Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-02-05

and dare 10 offer an illegal vote,
at the fountain of Justice, undcrmincs
the pillars Of society. applies the torch to the
temple OF our liberties, and should receive
severe punishment. As 2 qualification for vo-
ting. n definite period Of actual inhabitancy in
the Territory. ia the exclusion Of a home else
where, should be rigidly prescribed. No man
should be permitted TO vote upon a floating
residence. lie should have resided within the
for a period of not less than ninety
and in the district where he offers TO vote
at leas 81 ten days Immediately preceding such
All the voters should be registered
and published for a certain time previous to
the election. False voting should be severely
punished, and false swearing to secure a vote
visited with the pains aud penalties Of perjury.
In this connection your attention is also in
yi.ed to chapter ", entitled Jurors lniS
chapter leaves the selection of Jurors to the
absolute discretion of the Marshal, Sheriff. or
Constable, as the case may be, and affords
great room for Partially and corruption. The
names of all properly qualified citizens, with
out party distinction, should be thrown into a
wheel or box. and at stated periods, under the
order Of the Courts, Jurors should be publicly
drawn by responsible persons. Too many
safeguards cannot be thrown around the right
of trial bv Jury, in order that 1t may still con-
tinno to occupy that cherished place in the af-
~fections of the people, so essential to its pre-
scrvation aud s~anctity.
Some portions of chapter 10, "Militia, J." in
fringes the Executive prerogative, impairs the
Governors usefulness, aud clearly conflicts
with the Organic Act. This Act requires the
Executive to reside in the Territory and makes
him "Commander-in-C Chief of the militia"
This power must be vested ZONE place, and is
always conferred upon the chief magistrate.
Section 26th virtually %confers this almost SOW
ereign %prerogative ''upon any commissioned
oiicer,' aud permits him "whenever and as
often as any invasion or danger may come to
his knowledge, to order out the militia or vol
unteer corps, or any part thereof, under his
command, for the defense of the Territory
&C.; thus almost giving 'any commissioned
officer whatever, at his option, the power to
involve the Territory in war,
Section 10Th provides for a general militia
training on the first Monday of October, the
day fixed for the general election. This is
wrong, and is well calculated to incite terror
ism. The silent ballots of the people, unawed
by military display, should quietly and def
nitely determine all questions of public in
terest.
The other sections of the law, requiring the
appointment of field and commissioned off.
GERS, should be repealed. All officers should
derive their authority directly from their re-
spective commands, by election. To make
the military system complete and effective
Iiltlt HuN DC llII "hN hht
running from the commander-in-chief to tn,
humblest soldier, and one spirit must animate
the entire system.
The led chapter, in relation to Patrols,
is unnecessary. It renders all other property
liable to heavy taxation for the protection o
slave property, thus operating unequally upoi
citizens, and is liable to the odious charge o
being a system of espionage, as it authorize
the Patrols, an indefinite number of whom
may be appointed to visit not only negro quar-
tiers, but amy other places suspected of un
lawful assemblages of slaves.
Chapter 1871, 'pre-emption,' squanders tn
school fund by apprOpriating the school sec
tions contrary to the Organic Act, which pro
vides that sections numbered sixteen an
thirty-six in each township in Kansas Terri
tory, shall be and the same are hereby re
served for the purpose of being applied t
schools in said Territory, and in the State
! and Territories to be erected out of the same
contravenes the United States pre-emptio
/, laws, which forbid trafficing in claims an
4 holding more than one claim, and directs tn
Governor to grant patents for lands belongin
= to the United States and only CONDITIONAL
granted to the Territory. This Act is direct
S ly calculated to destroy the effect of a nun
e fcent grant of lands by Congress for educa
e tional purposes. The Territory is the truste
e of this valuable gift, and posterity has a rigf
: to demand of us that this sacred trust shall r,
e main unimpaired, in order that the blessings
! free education may be shed upon our childreI
For official action, I know no better rule tina
a conscientious conviction of duty-none mo-
variable than the vain attempt to concilia
temporary prejudice. Principles and justi'
are eternal, and il tempered with, sooner
e later the sure and indignant verdict of populi
IL condemnation against those who are untrue
their leadings, will be rendered. Let US n
be false to our country, our duty and our co
er stituents. The triumph of truth and principl
E. not of p~artizau and selfish objects, should
N our steady purposc-the general welfare, al
" not the interests of the few, onr sole all
Let the past, which few men can review wi
n, satisfaction, be forgotten. Let us not deal
IT. ordinations and recriminations but as f
IN as possible, let us make restitution and of
regrets for past excuses. The dead, who
ne the madness Of ~partizan fury has consigned
premature graves, cannot be. recalled to lif
oil the insults, the outrages, the robberies a.
re the murders, enough to stir a fever in t
ne blood of age in this world of imperfect
to and guilt, can never be fully atoned for
he Justly punished. The innocent blood, howe
at er, shall not cry in vain for redress, as we a
to promised by the Great Executive Of the nj
a verse, whose power is almighty and who
n knowledge is perfect, that He will repay
IL TO fight in a Just cause and for our cou
try's glory, is the best Office of the best
ed men, Let .%iustice be the laurel' which crow
h, your deliberations let your aims be pure
es patriotic and your sole purpose the geneI
nd welfare and the substantial interests of I
of whole people. If we fix our steady gaze up
the Constitution and the Organic Act, as e
- cloud by day and the pillar of fire by nigh
his our footsteps will never wander into any q
ed known or forbidden paths. Then will Il
m Legislative Assembly be as a beacon ligl
to placed high in the pages of our history, she
at ding its luminous and benign influence to t
to most remote generations ; its members will
Isl remembered with veneTation and respect
W, among the early fathers of the magniicC
nd commonwealth, which in the not distant
se ture, will oyershadow with its protection
population of freemen unsurpassed by a
.at State ia this beloved Union, for intelligen'
of wealth, religion, and all the elements viii
to make ana insure Nhe tIuF GREATNESS Oh a ]