True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-11-18
From Kansas.
PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS
LEcoMPToN. Oct. %, 1857,

Since our proclamation Of the l9.h inst,
rejecting the so-called. election returns
from the Oxford precinct iu Johnson coun-
ty, another very similar case hes been
presented for our official action. |. is
that Of pretended returns from three pre-
cincls Of MsGee county, in this Territory,
containing an aggregate of more than
twelve hundred votes. This county is
located in the'exlreme southeastern por-
tion Of Kansas, is constituted from the
lands of the Cherokee Indians, which are
not yet open TO pre.emption or settlement,
Rnd is consequently one Of the most SPAR
sely populated counties of the Territory,
containing less than one hundred qualified
voters, and giving last June but forteen
votes for Delegates to the Constitutional
Convention.
Indeed all persons actually conversant
with the number Of the population Of the
county, treat with derision the large vote
pretended to have been given there. Our
information also excludes the idea that
there was any Inclusion of voters from
The neighboring State Of Missouri, whose
people did not seem TO have interfered
in the recent election. 1t is then quite
evident that no such vote as is presented
in these pretended returns was given at
the late election in this county.
1t is not, however, on the grounds
above stated, that we rel ected these pre-.
tended returns; but feeling confident that
no such vote was given, or even one-tenth
part of it, we are induced by such con-
siderations to give these alleged returns
the most rigid scrutiny, in order to ascer-
tain whether they are genuine, legal and
valid.
From the intrinsic evidence on the
face of these papers, we are convinced
that they are rot genuiae, but simulated
and fclicious. Besides, they present no
evidence that the oath required by our
states was administered to the clerks or
judges of the election. to secure from each
and all Of them the "impailial discharge
of their duties according to law"
But, in addition 10 thess grounds Of
decision against the legality and validity
of these pretended returns, there is yet a
more conclusive reason which constrains
us not 10 count. them. While the name
of the voters, and of the candidates, all
appear TO be entered on the lists, not one
Of the Offices Is mentioned for ,0hich the
candidates respectively uUere intended
to be designated. We connot determine,
therefore, from the face of these papers,
for what Office any one of the candidates
was supported. The uniformity in this
particular of these pretended returns from
three separate and distinct precincts, es-
pecially as the forms are not made up in
The same hand writing, nor with certain
exceptions which only add force 10 The
argumenC on the same kinds of paper,
renders. with other circumstances con-
elusive 10 our minds, the conviction that
they are, as above stated, fcticious and
simulated. It's most extraordinary, also,
that not single vote appears to have
been given for any county offices.
In rejecting these papers, Ue do not go
behind the returns, because no legal OF
valid returns were made. Neither in The
former instance. nor in this have aUt
claimed the po,Oer to judge of the quail
ifcations Of voters and to exclude voteS
deemed to- be illegal. What constitutes
a return is defined by the territorial stat.
utes and 10 reject paper as spurious
or fctitions, or because in points of vital
importance, it deviates from the requisi-
tons Of the law, and therefore is not a
return, in legal parlance, is not going
behind.the returns, as we have been I'm
Justly charged with doing.
II these papers Qike those from the
Oxford .precinct) would increase, by near.
ly twelve hundred, the apparent vote fol
the candidates Of our party, although The
Offices are not named, our obligation is
none the less paramount to reject them
as we now do, as spurious and illegal. -
An election secured through our sanction.
by frauds SO monstrous would be more
fatal to our party than any defeat, how.
ever disastrous. We deem it our duty
to.state that, according 10 our information,
some il no. all the candidates, who it was
surpassed might claim their election by
} these frauds, have refused 10 accept any
advantage under them.
These disrepuable attempts 10 destroy
The elective franchise and all popular
, government which is based upon it, ant
10 subject us to the responsibility of re-
jecting such papers, or rendering oursel
yes accomplices in The fraud, by giving il
, our endorsement and sanction, will NEE
, we doubt not, the serious apprehension o
honest men of all parties in this Territory
and throughout the Union. The intense
t and dangerous excitement produced ir
this Territory, by these enormous frauds
has rendered i! imperative upon US, in this
public official manner, to make known oul
decision in regard TO them, believing
that just and impartial course of actor
on our part, will serve to restore peace
and harmony to an agitated and distracted
people.
If finslead of relying upon these papers
themselves as authentic returns, it il
sought to deny the fact that the result:
} are spurious and stimulated, we canno
doubt that Congress, upon the question
Of admitting the delegate, would, by ar
appropriate committee of one or bot
: houses dispatched to this Territory, anc
, clothed with authority to send for persons
and papers, inquire fully into these trans
actions, in order that the perpetrators o
such enormities, and all their accomplice:
| and nonEedarntns tnnu he axnnsed nnc