The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-29
TERRITORY OF KANSAS, [
Douglas county, IS.
PROCLAMATION
10 he People Of Kansas:
LEcoMpToS, Oct. 10, 1857.

LEcoMproS, Oct. 10, 1857.
BY the sd section of the organic establishing this
territorial government IL is provided in reference to the
election of delegate to Congress- that he person hav
ing the greatest number of votes shall be declared by the
governor be duly elected, and certificate thereof
shall be given accordingly" ..."
By the 10th section of the act of the territorial egs
lature of Kansas entitled San act to regulate elections
it is made the duty of the secretary to examine the
turns in the presence of the governor and to give to
the person having the highest number of votes in their
respective districts certificates of their election to the
legislative assembly"
Under these two provisions of the laws prevailing in
this Territory the recent general election has presented
for the Joint consideration of the governor and secretary
question the gravcs Importance not only to own
people but also to those of the whole Union This ques
ton arises upon the extraordinary returns made from the
precinct of Oxford in the county of Johnson What
port be the returns of the election held at that
cnct on the 5h and 9th instant have been received by
the secretary containing sixteen hundred and twenty
eight of pretended voters, nearly onehaf the
number given in the whole representative district The
disposition to be made of this supposed vote is rendered
all important by the fact that the political character of
the legislative assembly will be controlled by the addi
ton of three councmen and eight representatives to the
strength of party the other according to the ado
ton rejection of the returns in question.
In point of fact it is well known that even the whole
county of Johnson comprising as 1T does part OF an
Indian reserve, which, upon examination of the law, we
find is not yet subject to settlement pre-empton can
Give no such vote as that which is represented to have
been poled this nconsderable precinct of Oxford
But while this unofficial knowledge well established and
universal it may be- could not become the ground OF
decision and action upon election returns in themselves
regular and authentic the legitimate effect OF apparent
enormity such that in question: would necessarily be
to induce close examination of the paper presented and
require for its acceptance perfect compliance with all
the essential provisions of the law Such an examination
of this document conscientiousy and impartiay made
has brought us to the conclusion that the returns from
Oxford precinct in johnson county, must be wholly re-
jected for the following reasons
lst II does not appear the face of the document
presented to U.S. any other manner that the judges
of election took the oath mperatvely required by the
statute to the impartial discharge of their duties
according to law"
I'd IL does not appear that the paper presented 10
was one of the original kept at the election
as required by law but the contrary 1t does appear
from unmstalSable internal evidence that the paper il
either copy Of other document or has been made
up for the OCCASION and not the genuine record of the
votes taken at the election The law requires of the
poll books to be returned to the secretary the other
be deposited with the clerk of the board Of commission
ers of the proper county. .
Sd As the vote Of each elector TO be recorded fo
each one Of twenty two candidates. and in than
hundred cases for enty ve and that by ca vote
1t physical mpoSsbility that the number OF votes
pretended to have been taken on the second day. being
than fifteen hundred with the name OF the voter
written and each of twenty candidates properly des
ignated could have been taken and recorded within the
time prescribed 10y law.
4th II is an extraordinary fact tending to throw dis
upon the whole proceeding, that of the sixteen hun
dred and twenyeght votes only is given TO the del
egate elect TO Congress and only one hundred and
twenty four are recorded having been cast for the local
candidates of the township. -
Influenced by these considerations and impressed with
the grave responsibility resting upon in regard to the
fairness Of the election and its freedom from all fraud
susceptible Of detection and prevention within the scope
of our duties deemed Il essential to truth and Justice
that should ascertain every fact calculated to refute or
confirm the conclusions derived from the face OF the pa
per Accordingly we went TO the precinct OF Oxford,
(which village of six houses including stores, and
without tavern and ascerained from the citizens OF