Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-11-20
Cuattbman \ SAD journal.
d " = " NIIVN,
MONTPELIER. NOVEMBER 2n. 1857.
POSTING UP

The pressure of legislative matter for few
weeks and it is not quite over has Of course
prevented due attention to other matters. and
we now dispose Of a few Of tho moro interest
ing summarily
KANAs.-Thc following is the proolana-
ton Of Gov. Walker and Secretary Stanton,
repudiating the pro-slavcry fraud in the Ok
ford District, johnson county Our readers
now have an official admission and proof Of
what has all along been asserted by the free
State men--to wit, that tie people are for free
dom. and that the slayocracy, backed until
now by the Democratic party and the Govern
mont, has attempted to thwart the true viii
Of the people, and crush out the right of suf-
irage, by frauds Tits valuable and conolu-
sivc testimony. let it be remembered.
PROCLAMATION OF GOV WALKER
AND SECRETARY STANTON
LEcoMrroN, oct 10, 1857.
To the people Of Kansas by the 23d Soc
ton of the Organic Act establishing the ter
ritorial government, it is provided in refer
enoe to the election of delegate to Congress.
that 1.-THE person having the greatest number
of votes shall be declared by the Governor 10
be duly elected, and a certificate thereof shall
be given accordingly"
BY the 10th section of the act Of the Ter
rtorial Legislature Of Kansas, entitled ian
act TO regulate elections, it is made the duty
of the Secretary to examine the returns in the
presence Of the Governor, aud to give to the
persons having the highest number ofyotcs in
their respective districts, certificates Of their
election to the Legislative Assembly"
Under these two provisions Of the laws pre-
yaillng IN this territory, the recent general
election has presented for the joint considcra-
ton of the Governor and Secretary question
OF the greatest importance, not only TO our
own people, but also to those of the whole
Union.
This question arises upon the extraordiua-
ry returns made from the precinct of Oxford,
IN the county of Johnson What purport to
be the returns Of the election held at that pre-
cinct on the 9Th and 9th inst, have been re-
ccyed by the Secretary, containing sixteen
hundred and twcnty-eight voters. or nearly
one-hali the number given in the whole Rep
resentatiye District The disposition TO be
made of this supposed vote is rendered all inn
portant by the fact, that the political charac-
ter OF the Legislative Assembly will be con-
trolled by the addition of three Couuc.lmon
and eight Representatives to the strength OF
one party or the other, according to the adopt
ton or rejection Of the returns in question
In point of fact, it is well known, that even
the whole County of johnson, comprising, as
It does, part of an Indian reserve. which, up
ON examination of the law, we find is not yet
subject to settlement or preempton, can give
no such vote as that which is represented to
have been pollod at this inconsidcrablo precinct
Of Oxford. But while this unofficial knowl-
edge, well established and universal as it may
be, could not become the ground of decision
and action upon election returns. in themselves
'egular and authentic, the legitimate effect OF
IN apparent cnormity such as that in question,
would necessarily be to induce close exam
nation Of the paper presented, and to require
or ITS acceptance perfect compliance with
III the essential provisions of the law. Such
IN examination of this document conscion-
iously and impartially made, has brought us
o the conclusion that the returns from Oxford
precinct, in Johnson County, must be wholly
elected, for the following reasons -
LIST, 1t does not appear on the face of the
document presented to us, in any other man
Ter, that the Judges of Election took the oath
hP'i"HNNig icluittu ny the statute, W eNNN
he impartial discharge of their duties accor-
ling to law
I'd. 1t does not appear that the paper pre-
onted to us was one of the two original poll
looks kept at the election, as required by
aw; but on the contrary, it does appear
rom unmistakable internal evidence, that the
'aper is either a copy of some other document
r has been made up for the occasion, and IS
ot the genuine record of the votes taken AZ
he election. The law requires one OF the
to be returned to the Secretary
he other to be deposited with the clerk OF inc
'oaid of Commissioners of the proper county