The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-07-23
GrOaEas OF the wounded.

= =
election for delegates to form pro-slsve-
~ Constitution for that Territory. 4 sin
gle glance at the provisions of the act
providing for this election, was sufficient
TO show that it was not intcEded to per
nit fair Yote--that no matter hoy nu-
merous the Free State men, it was not
possible for them to elect a single dele
gate under this act. Because the Bor-
der Ruffians decided who should vote,
and who should count the votes and
mea who would throw printing presses
into the river, and burn towns Tor the
sake of establishing Slavery, would stuff
the ballot box, and refuse to receive any
but pro-slavery votes. The census fraud
and the registry list of voters, yindifated
the wisdom of the Free State men, for
nearly one half the counties were entire
ly ignored, not delegate being accorded
to any one of Il counties, and not one
quarter of the Free State men in the
other half of the Territory was put on the
Registry list, and yot in the face of all
this, the Buchanan press Of Pennsylya-
MIA has the hardihood to whine at the re
fusal of the Free State men, who were on
the list, for refusing to vote, This
proves what we have all the time assert
cd-that the Buchanan men of the FREQ
States, are the gllies of the Border Ruf-
fans in Kansas. If not, why should
they feel such disappointment at the de-
feat of this fraudulent scheme to over
throw the Free State cause.
The refusal of the Free State men to
vote has exposed the weakness of the
Border Ruffans, as it could hayG been
done in no other way, and already leading
Southern papers acknowledge the fact
But see how the home organ Of William
I. Packer graans over this exposure Of
its allies in Kansas. The following Is
part of an article in the last Lycoming
Gazette.
"Bpt in giving place to faint hope
that The Aholitionists in Kansas were
honest in their professions of a desire to
see it enter the Uuion with constitution
prohibiting slavery, we were most egregl-
ously mistaken True to their policy of
turmoil in preference to peace, they car
ried out their Topeka resolution, by the
whole body of them refusing to vote. 1t
was their desire that the slavery men
should elect the delegates, and thai those
delegates should be men who would in-
sert clause in the constitution making
slavery a permanent institution, thereby
securing for themselves and their ahet-
tors in the States pretext for renewing
the agitation of the past two years and,
if possible, the Disturbances also, for they
know that peace is death to the whole
fabric of Black Republicapism But the
election has passed, delegates have heen
chosen without their votes, the convention
will assemble to discharge the duty as
signed it, and, mark our word, there will
be no slavery in Kansas after it becomes
State. There has sprung up party
within the territory who stand between
the knaves of the north and the fools of
the south. That party has already made
its influence i thing to be felt, and when
the vote is taken by the people on the
final ad doption Of the constitution, and the
question is put, "Slavery or no Slavery
as it is now probable it will be put, the
men composing it will be al the polls to
vote "NG Slavery aud thus settle the
question forever without the assistance OF
those demagogues who have refused to do
anything but fight the battles their own
acts have helped bring about"
1t will be seen from this extract, that
the writer feels very bad about something.
That is clear enough. But that he gives
the true reason for his bile we doubt very
much. The reason given for disappoint-
ment is, that the Free State men did not
elect their sort of men to frame the Con-
stitution. Who believes that in the face
of the record of the last Congress The
whole influence of the last and of the
present National Administration has been
with the Border Rufhans and against the
Free State men.
So that the real reason for disappoint-
meut on the part of William +. Packer,
and bis supporters, is the exposure of the
weakness of their allies in Kansas.
The bogus election was grand izzle-
only about l,60O out of $4,000 voting
residents of Kansas, took part in the at
tempt TO enslave the Free State men
This shows the utter and hopeless weak
ness of the mon on whom the Buchanan