Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-10-29
Kansas EiectiOn..The Oxford
Fraud.

Fraud.
The Leavenworth Times of the 18th
still claims that the Marcus J. Parrot is
elected to Congress, and that the Free
State party have majority in both Hous-
es Of the Legislature. This result, SO far
as the Legislature is concerned, pre-suppos-
es that the bogus returns of the Oxford
precinct in johnson county will be thrown
out, as they most assuredly should be, for
the fraud is quite as bold and gross as any
committed by the Border Ruffians Nov.
29th, 1854, when out of 2s7l votes cast
for Whitefield for Congress, the Inyestira-
ting Committee found that fully l.72O
were illegal, cast by invaders fror, Missou-
ri.
The particulars of the fraud at Oxford
illustrate pro-slavery desperation. Accord
inc to the Leavenworth Times at the close
of the polls on the first day every vote in
the Oxford precinct that could be secured
was polled, being less than one hundred
in all. The polls were then declared clos
ed, and nothing more was heard therefrom
until the whole Territory was startled with
the report that Oxford precinct had return
ed 100 pro-slavery majority. Twenty
five citizens of Lawrence visited Oxford to
enquire into the matter. No information
could be gained, as the citizens of Oxford
had heard nothing of this pretended elec
ton on the second day; no polls had been
opened, and no vote cast. The gigantic
fraud stood revealed. The returns sent to
Lecompton had been manufactured, whole
sale, at Westport, Missouri, which is in the
immediate vicinity of Oxford. The pre-
tended officers of the election who certified
to the returns were all myths but one, Bait
Jones, a resident of Weston, Missouri, and
who is member of the bogus Constitu
ton Convention. The false returns were
coined to disfranchise the honest voters of
Kansas and secure another bogus Legisla-
tuae similar TO that which has disgraeed
the past, but the villainy is so transparent,
the outrage so palpable, that the Westport
scoundrels have made botch of the whole
matter. The Times says:
Secretary Stanton and R. ]. Walker,
administration Governor of Kansas, started
from Lecompton on Monday for Oxford,
to investigate the fraud. Mr.. Stanton said
he 'knep the returns acere basely traudas-
lent"-that, .'this fact Das too patent to
admit of doubt" and that he 'should neu-
er give certificate Of election to any one
on the strength of illegal rotes." This
sounds manly in the Secretary, and if he
has the backbone to sustain his present
determination, all will be well. Upon the
result of his investigation and subsequent
decision, vast deal depends; the fate Of
three Councilmen and eight Representa-
tives is to be decided-enough to change
the character of the Council and seriously
affect the bona fde majority in the House.
OF course we are unable to predict, with
accuracy, what decision will be rendered
yet, from all we can learn We feel conf
dent that the returns will be rejected, and
that certificates will be given to the Free
State candidates who were honestly elected
by large and decided majority.
If this is done, we shall have majority
of SEVENTEEN in the House and FIVE
in the Council and Parrott's majority viii
be considerably over 5000! If the returns
are received, we shall still have majority
in the House, and secure the election o
our Delegate to Congress.
So stands the matter now. Fairly anC
honestly are the Free State men entitled
to large majority. in both Houses. Ii
fact, by right, throwing out the fraudulent
Kickapoo returns, the Pro-Slavery party
have carried but one county so far as we
have heard.
Marcus ]. Parrott was offered his Ger
tifcate of election by Mr.. Walker, but re-
fused on the ground that he would wait
till some disposition was made of the Ok
ford frauds. Epaphroditus has retired in
disguise to enjoy the sweets of private life
and domestic felicity. The Pro-Slavery
men in the interior give up the fight and
acknowledge themselves defeated. AL
most everything now depends upon the re-
suit of Messrs. Walker & Stanton's visit to
Oxford. If the Governor does his duty in
this instance, it will go far towards redeem
ing his character from the stain ofinfamy
acquired at Kickapoo. If, on the contrary
in an evil hour, the false returns are reeeiv-
ed and certificates given to the Pro-Sla-
very candidates, we shall have a revolution
in Kansas. The people will not stand
such an outrage.
But this we do not anticipate. We be-
lieve Secretary Stanton is anxious and de-
termined to do right, and that he will dis
pose of the bogus returns with prompti-
tude and alacrity. He stands solemnly
pledged to this, and We confidently expect
him TO redeem his pledge.
LATER.
ST.. LOUIS, Oct. 26th.