The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-02-28


the organic law of the Territory passed by
Congress to be trampled upon, and the sol
emn guarantees of the Constitution of the
Republic ruthlessly violated by these usurp-
ers in their invasions, as well as In their sub
sequent Legislation, neglecting wholly any
effort to see the law of Congress faithfully
executed until the wrong had itself assumed
| the sembiance of Territorial Law, and then
insisting that his Constitutional duty requlr-
ed that he should guard the acts of the usur-
pers against the slightest infiaction. Thus
under pretence Of seeing the laws faithfully
executed, was the whole power of his office
! welded to maintain and saucsify gross In
fraction of law of Congress which bore his
| own signature.
What remedy is there for this helpless and
subiugated condition of this deeply wrunged
and injured people,
| No remedy can be effectual which does
not remove the usurpation and annihilate its
official power, so as TO place all the citizens
| of the Territory upon an equality of rights
| and opportunities in the formation of an en-
tirely new Government, free from the infu-
ence and control of nonresident voters
The systematic, lawless guerilla warfare
which was rapidly kindling civil war may
cease, the administration of Justice be puri-
| fed; armed troops may be called to guard
the polls against violence; burnt houses and
ravaged towns may be rebuilt; the maraud-
ing bands that commanded the highways and
| subsisted by murder and rapine may be ex-
PEELED; the great natural avenues which lead
to the Territory may be stripped of the ar
| tiilery and armed men which blockaded their
| passage; presses may be re-established per-
sons confined on political ofenses may be
discharged; exiles permitted to return; free
dom of speech may be again exercised with
out fear of death.or the felon's ball and chain;
the prohibitions that closed the profession OF
the law and the jury-box against men on ac-
count of their political opinions may be re-
moved. All this and more may be done,
and vet, while it would be a source of heart
felt congratulation to every lover of justice,
the great evil and Its cause might still remain.
All this might be done, and yet the govern
ment of the usurpers still go on in its mex
orable round of self-perpetuaiion.
| A majority would not avail against lt-for
being instituted by outside aid in spite of a
majority, its perpetuation by law is continu-
ed for series of years at least in the same
way. Its Judges Of Election being accom-.
plices, and vested with ample power, force
and violence would not be necessary to ac.
lcomplish its purpose. As evidence of this
it is only necessary to cite the election o.
March 80, 1855, in the Vth, With, With anC
XIth Districts, where over 400 illegal votes
\ were polled; yet no force was used. In or
der to restore and maintain the liberties o
the people, as well as assert the honor ant
faith of the Government, it is necessary tina
the whole usuTping Government should b,
expuhged, and that elections should be open
ed for the citizens, presided over by mel
above suspicion of fraud or of complicit,
with the past subjugation.
The following is the bill reported by tn
Committee
BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE PEoPLl
OF KANSAS.
, WhereaS, The President of the Unite
States transmitted TO this House by messag
f printed pamphlet purporting to be the law
. of the Territory of Kansas, passed at Shaw
nee Mission, in said Territory; and
l Whereas, Unjust and unwarranted ties
2 oaths are prescribed by said laws as aqual
e ification for voting or holding office in sal
E Territory; and
a Hhereas, The Committee of Investigate
s sent by the House to Kansas report, that sal
f Legislature was not elected by the legal vC
o tiers of Kansas, but was forced upon them b
4 non-residents, in violation of the organic al
d of the Territory, and having thus usurpe
! legislative power, they have enacted cruz
e and oppressive laws; therefore,
n Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House Z
II Representatives. of the United States Of fine
S ica en- Congress assembled, That all rules {
# regulations purporting to be laws, or in tn
: form of laws, adopted at the Shawnee Mi
sion, in the Territory of Kansas, by a bod
c of men claiming to be the Legislative Al
l. sembly of said Territory, and all acts an
: proceedings whatsoever of said Assembl,
+ are hereby declared invalid and of no bint
ing force or effect.
IS the Governor of said Territory shall, as 500
e as practicable, order an election for Men
e bers of the Legislative Assembly, in ii
o mode and manner provided for such election
N in the act organizing said Territory.
Il 1t is likely that this Bill will pas
i the House of Representatives this se'
y sion, but its adoption by the Senate
o not so certain.
l. 1t will be perceived that this bi
n proposes to wipe out all the past, an
II to proceed to put the Legislation of I'll
:, = Territory on the basis on which tt
IS Organic law proposed to put it bu
p the operation of which has been pr'
E. vented by illegal voting from abroa'
.s 1t is proposed to disregard all that
e passed and begin anew. Amy oth'
n, plan for the perfect pacification
in Kansas must certainly be failure
Sc To pass it would place the determine
= tion of the character of the Cover
l. ment and its institutions in the hant
he of "the actual settlers" to whom
MS certainly belongs. Yours,
It. w. F. NJ. Army.