The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-10-26
TAe Eiscsisn An Kansas.
11r LAST GRAND FRAUD or soaDka RurriASIs

TEE LAST GRAND FRAUD or BORDER aUFrlANIsA.
We have received the Kansas Herald Of
Freedom containing very full reports Of the
election. The result for the Legislature is
summed up - follows:
'The free State party have twenty seven
out Of the thirty nine Representatives, or
more than two-thrds vote.
SIN the Council We have elected all the
members, save in Leavenworth and Atchison
counties, giving us nine out Of the thirteen
members in that body also two thirds ma
jority."
The Herald, il will be remembered, has
been denounced by msny Of the ultra free
State men as the organ Of Gov. Walker, and
has uniformly defended his action and policy
in Kansas, and is, therefore, not likely to
sxAggsrase IN favor Of 'sthe abolitionists."
In long editorial, defending Gov. Walk
er from various charges brought By the free
State men, the Herald gives tho following
account Of the fraud by which the Boz der
Rufians seek to retain their control Of the
Legislature Of Kansas. The allegation
against Walker was that he stationed the
United States soldiers at such places ~
would enable them to overawe the free State
men and give the Missourians every facility
for voting, and here ia the defence made for
him:
s'Gov. Walker, ut the request Of the free
State party, sent q force, consisting OF . bat
terry and three companies Of artillery, equal
to force Of 800 men, under the command
Of Col. Brooks, formerly Of Massachusetts,
himself q free State man, to Shawnee in
johnson county, the supposed point Of dan
ger, to prevent illegal voting, especially from
Missouri. Westport in Missouri, but three
miles distant from the Shawnee precinct,
was the anticipated point for the concentra-
ton Of the Missourians, and from thispoint,
originally, they intended to come. This was
evident from previous experience, as we'll rs
from what occurred befors and after the
election. Col. Brooks arrived at Shawnee
the day before the election. When Col. b.
arrived, he states, that he was called upon
BY the celebrated Col. Titus and also by a
Mr.. Anderson, Of Westport, who complained
bitterly Of the s.ationing Of the troops there,
and said that "the people would be conpell-
ed 10 vote at the point of the bayotlet.'
post, exhibiting Gov. WIS address against
foreign voters us his letter Of instructions.
What followed Why the Missouriuns
changed their place Of voting and went on
the second day to oxford, which is twelve
miles distant from Shawnee, md some Rf-
teen from WestporL point directly on the
borders Of Missouri opposite the town Of
Lttle Santa Fe. Here the fraud was perpe-
trnted, no. on the frst, but quietly on the
second day Of the election. Indeed We do
not believe any OF these votes were given,
but were merely entered and counted as
such, as appears by the certificates on file at
Lecomptan, to the number Of 1888 on this
second day, which Was impossible, for even
one-haif that number, to be polled on one
day. Now it 10 upon the Oxford precinct Of
Johnsoa county that . majority OF the votes
Tor the Territorial Delegate to Congress,
probably, and certainly msjority Of the
Delegates to the Territorial Legislature will
turn. II this Oxford precinct is rejected,
the people will have the Delegate ana the
Territorial Legislature, and the result will
manly depend upon the action Of Governor
Walker.
Now that seems very fair for Governor
Walker, and If he carries it out BY utterly
rejecting this fraudulent vote, We shall adj
init that his conduct was oil fair and honest
in the premises. But, If on the other hand,
be shall, upon any pretence whatever, admit
this "Border Rufian'' return, then we shall
hold tina, he was particeps criminis in this
great outrage upon the sovereignty Of the
people, and that his sending the troops to
Shawnee and the appearance Of Col. Titus
there, was all sham TO cover his completely
in the fraud q, Oxford.
This mos ement, however, OF the Borde,
Ruhhans in the Oxford Precinct, will posi-
bly, have the virtue of opening the eyes Of
many Northern democrats al to the manne,
in which the elections have been carried il
that Territory heretofore. A little Hamlet
the name " which has scarcely ever tonne
its way into the newspapers, returns large
vote than that Of the famous towns OF Law
renee and Leavenworth combined. III th
town Of Oxford, not entitled to hundre,
votes, returns sixteen hundred, and tina
while large number Of United States troop
are stationed only twelve miles OF, with tn,
express purpose Of preventing fraud AM
violence at the election, it is not a. al
strange that the Border Ruffians have beer
able to carry the elections in Kansas 70
the past three years.
Now, every honest Democra. must ADM
taat there have been outrageous frauds il
the Kansas elections heretofore aud II,
honest Democra, will sanction and upholt
the conduct Of Governor Walker and tn
Administration, II they permit the election
10 be carried against tae people Of Kansas
by the votes manufactured by Border Ruff
.aas at Oxford.