White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1857-06-11
KANSAS.
Secretary stantOn's Answer to the Free
State Men of Lawrence.
or THE FREE STATE MEN.

| 6bdkC nCLA VI @1MACAlCs
PROPOSITION OF THE FREE STATE MEN.
LAWRENCE, April %, 1857.
Hon. P. p. Stanton, Acting Governor Of Kansas
Territory.
DEAR SHIN your address to the people Of
Lawrence last evening, we understood yen TO
say, in substance, you would enforce the laws
enacted by legislature elected by the people of
another State, until they should be repealed;
and also, If the laws are unjust ard distasteful,
our remedy is the ballotbox. History has indel-
i libIy recorded the fact, which Gen. Mclean ad-
mitted in our presence last evening. that the bal
lot box was taken from the people of Kansas
Territory on the 30th March, 1855, and has not
to this day been returned. From that time to
the present, the people have had no voice what
ever in mixing laws or in selecting officers to
/. administer them, notwithstanding the world
vide declarations Of the administration at Wash
ingtOn, and its trends elsewhere, that the people
shouldbe perfectly free to regulate their institu-
tons in their own way, subject only to the Con-
titution of the United States.
We are now invited to participate in an cleo
ton of Delegates 70 a Constitutional Conven-
ton, to meet in September next, to form Con-
stitution and State Government. We are told
that the election law is good one, and the voice
of the actual settlers can be heard at the polls,
and justice will be meted out toall parties. We
regret that the past conduct of the officers to su-
perintend this election has not been such as TO
permit US to believe that they viii secure a fair
vote OF the people; and the fact that many we'll
known citizens in Kansas are omitted from the
registry list, and that as wellknswn citizens and
residents of Missouri are registered, is conclu-
sive proof to us that fair election is not inten
det and will not be permitted by the officers who
have thus far had the matter in charge. But if
fair election is intended, notwithstanding the
body of men Calling it was not elected by the
people of Kansas, and notwithstanding the peo-
pie have already formed a constitution of which
large majority approve, we, the undersigned,
are willing to overlook the past, and 90 into the
election OF Delegates to Constitutional Con-
vention, should a Convention Of the people of
Kansas concur, if .he following course will be
adopted by the officers of the election, to-Sit:
LIST. Two persons shall be selected in each
township or district, to correct the registry list
-one by tie pro-slavery and one by the Free
State party, who shall proceed in company to
take the census and re-register all legal voters,
and the Probate Judges shall correct their first
lists, and the appOrtionment of delegates shall
be made according to these returns.
ID. -Four judges of election shall be elected
from each voting precinct-two by the pro-sla-
very and two by the Free State party-and the
names of three of said judges shall be required
to certificate of election TO e,.title person to
4 seat in the convention.
| Wethink your Excellency will at once per-
ceive that some such course must be pursued to
correct the list, or no correction can be made.
We are informed by crediblereports that in some
districts non-residents to the number Of thou
sands have already been registered, while actu-
al Free State settlers have been refused; and
how else can the lists be corrected than BY a
re-taking of the census by some pSrson Or per-
sons who have regard for an oath7 Testimony
of negative character can avail nothing; and
to obtain positive testimony with reference to
the residence of those enliked from another
State would be impossible, in the short time be-
fore the election.
That YOU have the power to take any course
you may think proper to secure a fair election,
we have no doubt. 1t is not material that the
letter of the law calling the election should be
strictly followed; indeed, no law at all is requi
site, so that the will of majority of the peo-
pie can be ascertained. Congress can give le-
gality to Constitution formed in accordance
with previous Territorial act, or without one;
and we trust your Excelleney will restore the
ballot-box to the people of Kansas in all its pu-
rity, at any risk Of informality in minor and nom
essential provisions of the election regulations.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servants,
ISigned by Charles Robinson, and other citi-
zens of Lawrence,l