The Washington union., 1858-02-04
THE KANSAS "FRAUDS. /"


hey cannot be remedied at this distance.
THE KANSAS ''FRAUDS"
The disposition Of members of the national legis
aturs to interfere in provincial concerns contrary
the tenor and spirit of the Kansas Nebraska act,
seems to be irresistible and incurabe The "fauds"
Of the local elections Of Kansas are as mnutely
studied by the opposition in Congress if they af
footed the validity of the election Of members Of that
body itself Congress has recorded its pledge in the
most solemn terms known to the vocabulary Of legis
ation, that it will leave the people Of Kansas per
fecy free to manage their domestic affairs in their
own way /; and yet not election can be had of
local officers in that Territory that does not attract
upon the exclusively domestic affair the powerful
microscope and intense scrutiny Of Congress-
The "frands" alleged to have been perpetrated in
the local elections of that Territory the theme Of
every black republican tongue and even few dem
ocrats are reputed to have allowed their minds to
be 80 confused by the clamor Of the opposition
against the imputed "frauds to have been led to
look upon them as stumbling blocks in the path Of
duty.
Yet these frauds" even though they were real
and not imaginary, though they were ever 40 prop.
erly characterized and ever monstrous-none Of
them touch the validity Of the constitution be-
fore Congress as the basis Of the application Of Kan
sas for admission into the Union--nene Of them
touch the sole, single question which is before Con
gress for it's adjudication.
Tho charges of "frand' all relate to elections that
have been held in Kansas for local oficerselectons
which Congress has more right to review or In
vestgate than If they elections in organized
State Of the confederacy elections which have not
at all touched or affected the constitution Of Kansas
which ia now before Congress for action.
We heard great deal Of "frauds' in connexion
with the voting in Oxford, Johnson, and McGes
counties last October; but the elections Of that
month were for territorial Legislature under the ter
ritoral organic act and had earthly reference to
the constitution that was then in process of forma
tionneither affecting its formation nor its rathcs
ton in the slightest degree.
The voting on the 4th of January, utimo, was also
for officers Of the Legislature and State government
There was . poll taken the constitution, indeed
at the same tme-but nobody chooses to charp
fraud on that vote for obvious which We
need not stop to explain The imputation Of "fraud'
in the election Of the 4th Of january il exclusively
with reference to the voting for the Legislature and
officers of the State government. The officers voted
for were local. The election strictly local in char
acter for stric: local purposes, and in af
fscted the authenticity Of the constitution under which
it was held but was an indirect ratification Of that
instrument The .frauds,' ii any there were that
occurred, were frauds against the constitution, and
not i6 its behalf The election, moreover was tho
election Of quasi sovereign State. 1t is therefore
AZ sacred from review, scrutiny, and impertinen
interference from Congress as would be any State
election of Rhode Island, louisiana or New York
1t is only in regard to the voting for State officers
clamor about fraud" perpstrated on that day and
resolution has actually been proposed in Congress
to raise . committee for ransacking Kansas, and
nosing out the frauds" that may have been prae,
tised in this purely local election. What commen'
tary 10 this upon the solemn pledge Of Congress
leave to the Territory the exclusive regulation of'
own domestic affairs M
There is but ons subject before Congress--the su,
thentcity Of the constitution Of Kansas. The regu
arity and validity ofiocal elections not before
Congress- they are domestic questions for the ad,
judication Of the authorities Of the Territory, and
deto,s the jurisdiction Of Congress-.
No frauds that may have been practised in Kansas
can be the subject of congressional concernment but
such as touch the genuineness and validity OF the
constitution under which admission is asked, and Of
this nature no frauds are alleged that could in tho
least degree affect the results which have brough
this document before Congress.
There is much exaggeraton of statement in regard
to the disfranchssmsnt Of nineteen counties alleged
to have been inadequatey represented in the con
vention which framed the constitution. But the
fraud there the part of the disfranchised v0
ters themselves in refusing to be registered and III
refusing to vote The fraud was their own and they
cannot take advantage of their wrong by making
their refusal to be registered and to vote the grouna
Of mpeaching the validity Of the constitution, when
they rsbelliously spurned and spit upon 1t wa''
fraud against the constitution, and not in behalf oi "
The case is similar with the vote upon the censh
tuition on the 2lst of December last. Suppos'ng'"
way Of argument, that frauds were pracfised u
that election they yet of such anature as cou'
not have affected the result of the vote. The slmos
unanimous poll cast on that day was in favor oi NV
constitution with slavery and that clause asegS'
and consttutionally ratified at that eection-eveu
although three -fourths of the vote that was poleo
u.~:.L 80, 90 not inc