Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-10-07
Address of the Free State men of Kansas

resolution to participate in the election for
members of territorial Legislature and dele
gate to Congress in October next, and appoin-
ted the undersigned a committee to address
the people at large with respect to this impor-
tant action.
Two years and half ago portion OF the
| people of Missouri invaded our territory, took
possession of our ballot boxes, and establish
ed the oligarchy which has since claimed TO
! exercise the functions of government a.
mongst us. a short time after that event our
people met in convention at Big Springs to de-
| termine the course they should pursue.
| Two plans were suggested-one to resist the
execution of their laws by force the other to
avoid this extreme measure by the adoption of
State government. This latter alternative
was preferred.
| 1t is we'll known that the resolutions passed
at Big Springs, September, 1855, have consti-
tuted the basis of all subsequent political ac-
tion of the people Of Kansas. They there un-
| equvocally disayowed the authority of the
| territorial Legislature, and have maintained
that position ever since. Upon these two mea-
sures they have rested their hopes from the
! commencement Of their struggle; and upon
their ultimate success they still continue to re-
| ly. In adopting this course Of action the peo
| pie of Kansas were not impellcd by either
fanatical zeal or wanton inconsidcrateness OF
purpose. They proceeded gravely and with
dcliberation to decide upon the ground they
! should occupy.
The opposition made by the administration
at Washington and its party throughout the
country to this course of the people of Kan
sas, has not, in the slightest degree, weakened
their confidence in it, or leSsened their deter
mination to adhere to it to the end. They are
satisfied that its propriety would never have
been called into question as a matter of seri-
Gus moment, had not the federal administra-
ton, sought by so doing, to serve special
purpose in behalf of slavery. So confident
are our people in the stand they have thus ta-
ken, that they would be perfectly willing to
permit their State government to proceed to
the regular performance Of its functions, with
out any regard to the territorial government
were 1t not for settled wish on their part, to
do nothing which may subject them to the
| charge of ultra views, or desire to incur vio-
lence, even in the assertion of their rights
They have preferred to turn aside for the time
being from their State organization, and to
make an effort to secure through the territori-
al ballot-boXes, peaceful possession of the ter
ritoral government; and to this end they have
determined to try their chances in the Octo-
Der election.
We acknowledge that our chief incentive to
the adoption of this measure was the urgent
appeals made in favor of it by many of those
|
past struggles. But IRE frankly aUoro ourselves
not sGnguiRe Of success. 1t is true that Mr..
! Walker, our federal governor, has declared
that he will afford to US, to the best of his a.
! bility, full and fair election before impartial
! judges but, with our past experience, we find
it difficult to indulge in any hope of justice
/ from the agents of the federal administration.
! By the law of the election all but those who
! have resided six months or moro in the terri
tory are excluded from the polls. The system
of districting or apportonment for members
Of the Legislature shows an unquestionablc
determination TO introduce voters from abroad.
| Sixteen counties, strongly tree State, contain
! ing nearly one half the entire population of
| the territory are not allowed a single repreSen-
! tative in either branch. OF the thirteen men,
/ bers of the Council all but three, and of the
! thirty-nne members of the House of Repre-
| sentatives all but tea are to be selected in the
districts bordering on the Missouri line. To-
! peka is connected with Fort Scott, and Law
| renee is attached to the Shawnee Mission aG-
! Joining Westport. The Lawrence district is
/ also made to embrace an indefinite extent of
! country, having no geographical connection
! whatever with it, away off in the region of the
| Rocky Mountains, occupied by an Indian trad
/ ing post, here and there, at which fcticious
/ precincts may be made, and from which ficti-
1 tious returns may be sent in at any time after
/ the election to overcome the free State vote.
| Besides these things, our enemies have COM
/ pIete possession of all the machinery of the
/ election. Establishing the places for voting,
appointing the judges, canvassing the returns,
declaring the result of the election, and all
/ other matters of detail are in the hands of the
county commissioners, who were themselves
! elected by fraud and violence from Missouri.
| Mr.. Able, partner of Stringfellow, says that
s'kansas must not be given up,' and Gen. At
Gibson sounds the note of renewed preparation
/ to South Carolina, and declares that ''"ith one
more effort the work is done.' W lth the ad-
ministration against us, with one-half the six
months voters virtually disfranchised, with an
! election law framed expressly to keep the new
/ ~ arrived emigrants from the polls, with the
| heIlish system of districting and apportioning
! staring at us in the face, with most of the Of
| icers OF the election, border rufians of the
deepest dye, with the slave party in Missouri