled to sufficient number
OF Representatives to determine the question in
favor of whichever party should obtain the
return
At the precinct Of Oxford, in johnson coun
ty, the Pro Slavery candidates received a large
vote; and this vote, deducted from the whole
vote OF the election district, not only gave 2
majority to the Free State candidates. but
secured that party a majority in the Legisla
ture aud Territorial representative in Con
gress.
That such was the effec. of admitting or re
jectiRg the return from the Oxford precinct is
stated by the Herald 81 Freedom, of Kansas, as
the following extract will show:
=" 1t is upon the Oxford precinct of Johnson
county that majority Of the votes for the
Territorial Delegate to Congress, probably, and
certainly majority of the delegates to the Ter
ritorial Legislature. viii ,urn. If this Oxford
precinct IS rejected, the people will have the
Delegate and the Territorial Legislature, anC
the result will mainly depend upon the action
of Gov. Walker. If he is true 10 the solemn
pledges contained in his inaugural address. II
his Topeka speeches. and his late procIama
ton on the tax question. he will reject this
fraudulent return with scorn and indignation
This we firmly believe he will do, from his past
course"
That Governor Walker did not disappoin,
the expectations Of his Free Soil organ, was
shown by the sequel.
The New York Times Free Soil announces
that IT Is 1.-The declared intention Of Governor
Walker and Secretary Stanton to reject the re
turns Of the votes from Oxford in johnson
county, and thus defeat the fraud which was
there attempted" 1t adds. "the rejection NJ
these fraudulent votes secures the peace ol
Kansas that IA, assures Free State Lepis
lature. The Commercial Adrerfiser considers
that, SINCE the decision Of Governor Walker.
1t is pretty clearly q, cartained tha. the con
test has resulted IN favor Of erecting the Terri
tory into q free State. TIE election of a Free
State Delegate 10 Congress. Mr.. Parrot, seem,
to be placed beyord n.ingercy, and the Ia! Is
advices received thence warrant the belief tha
the Territorial Legislature elect. will hay,
twenty-seven Free s ate men out of thirty min.
Representatives, and nine out of thirteen Coun
cilmen."
Such is tEe Ccusummation of those design
against which we lave warned the Dsmccrati
party and the people of the South. We can
not. of course. undertake to argue the legalii,
of Governor Walkers course upon the author
ity of a telesraphic paragraph. But it is YER
plain to our minds, from the language of tht
law. that he has acted without any authcrit-
whatsoever
As il is very Obvious 10 our minds that III
conduct of Governor Walker has been actuate,
by the most unworthy motives, so it is yer
plain that be has acted in this particular anc
critical matter without the most remote author
ity of law.
he has assumed as Governor the right Il
determine the validity Of returns offered BY tn
legislative representatives Of the people.
In vain is the act organizing the Territorie
of Kansas and Nebras ka searched for any au
thority by which Federal Governor shall de
eide upon the qualifications of members of the
Legislature of Kansas. How it is pretended
that he can 60 behind the returns of the cffcer
conducting the legislative elections, ard ex
clude voters from the right of suffrage by hi
ipSe Dirt, is more than we can understand
Every Legislative body is the sole judge of tn
qualifications and returns of its own members
and it is q violation of that invarable canon o
every Republican Government, that the legis
l,,;.a ;nd;o;oi Old eNocufiva deoor.roapt