Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-11-06
re.ult until several days alter it had focc.

q
cured. ~ 8
In the course of our Journey to and
from Oford We passed over much the lar.
ger part of the county Of Johnson, rnd
We became thoroughly satisfied that there
is no population in the whole county from
which more than one.third the vote Of
that single precinct could have been Civ.
en-. We Learn that some very few per-
sons having cabins in the reserve Of John
son county. aud claiming residence
therein. though generally absent. had yo-
ted at some Of the precincts in that coun>
~; but We are convinced that . very in.
considerable number. not reaching. We
believe. one hundred of Missourians or
other persons having no admitted right to
vote, did claim or attempt to exercise that
right, anywhere within that county. The
people of Missouri cannot be justly chang
cd with any interference in the late cleo.
ton. nor are they in any degree compli.
Gated with the evidently fraudulent re-.
turns made from the precinct Of Oxford.
Those returns. beyond all doubt, are sim
ulated aud fictitious.
Under these circumstances We do not
feel embarrassed by any technical diff
Guilty as to our right to go behind the re-
turns. We hold the returns themselves
10 be defective in form and in substance,
and therefore inadmissable. We go be-
hind them and inquire into the facts, only
for the purpose OF ascertaiuing whether
by these valid objections to the mere re.
turns, our rejection Of them will have the
effect of defeating the will Of the people.
sought to be fairly expressed at the polls.
In the event of such consequences. we
might hesitate to reject vote upon any
detect OF form, however essential in law.
But in the present case. we feel ourselves
bound TO adhere to the very letter OF the
law. in order to defeat gross and palp>
able fraud. The consideration that our
own party. by this decision, will lose the
majority in the Legislative Assembly does
not make our duty less solemn aud i'm
perative. The elective franchise would
DO utterly yalueless. and free government
itself would receive a deadly blow, if Sc
great an outrage as this could be shield
ed under the cover of mere forms and
technicalities. We cannot consent in any
manner. TO give the sanction Of our re-
1 spective official positions to such a trans
action. Nor can we feel justified TO re-
lieve ourselves Of the proper responsible
~ OF our offices in a case where there is
no valid return by submitting the ques'
ton 10 the Legislative Assembly. and in
that very act giving the parties thai
might claim to be chosen by this spuri.
Gus vote. the power 10 decide upon then
own election.
In view of the condition OF affairs il
Kansas for several years past, of the ef'
forts so long made to put in operation
here revolutionary government. and o
the fact that that this effort was suspend
ed under the belief that the political dit
fcuItes of the Territory might at length
be fairly adj usted at the polls, if that adj
justment should not be defeated and the
people deprived of their rightful power
under the laws,of Congress. by fictitious
returns OF votes never given. il is our sol
emn conviction that the Pacifcation Of
Kansas. through the exercise of the cleo
tive franchise would become impractica
Bile. and that civil war would immediate
ly be RECOMMENDED in this Territory. ex
tending. we fear, TO adjacent States. anc
subjecIIng the government Of the Unor
to imminent peril.
Because, therefore. the paper now I'm
1 der examination is not one Of The origina
poll>books by law required to be return
ed. and from the absence OF the oath pre-
scribed by the territorial statutes for tn,
Judges o! elections. the returns being thu
clearly invalid, and. as we believe. fcti
tious and simulated, we have, under tn,
circumstances. no alternative but to re
ject the whole return from the Oxfo,t
precinct. and TO give the certificates &
those who appear to have been elected b,
virtue of the other regular returns.
R. J. WALKER.
Governor of Kansas Territory.
FRED. P. STANTON, Secretary.