The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-02-28
The Hefaio Of Freedom.
Lawrence. Saturday, Feb. %, 1857
The Bogus Laws of Kansas-Propo-
sal for their Repeal.


G. w. BRowS.-You will have
learned ere this, what we have done in
regard to our petition for an appro-
prlation of lands for University and
Seminary. We succeeded in getting
the National Agricultural Society to
endorse the movement and appoint
committee to memorialize Congress,
which will, / have no doubt, have its
influence. The petition adopted at the
Lawrence meeting has been presented
to the House and Senate. and referred
to the Committee on Lands, both of
which committees appeared inclined
to consider it favorsbly, and will prob
ably report so this session, but | fear
that the brief space before the adjourn
1nent of Congress will not afford time
for their action SO as to get bill pas
scd this session.
Whilst I was in Washington city, /
saw an evident disposition on the part
Of members and Senator's, of all par
ties with whom / conversed. to do
something for the POLITICAL RELIEF OF
KANSAS; and this disposition has pro-
duced the following Report and Bill
from the Territorial Committee of the
House,
REPORT IN THE HoUsE OF REPRESENTA-
TTYEs.
The Committee on Territories, to whom
was referred snndry petitions praying Con-
gross to provide some increase of relief for
the people of Kansas, submitted the follow
ing report
The wrongs of the people of Kansas have
been abundantly proven, and at this day are
scarcely denied. The necessity for some
effectual remedy seems to be generally con-
eeded. The only difficulty in the settle
inent of this vexed question is to be found
in the diverse ideas entertained as to the eff
fciency of the various legislative means
which have been suggested for removingthe
evil complained of.
The evil consists in the fact that the peo-
pie of the Territory have been deprived OF
their liberty, and reduced TO a state of po-
litical yassalage by power foreign TO their
soil and too powerful for them alone to re-
sist. At the first and subsequent elections
held in the Territory large bodies of men
from en- adjoining State, without the semb-
lance Of citizenship, have entered the Ter.
ritory, voted, and then returned Immediately
to their homes; conducting their invasions
IN such manner as clearly TO prove that theil
only object was to usurp the powers of Gov.
ernment.
That object has been accomplished by the
election aud appointment Of the various of
fieers of the Territory, and the enacting o
Its laws. The powers thus usurped Were
placed in the hands of subseryient minor
ity of the citizens of the Territory, with al
the political arrangements necessary for th'
perpetiation of their pSwer in the sam'
hands and the permanent exclusion of tht
disfrunchised majority. This perpetuatiol
of power In the hands of the usurpers seem
to have been part of the original plan o
The invading force; for it is impossible f
believe that an effort so extraordinary an,
revolutionary in its character, and attende,
with so greet expense would have been un
dertaken for no other purpose than to secur
the control of the Territory for one or eve
two years, and then that the usurped powe
was TO be quietly surrendered into the hand
of defrauded people who could wipe ot
the usurpafion and render the original dc
sign fruitiess.
Such an inference is impossible, unless w
ses of great enterprises with the preconceiy
ed intention if successful of voluntarily SUI
rendering all their advantages.
The acts of the usurpers show that tn
perpetuation of their ill-gotten power wa
the great idea of the whole scheme. TIL
object Of the usurpation being to control tn
political character of the Territory so as I
make il Slave State, the usurpers frOI
without and their accomplices within hay
ing, in addition to the legislative and judi
ciai power, secured through the complicit
or meekness of the President, the Executiv
power also, applied themselves earnestly {
closing every avenue by which the disfran
rhiscd and oppressed majority could regal
their lost privileges and participate in the
own government. Election laws were il
geniously framed for the purpose of admi
ting nonresident voters and excluding, /;
far as possible, the voters hostile to the usurI
ers. The right Of suffrage was made to d.
pend upon political opinions. The duti,
and powers of election officers were so a
ranged, that in deciding on the right to yot
they could hold one rule for one set of mel
and a different rule for another. And
fiIriherancc of this policy, none but tho:
favorable TO the continuance of the usurpir
Government were permitted to act as of
IL.
were thrown open to s,ich Indians of Il
Territory as had conformed 20 the custom
of the white man, il was left to the unlimi
ed discretion of these partisan Judges
Election to construc this vague designate
of persons, and admit or exclude at the
pleasure-thus giving another partisan meal
of control, easy of practice and difficult
detection. The voting places, instead of b
ing permanent and notorious, were MAJ
transitery and changeable, at the pleasure
jealous PartisaBs, on whom the usurpiI
Legislature conferred this extraordinary poy
CT.
With all these cunningly devised provi
ions to wrest from the people their right
and TO secure political control TO minorit
and with the constant interference of no
resident voters, stimulated and organized
secret societies formed and maintained {
the purpose in an adjoining State, il was
most if not quite impossible for the peop
Of the Territory TO recover their lost priv
eyes AT the ballot box, so long as the usur
ers shall insist on their advantages alreat
secured. To accomplish any political rest
in any form of government, party organic
fion is necessary. And in order to preye
that in this case, the usurpers having co
troll of the Judiciary declared, through
decision, that any opposition or constEacti
resistance to this usurped and despotic ru
constituted high treason. and would subie
the offender 10 the penalty of death. TIL
accordingly procured indictments for treas.
against the active leaders of the rnaiorii
sader which they either imprisoned or dro
them from the Territory.
laws were passed making ira crime
discuss the legitimate questions necessa
for organized political action. Freedom
speech was denied and printing presses q
stroyed. The citizens whose rights had be
thus wresicd from them were carefully 9
eiuded from the jury-box, and by test oai
from the profession of the law, while all I
Offices of the Territory were filed with ze
Gus partisans enlisted in this scheme of $,
iusaiien, and The whole administration
justice used as an engine Of this systema
oppression. The security of the mailer
bic rights Of men in the Territory rested
on political opinion alone, while the righ