Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-08

ting, 1.-The authority of Congress-. But
put the issue with the President on eveI
+ higher grounds, on the very facts allege,
in his statement
On the 9th of April last, acting Gov
ernor Stanton. within few days after hi,
arrival in Kansas. having heard as yet on
ly the apocryphal statements of the ensIa
verS oil that Territory, the leaders of tha
minority which basleI in the sunshine o
Presidential favor, proceeded to Lawrence
and there, at the request of its citizens
maize public address. He comedies now
with frankneSs that does him honor, thai
he had not, for several months after this
time, any conception of the enormity o.
! the minority, who having. by fraud and
violence obtained possession of the forms
OF law, used them systematically for still
further injustic to the rights of the people
But like bold and brave man. as he is, be
frankly told the citizens of Lawrence that
he had come to Kansas determined to en-
force the territorial laws He was met by
equally resolute replies, that while they
would submit, as they always did, to any
oppression by the officers or soldiers OF the
United States Government, no power on
earth could induce or compel them to yield
allegiance to a felon code, imposed on them
by foreign invasion, which had driven
them from their own ballot boxes with
, contumely and violence, and then used the
power they had stolen to oppress and de-
grade those they had robbed. But having
! appealed to them to redress their grievan-
ces, II they had any, at the polls, he was
surprised to find the free State leaders will
ling ani even anxioas to do so if a fair and
honest election was guaranteed. He asked
| hem to put their profler in writing, and
the next day 1t was done. Although this
was extensively published in the newspa
per press of the day, and l have one here
with me to prove this fact, and to show
that the proffer was not kept secret, |
prefer to read it from an attested manu-
script copy furnished me by Governor
Robinson, who heads its list of signatures:
LAWRENCE, 1pra %, 1857.
DEAR SIR: In your address to the people
OF Lawrence, last evening, we unders. ool
you to say, in substance, that you would
enforce the laws enacted by a Legislature
elected by the people of an adjoining State,
until they should be repealed; also, if the
laws are unjust or distasteful, our remedy
is the ballot-box. History has indeibly
recorded the fact, which general Mclean
admitted IN our presence last evening, tha.
the ballot-box was taken from the people
of Kansas Territory on the 3Oth March.
1888, and has not to this day been return
Ell. From that time until the present, the
people have hal no voice whatever in ma
king laws, orin selecting officers toadminis-
ter them, Notwithstanding the world.
declaration by the Administration at
Washington, and its friends elsewhere.
that the people should be perfectly free to
regulate their own institutions in their own
way subject only to the Constitution of the
United States
We are now invited to pa aticipata in an
election OF delegates to convention, to
meet September next, to frame a constitu-
ton and State government. We are told
that the election law is good one; that the
voice OF the actual settlers can be heard
at the polls, ami that justice will be meted
out to all parties. We regret that the
past conduct Of the officers to supcrinten
dent this election has not been such as to |
permit us to believe that they will secure
a fair vote OF the people, and the fact that
many well known citizens in Kansas are
omitted from the registry list, and that as
well-known citizens and residents Of Miss
ouri are registered, is conclusive proof to
us that fair election is not intended and /
will not be permitted by the officers who
have thus far had the matter in charge. But
ifa fair election Is intended, Notwithstanding
the boly of men calling it was not elected /
by the people of Kansas and notwithstan-
ding the people have already framed con- !
stitutlon of which large majority an
prove, we, the undersigned, are-willing to
overlook the past, and go into the election
of delegates to a constitutional convention. +
should convention of the people of Kan
sas convene, il. the following course be
adopted by the officers ofthe election. to-
wit: di.w s.es- c -a.aTss q. - a.
First. Two persons shall be selected in
each township OF district to correct the |,
registry list. one by the. pro-slarery and
one by the free State. party, who shall
preceel IN company to take the census and
register all legal, voters, and the probate
Judges shall correct the first lists, and the.
OF delegates shall be made
according to the returns thus made. -ia.z
Second -Four Judges ofeIection shal he =
selected for each voting precinct, two of
.he pro-slavery and two of the free-State
party and the names of three of said
Judges shall be required to certificate {
IF election to entitle person to seat in
he convention. '- =
We think that your Excellency will at
once perceive that some such course must
DC parsuel to correct the. list, OF. no cor
'cction can be made We are informed I
~ credible reports that, in some districts,
lon residents to the number of thousands
lave already been registered, while actual I
rec State settlers have been refused; and /
low else can the lists be corrected than by !
! retaking of the census by some person ,
If persons who have regard for an oath? !
testimony OF a negative character can |
wall nothing; and to obtain positive testi- I
nony with reference to the residence of !
hose enlisted from another State, would
'e impossible in the short time remaining
before the election.
That you have fb, po,vor 10 taLo ,nu