The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-08-15
LAWRENCE, KANSAS. AUGUST Is. 1857.

|
On the 9Th inst, bill was introduced
into the House, and passed through its
several readings in that body, entitled
"An act to establish the statutes of the
Territory of Kansas" Not one hour was
consumed in its consideration, though it
extended the code of Missouri over the
Territory of Kansas. One gentleman re-
marked: "He was opposed to so much
haste in passing so important law; he had
never seen the statutes of Missouri, and
preferred doing so before he voted for
| them.''
To this another gentleman replied that
'he, too, was unacquainted with the stat
utes, but that the people of Missouri were
prosperous under them; and besides, those
laws tolerated slavery-that was enough
| for him to know"
Another member proposed to substitute
the statutes of Tennessee, but the motion
was summarily disposed of, and the bill
was passed, and sent up to the Council,
where it was laid on the table till the re-
assembling of theLegislature at the Shaw
nee Mission, when it finally became a
law.
In the Council, Judge Wakefield NOV
ed a resolution, which was adopted in
structing the committee on credentials to
call upon the Governor for the testimony
on which he had set aside the election on
the both of March, 1855, in the I'd and
Sd Council Districts.
| The chairman, Col. Coffey, called upon
the Governor and received affidavits, stat
ing the manner in which the Missourians
had invaded these two districts, with men
and arms, and by violence and numbers
/, had wrested the polls from the actual
settlers, and elected members of their
own, after dispensing the judges appoint
ed by the Governor, and appointing 9TH
ers for themselves. Judge Wakefield then
took the poll books and pointed to long
list of names, of well known citizens oil
Westport and vicinity, and asked the
Colonel if he knew those gentlemen. He
replied that he did. The Judge asked
, what he thought of their coming to Kan
sas, to elect members of the Legislature
, Perfectly right, perfectly right" he re-
| piled. Missouri has as good right tc
vote as Massachusetts, has,"
Col Coffey himself had been elected by
Missouri votes. His family lived N
f Pettis county, Mo-; but he had been fol
several years Indian Agent for the Weas
and had divided his time between the
duties of his family in Missouri, and the
agency at Paoli. Judge Wakefield retired
with disgust.
July 4th, Mr.. Cofey, chairman of the
committee OH credentials, made report,
5 expelling Messrs. Wakefield and Wood
and admitting to their seats Mcdonald
. and Strickler, and to the vacancy occa.
stoned by the resignation of NJ. f. Con
way, Mr. Donaldson.
! Judge Wakefield made an unanswera
!. Bile argument on the question, and closed
g by informing the Council that the people
+ would never submit to such usurpation
4 and if persisted in, it would most certainl,
result in lighting up the watch-fres o
J. civil war in all our land.
e The following protest of the expelie,
" members was then spread upon the Coun
n Gil Journal
m 1--WE, the undersigned, members of th
,s first Legislature of the Territory of Kan
sas, from the I'd and Sd Council Districts
elected on the 22d of May, 1856, agreeabl
re to the Governors proclamation; to f
it vacancies in said districts, wherein th
,f people, on the 3Oth of March, 185;
were deprived of their right of choosin
members from those districts, by force
ht arms.
b. 1--WE respectfully ask leave to enter oil
solemn protest against being denied oil
Il, beats In this Assembly, for the followin
reasons
ID LIST, We are the choice of the people
said districts.
DO I'd, The Governor has declared us dul
:. elected.
Sd, He is the Only officer that the o
q ganic act of Congress gives the power
be investigate elections and declare who a
al Il,
al law is passed by theLegislature, ,takingth
power from the Governor.
NC ave maintain that his certificates e
De title US to seats in this Legislature"
The next act in the drama was the T
he moval of the seat of government fro
er- Pawnee to the Shawnee Mission. To CT
Dr. this Manual Labor School is simp
ls ridiculous. 1t is large plantation
,te several hundred acres, worked by slav'
nat where are maintained and educated
on Government expense number of Indi
=! children. It is situated on the Shawn
ro- Reserve, two miles from Westport, a
,ad at this time was not under the jurisdicti
of Kansas Territory proper.
red MIR. McMeekin introduced bill en-
unit tied "An act to remove the seat of &c
out ernment temporarily, to the Shawn
vas Manual Labor School. in the Territory
yer Kansas"
,dy This passed the House in few m
ere utes, and was sent to the Council, vi
her it was passed in an equally hurried M
ror ner, and sent to the Governor.
July 5th.-The Governor returned
urs, House bill, entitled "An act to rem'
was the seat of Government, temporarily,
the Shawnee Manual Labor School,
the the Territory of Kansas" !" together v
The his objections, which were in substa
his that the bill provided that the aGover
cad and Secretary of State should respect