Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-18

lPIl HrmeQ men IN -tuc cIfltOIy ~ hecp
watch and guard, and to summon eternal
aid, either to vote or to fight, as should be
found necessary. They were fortified by
the favor of the Administration, and assumed
to act with its authority. Intolerant of de.
bate, and defiant, they hurried on the elec-
tions which were to be SO perverted that an
usurpation should be established. They rang
out their summons when The appointed time
came, and armed bands of partisans, from
States near and remote, invaded and entered
the Territory with banners, ammunition,
provisions and forage, and encamped around
the polls. They seized the ballot-boxes.
replaced the Judges of Elections with parti-
sans of their own, drove away their oPpo-
nents, filled the boxes with as many votes
as the exigencies demanded, and leaving
the results to be returned by reliable, hands,
they marched back again TO their distant
homes to celebrate he conquest and exult
in the prospect of the ESTABLISHMENT of
Slavery upon the soil so long consecrated
to Freedom. Thus, in single day, they
became parents of State without affection
for it, and child!ess again without bereave-
ment- In this first hour of trial. the new
system of Popular sovereignty signally
! failed-failed because it is impossible to
organize, by one single act, in one day,
community perfectly free, perfectly sover-
/ eign, and perfectly constituted, out of ele-
mentS unassimated, unarranged and un-
composed. Free Labor rightfulIy won the
| day. Slave Labor wrested the victory to it.
self bv fraud and violence. Instead of
free Republican Government in the Terri
tory, such as Popular Sovereignty had
| promised, there was then and thenceforth
a hateful usurpation. This usarpation pro-
ceeded without delay and without compunc-
tion to distranchise the people. 1t trans
| ferred the Slave Code of Missouri to Kansas,
without stopping in all cases to substitute
the name of the new Territory for that of
the old State. It practically suspended pop.
ular elections for three years-the usurping
Legislature assigning that term for its OWE
members, while it committed all subordinate
trusts to agents appointed by itself. 1t
barred the Courts and the Juries to its ad-
versares by test oaths, and made it crime
to think what one pleased, and to write and
print what one thought. 1t borrowed all
the enginery Of tyranny, but the torture,
from the practice OF the Stuarts. The party
of Free Labor appealed to the Governor
(Reeder) to correct the false election re-
turns He interviewed, but ineffestua lily, and
yet even fer that intervention was denounced
by the Administrator organs, and, after
long and unacceptable explanations, he was
removed from office by the President. The
new Governor (Shannon) sustained fer
while the usurpation, but failed to effect the
subjugation Of the people, although he or
ganized as militia an armed partisan band
OF adventures who had intruded themselves
into the Territory to force Slavery upon the
people. With the active cooperation os
this band, the party of Slave Labor disarmed
the Free State emig-ants, who had now
learned the necessity of being prepared for
sslf defense, on the borders OF the Territory.
and on the distant roads and rivers which
led into it. They destroyed a bridge that
Free Labor men used in their way TO the
seat of Government, sacked hotel where
they lodged, and broke up and cast into the
river press which was the organ of their
cause.
The people of Kansas, thus deprived, not
merely of selfgovernment, but even of
peace. tranquility, and security, fell back
on the inalensble revolutionary right of
voluntary reorganization. They determined,
however, with admirable temper, judgment.
and loyalty. to conduct their proceedings
for this purpose in reference and subordi-
nation 10 the authority of the Federal Union,
and according to the line of safe precedens.
After due elections. open to all the in
ha bitants of the Territory, they organized
D oisionallv State Government at Topeka;
and by the hands of provisional Senators.
and provisional representative, they sub
mitted their Constitution to Congress, and
prayed to be admitted as Free State into
the Federal Union. The Federal authori-
ties lent no aid to this movement, but, on
the contrary, the President and Senate con-
temptuously rejected il, and denounced it as
treason, and ali its actors and a5etiors as
disloyaI to the Union. An army was dis
patched into the Territory, intended indeed
to preserve peace, but at the same tine to
obey and sustain the usurpation. The pro-
visional Legislature, which had met to con-
fer, and to adopt further means to urge the
prayer of the people upon Congress, were
dispersed by the Army, and the State officers
Professionally elected, who had committed
no criminal act, were arrested, indicted, and
held iu the Federal camp as State prisoners.
Nevertheless, the people Of Kansas did not
acquiesce. The usurpation remained bar
rem authority, defied. derided and despised.
A national election was now approaching.
Excitement within, and sympathies without
the Territory, must be allayed. Gov. Shan
non was removed, and Mr.. Geary was ap-
pointed his successor. He exacted submis-
sion TO the statutes of the usurpation. but
promised equality in their administration.
| He induced repeal ofsome of those statutes
which were most obviously unconstitutional,
and declared an amnesty for political offen-
] ces. He persuaded the Legislature of the
usurpation to ordain call for Convention
at Lecompton, to form Constitution, il
the measure should be approved by popu-
lar vote al an election to be held for that
purpose. To vote at such on election was
to recognize and tolerate the usurpation, as
well as to submit to DISTINGUISHING laws,
and TO hazard renewal of the frauds and
violence by which the usurpation had been
established. On no account would the Leg
isla,ure agree that the projected Const'tu-
ton should be submitted to the people. after
it should have been perfected by the Con-
vention. The refusal of this just measure,
so necessary to the public security in case
of surprise and fraud. was confession of
The purpose on The part of the usurpation to
carry Constitution. into effect by surprise
and fraud. The Governor insisted on this
provision, and demanded Of the President of
the United States the removal of partial
and tvrannical Judge. He failed to gain
either measure, and incurred the displeasure