Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-02-27

IL was apparent that all the machinery
had been artfnlly prepared for repetition
lof gross frauds, similar to those which had
been attempted in October; and it was in
igiew of these facts, after the adjournment
Of the Convention, that the people Of the
| Territory, by an almost unanimous de-
lnand, called upon me, as the acting Gov
Iernor, to convene an extra session of tho
| Legislature, in order to enable them peace
lably TO protect themselves against the
wrongs evidently contemplated by the a
idoption Of this Constitution. There was
no law to punish frauds in elections returns.
| The people were intensely excited; it was
the opinion of the coolest men in the Ter
ritory that, without call of the Legisla-
ture, the elections Under the Constitution
could not have taken place without coils
i ion and bloodshed. The meeting Of the
Legislature diverted the attention Of the
people from the schemes of violence upon
which they were brooding, substituted the
excitement of debate and investigation for
that Of fierce and warIike hatred, and en-
Iab.ed their representatives to devise means
for counteracting the wrongs which they
Justly apprehcnded.
| Recent events have shown that
their appreheusions were well founded =
Enormous frauds have been perpetrated at
the precincts of Oxford, Shawnee, and
Kickapoo; and it may well be. believed
that this result was actually desgne by
the artful leaders who devised The plan
and framework Of the Locompton Consti-
tuition. have lately been at Shawnee,
and have seen and conyersed with per-
sons who We're at Oxford on the day of
election. Che frauds committed are motto
rious; and though dishonest persons may
deny them, and may fill the channels Of
public information with shameless repre-
sentations to the contrary, they can be
easily established beyond all controversy.
1t vas to enable the peoplo to shield
themselves from these frauds and to
1give legal expression to their hatred
and rejection of the instrument which
permitted them, and was to be carried
by them, that | called the Legislature TO.
Igether.
In my Judgment the people had a fair
claim to be heard an this subject through
their Legislature. The organic act conf
lded to me the discretion Of converting that
Ibody in extra session. The President
of the United State had no rightflI author
Iity TO exercise that discretion for me. He
had the power of removal, and such cgn-
troll as that power gives him. But
would cheerfully have submitted to re-
Inoval and consequent loss of favor with
the President, rather than occupy the po
Isition Of Governor and refuse the people
an opportunity to assert their most essen
tia rights, and to protect themselves
against the basest frauds and wrong
ever attempted upon an outraged eomnu
nifty.
Not having been informed of the
grounds Of my removal, know them Oh
" through the newspaper reports, TO the
effect that, in calling the Legislature
disobeyed the Instructions of the President
had no instructions bearing on the sub
liect,and there was no time to obtain them
even if | had felt bound to substitute the
Presidents will for that discretion which
the organic act confded to me- The con
vening of the Legislature undoubtedly pre-
vented difficulty and secured peace
Were it important, am confident | could
establish that position by the most I'M
deniable f,cts-but it is sufficient now tc
say that the peace of the Territory was
not in fact disturbed and whatever APP
Iproaches were made towards such results
were wholly attributed to the policy Of
the Administration in censuring my acts
land removing me from Office.
/ The measure for which | have been un-
lastly condemned has enabled the people
Iof Kansas to make known their real will
in regard to the Lecompton Constitution
This affords the Democratic party an op-
portunity to defend the true principles OF
constitutional liberty, and to save itself
from disastrous division and utter over
throw. If Congress will heed the voice Of
the people and not force upon them d
government which they have rejected by
a vote of four to one, the whole country
Iwill be satisfied, and Kansas will quietly
settle her own affairs without the least
difficulty and without any danger to the
tConfederscy. The Southern States, which
are supposed to have q deep interest in
1.-THE matter, will be, saved from hesupreme
folly Of standing up in defence Of so
wicked and dishonest a continuance as the
Lecolnpton Constitution The moral
power Of their position will not be weak
Iened by d vain and useless defence Of wrong,
when it is perfectly certain they will gain
nothing even BY success in the present at
tempt.
| The extra session of the Kansas Legis-
Ilature has done good, also,by giving means
TO expose and punish the nonstrous frauds
(which have been perpetrated, and doubt
less, also, preventing others which have
been attempted. 1t mas driven the guilty
miscreants engaged in them to become fl-
gitives from justice, and has rendered it
Impossible for the peace Of the Territory
hereafter to be endangered By similar oc-
curfences.
! In v;epv Of these facts and results. [ will