The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-02-27
Calhoun the Autocrat and Surveyor
General of Kansas.-.The state GOV.

Calhoun the Autocrat ana Surveyor
General of Kansas--The state GOV.
eminent.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Prsss.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.
Gen. Calhoun visited Judge Douglas shortly a.sr ms
arrival They had long conversation, sesoIA pei S .n
being The Judge inquired in reference 10 the
returns from Delaware Crossing calhoun maui . H
xwer Before they separated the inquiry vas see
Calhoun replied that the return had been properly maui.
Judge Douglas then gave him some sworn es'"eIoe On
O'Clock at night Calhoun sent to Douglas house that he
convinced there had been fraud ~ Ua Sloss
ing-ss votes being put down 0I S cor @
the approval of the President ne a1thor1eu Suuge
Douglas, Mr.. Harris of Illinois, and Gen. oaitman to
publish this fact.
In addition to the foregoing, the Wash
ington correspondent of the New York Ti-i-
b,.ae, under date of the 18th inst, writes:
Gen Calhoun sent a man to Col. Harris on Monday,
before the vote taken, to him that the Free
State men would be counted in in Kansas Harris
pec,ed, and gave heed to the assurance. He said
that he would not believe it, unless Calhoun would give
him the certificates to forward to Kansas, issue a
proclamation TO that effect.
He was assured most positively that Calhoun was
preparing such . proclamation. Similar assurances
were made TO Mr. Douglas, who was called out of his
bed Monday morning for that purpose Last night Mr..
Harris saw Calhoun and questioned him on the subject
After much evasion he at length declared that he had
issue none until Kansas was admitted under the Lee
compton Constitution Harris replied that then she
would never be admitted"
We live in the nineteenth century-in the
republic of the United States,-under a rep
reSentative government regulated by con-
stitutions and obedient to laws-yet, func-
tionary of government with the sanction OF
the National Executive, thus presumes to
hold mere administrative act, the procla-
nation of fact, contingent upon the transpi-
ration of another fact with which by law the
first fact has nothing legitimately to do.
Let us analyze the thing. CALHooN,
backed by Executive connivance, and preten-
ding to have acted fairly, honestly and legit-
imately in the canvass Of the returns, pro-
ceeded to Washington and there, knowing
with certainty who are and who are not
elected as members of the Legislature, bold
ly and defantly asserts that it is not his in
tention to grant any certificates Of cleo
ton until the question should be decided
whether the swindle of which he is justly
the head and 'front.' shall be successfully
forced down the Threats of those who had
no hand in the making oft Who gave Mr..
Calhuon this authority? Does he, acting in
his merely official capacity, claim it as right
Let US suppose for argument his is the
right-what then If the Pro-Slavery men
are legally elected-of which circumstance
he must be conversant-can the success or
failure attendant on the su,ndls change the
fact? Can the mere passage of an act for
the admission of Kansas, under that swindle,
have any bearing on matter already deter
mined? Can Congress, by any power vested
ed in it, change the result of an election al
ready fixed fact p Our ideas may not
be as enlarged as Mr.. BUCHANAN's vice-gerent,
on matters of such vital interest, yet we beg
to differ with him, if he supposes that his is
the power to change the result We say
this is rascaity, and that roguery, falsehood
and fraud is the sum and substance of the
whole matter 1t can be no less.
Well-suppose the Free State ticket is
elected what then? Mr.. CALHOUN is hold
ing out promises which can never be fulfilled.
As before the matter is already determined.
His Withholding certificates from those to
whom they rightfully belong, and refusing to
grant them until Kansas is admitted under
the Lecompton Constitution" is founding
right which he has no right to withhold,
on the determination of question with
which that right has no connection. Would
any sensible man here say that the Registers
of Deeds in our several Counties could with
hold the certificates of members of our Leg
islature until the question of party suprema-
cy could be determined, and then grant or
withhold according as party policy might die
tate2
Yet what better can be expected of the
servant when from the head and front" of
power come the instructions ? When truth
and honesty are alike perverted by the Exc
cutive of the nation, for the copsummation
Of the Leconpton fraud Can we expect
even the semblance of honesty from the
slare when the master has been so faithless
to his promises-when the doctrines of fraud
and dishonesty are boldly avowed by those
placed high in authority?