The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-12
From the Richmond IVA Examiner
THE KANSAS IMBROGLIO.

TIE documents and extracts which we pub
hsh on this unhappy and unhopeful subject are
80 voluminous as to exclude much commentary
upon them.
Tnat the most enormous frauds upon the
elective franchise have been perpetrated at the
late election in Kansas, in the name and for the
oehoot Of the South, is too plain to be denied
That they have brought reproach on orr capse.
IN that Territory and out of it, and fixed a stir-
ma OF shame upon the face Of every honest citi.
zen and friend of the South, is too true. Tha.
the truth of the adage, Cheating nerer thriyes
mas been illustrated IN manner mournfully
affecting TO the South and her cause is felt too
senslbly by US all The nature and character
OF these frauds are such rs preclude the posi-.
blEty of defence and extenuation. We shall
not defend them; we will not, cannot. extenuate
them. The CLAIM Of the South upon the nation
was, TIA. the people of the Territories should be
left free TO settle their Institutions by the honest
expression of their will at the polls; and IT is
mockery OF every form of fair dealing, and an
outrage upon the great principles of popular
sovereignty for which the South has contend
ed, that such gross frauds as these at Oxford
should be perpetrated in her name The South
has contended for the fair and honest express
sion OF the popular will at the polls in the Ter
ritories, and they poorly interpret her wishes
and little understand her interests, who seek tc
serve her by fraud and outrage like this. There
Is no defence for the proceedings at Oxford
and no power on earth can induce US to extern
uate that monstrous transaction.
Ot Governor Walker and Secretary Stapton's
manner OF dealing with it, we cannot speak AS
yet with perfect confidence. We have not the
Congressional and Territorial statutes before
us, under which they claim to have acted. We
are therefore unable to decide upon the valid
ity OF the reasons they allege in their proclama.
non tor the proceeding which they have taken,
or upon the justice of the resolutions of censure
which meeting Of Democrats in Lecomptou
have adopted against their proceeding.
The authority they have exercised seems 70
have been at least questionable; and. if only
questionable, 1t ought not to have been assumed
The spirit of the organic act of Kansas nnder
which they are acting-the very essence of the
great Nebraska Kansas principle of non.inter
vention by the Federal authorities, which was
the gist of that act-required that whatever
authority could be properly and legitimately
referred to the immediate representatives of the
people of the Territory, ought to have beer
scrupulously so referred by the Federal officers
If, therefore, the very letter of the laws, undei
which the Governor and Secretary of Kansas
we're acting, did not require them to exercise
a revisory power over the polls which they have
set aside, then that task ought to have beer
referred to the agents of the people of the Ter
ritory, the representatives of the popular voice
and will, and not been assumed by the Fedora
sppointees and agents. If it was case o.