The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-10-24
The Kansas Election.

AS general tnlng doVerhof w Ai-hk XXI :
proclamation is received throughout the
country as strong indication of his per-
sonai desire and of the purpose of the Ad-1
minstration, to secure to the people of
Kansas, in the election of next Monday, a
full and fair opportunity to vote. He is
reproached by the violent Pro-Slayery
press for havass aterfereds In the matter
at all, and especially for having taken
ground so decidedly and so warmly against
Judge Cato's extra judicial opinion that
none can vote but those who have paid |
the tax required by the Territorial law of
1855;-and he is assailed, with still great
er vehemence by the violent Anti-Slaye-
ry journals for the intimstioI that his per-
sonal sympathies are with those. who seek
to maintain the equilibrium" of the Un-
ion by the admission of Kansas as Staye
State and also for his severe reprehen-
sion of the organization of a Charter Gov
eminent by the Free State men of Law
renee City. BY the great body ofthe peo-
ple in all sections, however, who look at
the matter without party prejudice or po-
l;tical feeling of any kind, the expression
of his personal preferences and wishes on
one side or the other. is regarded as q |
matter of yery little consequence.
No Que, we presume, at all acquainted |
with Governor Walkers political antece- !
dents, ever expected from him anything
like personal sympathy with distinctive |
.ly Anti-Slavery movement, either In
Kansas or anywhere else. All his politi- |
cal associations have been with the other
side. and it was unavoidable that his per-
sonal wishes. so far as he might have any.
should lean to that side also. All that the |
country had right TO expect from him ID
the matter was, that he should not permit |
his personal feelings to interfere, III any
way or upon either side, with the rigid
and exact discharge of his official duty
And in Justice to him we are bound to
confess that we see no evidence that he
has ever done so. He has insisted, in all
his messages. speeches, Letters and procla-
nations. that all the bcnG jfde inhabitants
of the Territory ought TO have, and so far
as his official action could secure it, should
have. q fair chance to vote in the choice OF
political rulers and in all matters affecting
the legislation of the Territory. In spite
of all the denunciations which are urged
against him, we see no reasons to doubt
the entire sincerity of these declarations,
or that he will do all in his power to carry
them into effect. His recent proclamation
certainly gives quite as strong assurances
on this subiees as could be expected or,de-
sired at his hands. 1t is perfectly easy,
| we are aware, to assume that Gov. Walker
| in all this is simply playing part,-that
he deliberately makes promises which ne
has no intention of fulfilling, and that
while his words favor the cause of justice
and fair play, his acts viii be wholly on
the other side. But we cannot lind 1t
consistent with our self-respect thus to
impute to any public officer, with so much
of personal and of public reputation at
stake. purposes and intentions of SO dis
honorable and degrading character. 1t
will be quite time enough to visit them
with the censure they merit when their
existence becomes something more than
matter of assumption. Weprefer to judge
Gov. Walker, as we Judge every other
public officer, by what he does, not by pre-
dictions or suspicious of what he may do.
Tn to the present time. in our judgment,
his administration of Kansas affairs has
been marked by desire and determin-
alton to secure to its inhabitants the full
possession of their civil and political
rights.
If the election is conducted upon the
doctrines of Gov. Walkers proclamation,
all being permitted to vote who are citi-
| zens of the United States and have resi-
4 ded six months in the Territory, land nc
I others.-the Free State men and the coun-
try at large will have no reason to COM
piain of the result. But it cannot be de-
MED that there are formidable obstacles
in the wav of securing this result. Gov
Walker has felt bound to conduct thu
election in strict accordance with the leg
. ritorial law of 1857,-nor is it easy to SEE
how he could possibly have done other
wise under the circumstances Of the case
That law places the whole machinery o
: the election in the hands Of the men whs
g man not agree with Gov. Walker IN hi
{ internretation of the law, or admit III
|. rioht to dictate the manner IN which
r sl,aJl he enforced. The Judges of Eiec
d tion are clothed with the power of deci
!, ding what votes shall be admitted am
what votes shall not. They may ins's
: upon Judge Cato's construction OF the laH
: and exclude sll voters but such as hav
: Maid the tax. This would be highland
: ed and barefaced act of injustice, an
:. would be in direct hostility to the publish
l ed views of Governor Walker and Of th
n Administration at Washington. But tn
o practical question is, would the evil
e remedied and the injustice cured uo'
o Walker in his proclamation, intimate
r very distinctly that, as the certificate
r. the Delegate to Congress, declaring ths
n he was adulg elected," must be signed b
" him, he will have the power Of iudgin
y finally as to the validity of the votes tn
is NAV have been cast for him, and the L
l. validity of any that may be excluded
s. He does not promise that he viii exercii
a this power.-and Il he should attempt
N do so, he would unquestionably ind hin
i'd self brought into direct collision with q
ar judicial and other Pro Slavery authoriti
~ of the Territory. Il would require co
,u siderable courage on his part to take Il
Id eround:-but it would be so clearly in
i'll and so thoroughly in accordance with I
in position of the Administration at Was
llr iugton. that he could not fail to be sustai
le, ed in Il bv Congress and tie country.
he hone as all events, that the Free ST
By men who may be deprived of theig rigi
nd by any such action of the Election ] adg
Iu- viii be in position to present the FAC
nd properly authenticated, for the eonside
IN ion and action of Governor Walker.