The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-05-14

stantQA g she F4ffiosls Afee-
state Men in Kaiths. AZ
We take pIsssurs in lying tsf6,s our
readers the following sreellsht letter
from Secrelsfy Stanton. Of Kdnsss Ter.
ritory; to some Of the fsetiOus Free State
men there. who propose not TO vote at the
coming eleetiOa Of Delegates to the COnsti-
iutionsl Convention, unless some insdmis-
sable terms which they propose sre aeceded
to. the substance Of which will be gathered
from the Scctetity's reply. Mr.. Stanton is
proving himself the mansfcr the rfisis in
Ksnsns. The following 10 the letter alhud.
ed to: isli ,us1 ,sJlW has sefog gn'
4 ~ ssi . EXECUTIVE OFFicE. q
Lecompton, X. T., April 30, Is57.J =
GEn1 Yours Of the s25th inst,
reached us only By lustn;ght's mail. | pro.
coed without delay, to reply to the PROPOSE
about t6be held for Delegates to a CUnstitu-
tional Ceaventiop. laf 10 aat - 'aF'af
AZ JyEke b different view Of the laws OF
the Territory from that which you express,
twill be impossible for me TO consent to any
new proceeding in opposition to that which
has Been sanctioned by the Legislative dh.
th0fittes,A A.oai N1ii,sqi-b 81, " ~ %
Ibid not hear from General Msclean any
such admission ss you represent him to have
made. That gentleman spoke. only. Of his
individual action ia the particular mention.
ed, and whether that action was right ,tlr
WRONG, or whether it occurred in that indi.
fiduGl instance only, or 10 thousand others,
by men either from Missouri or Masaacbu-
setts,sit cottld not invaiiidte the laws which
now prevail in the Territory III believed
,--ss I do mot belieye-your assertion that
the laws. of Kansas were "enacted by a Leg.
islature elected by the people OF on adioin.
ing Stsse,n,i II, EehM stfft be IMPOSSIBLE for
me to f9t 'tieih aside-the attempt to To SO,
would be an oct ofgross usurpation, mot less
Objectionable In its character and effects
than the fraudulent interference which you
attribute TO the people OF Missouri. must,
therefore, say to you in the most explicit
language, that can DO notbingwhich denies
the auihori:y ani validity of:i. laws enact
ed within This Territory. Congress alone
HIS power to abrogate them. .a,.7...s,; a-
l have no authority over the Probate Jud-
ges. 1t lie not my province to advise them
in relation to the performance oi their ju-
dicial functions. Yet il will not be i'm.
proper for he to say chat it would be, very
shdiciGGs and becoming in thsh 10. obtPfi
every possible information from respectable
men Of both parties, in order TO enuble them
~ kha - IF IN Ss.nt inn
tial men Of their own will and within the
time limited by law, could take new. cen.
sus and present it to the Probate Judges with
sufficient proof of its fairness and accuracy
I think the'P Probate 5udgss &euh be boaihnd
to adopt IL and return it to the Governor as
the true fist legally corrected. Il should be
sorry to see any Probate Judge in the Ter
JtPsy refuse to receive the sworn Testimony
OF two respectable hen. differing III politics
as, t6 qny matler Within their knowledge
connected with,the residence ,Of, iif.ets ERt
their qualifications as voters. / do not Be
liesie such wrong can possibly have &c
CURED, upd ! therefore say that if you had
been .desir9hS Of obtaining correct listo
HoScra for the coming election, you had it ia
your power to accomplish that object IN per
feet conformity with the law. >.
II is not my purpose to reply to your state
meBt Of facts. icanBot do so from any prr
fohal En9NNfsAse, cTaoliug ne either to ,sd
PIT stl deny them. may say, hoWeRet,
have 'heurd state enents-- duite as raaihenti,
az your own, and, in some instances, iron
/! Nembers Of your oEn SartyS+to the effey
+! that yonr political friends have very genera |
! Py, indeed almust universally, refused 4,
participate in the pending proceedings io
registering the nsn, oil. the legal voters
In some inatsFcesshet Have gwen fcticiopy
nrmes, and ,,fn numerous others they ha:.s,
refused to give any names ut Rlt Yuu caIi
not deny that your party have heretofore re
Solved not to take part in the registration
aandit PPaears to me that, without indslgTsp,
Gngenerous suspicious OF the SktegrIy If oi
fcers, you night well stlrlbute any error
and omissions ol tfief sheritfs 10 the exi,tenc,
of, this we'll known and controlling fact.
forbear to say anything Of the unreasonable
ness Of your requirement that we sRf,t Eel
aside the law in order 10 accomplish wha
i you have refused to do in obedience to il
provisions; but will be most b ppy t. lear,
that yep, gentlemen, and your party iriend
geher' y, have been OF work in earnest, Will
view to cnatie the Probate Gudges to pre-
senta ttue and perfect list OF the legal voter
OF the ,Territ,ry. ,tYou. have had power {,
correct the lists-if you hive failed to do it
the fault will be your own. 7 .4" w ''''
In reference to your proposition to appoih
four judges Of election Ut every place OF vot
ing, | have to say that the law very wisel,
authorizes only three. The Governor ha.
nothing TO do.with sheir aprofntYre It. fl /,
moi IN my power, therefore, 10 adopt YOU
Suggestions in thissparticular. III had a n,
authofity in the matter. 4 would in every III
stance, appoint as judges. Of election one
kePoblican OF your party, one National Dem
ocrat In favor Of free State, and one Matte n
al Democrat in favor of making a slave
State. This would be quite as fair and i'm
partial mode of proceeding as ever Is, 0,
indeed ever can be adopted BY poiAfcal
parties in aHy ccd0tFy. 4! most sihcereh
hope the Probate Judges may adopt siis sua.
gestion, or any other which may better, avail
70 Secure perfectly fair and independent
expression Of the popular will. = NJ
! have che honor to be, very respectfully
yctr ebedient servant" .GpL H1i.2 As.it.
.nay FREDERICK p, STANTON, !.
Secretary and Acting Governor OF Kansas
Territory.
I'd g Robinson, William Hutchinson, Ed
,tYat d Clark and Others assgSg scr 80 7gh89