The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-01-29
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[Fron the washington Union. ]


A few DAYS since we reverted TO the first legal
step taken by the people OF Kansas TO prepare it
for admission into the Union as a State, and
published IN lull the law submitting the question
Of convention or no convention TO vote of the
people. That law was fair and Just, and under il
all persons, citizens of the United States, were
entitled To vote. This vote, thus provided for,
was taken at the election in October, 1856, at
the time members of thr legislature were chosen.
There were two ways in which the people had
a chance 10 express their wishes: first, by say
ing, through the ballot-box, whether conpen-
ton shnad be held, and their government alter
ed and, secondly, by electing members Of the
legislature, upon whom devoved the duty to
call the convention in the event that a majority
Of tht people desire ii. No way could be de-
vised better calculated to ascertain clearly The
will ofthe people of Kansas on this matter.
We allude to this initiatory step thus briefly,
in order to place in its proper connexion the
annexed narrative Of those subsequently, taken
to execute the law providing for the election Of
delegates to the convention. This narrative we
find in a communication recently published in
the ST. Louis Republican, and it is also COM
plete reply to the neio fact dwelt upon with SO
much emphasis by Ex-Governor Walker, TO in
validate the action ofthe Lecompton convention.
It's correctness is certified to by the several gen.
| tlemen whose names are appended thereto, and
up to this time II has not been controverted, that
we are aware Of, in any direction;
Al the October election in 1886 majority Of
! fire thousand votes were cast in favor of a con-
vPntIon, and at the session of the Kansas leglS-
/ lative assembly, which met on the second Mon
! day OF January last, 1887 call necessary pro-
| visions were made for" that convention. A law
was passed taking for its basis the principles of
! the celebrated Toombs bill. which Senator Doug
las helped to make, and for which be voted. 1t
! provided tor the registry of all the legal voters
of the Territory by the sheriff of each county
and his deputies. The probate Judges were re-
! CURED 10 hold courts or sessions IN convenient
parts of the counties, and add to the lists return
| ed by the sberiffS any names accidentally or
wrongfully omitted II also provided that in
cases where there was no probate judge, or he
would not act, then the sheriff should, and il
there was no officer at all 10 perform the duties
| specified, then the people might petition the
| governor to appoint some one TO carry out the
| law. The governor SAYS that ''fitteen counties
were entirely disfranchised, ''and by no fault
oftheir own" Let US see In Franklin county.
one OF the s'oldeSt organized" Esquire focum,
probate Judge, was driven away by the abolition
ISIS, as also Richard Gouiding, sheriff of said
| county each Of these officers was threatened
with death should they attempt TO perform the
duties conferred upon them by the registry law.
| Under the same circumstances, George Wilson,
! Judge OF probate for Anderson county, was PIE
/ vented from executing the law. So with Allen
county; Passmorp Williams had to leave in order
TO save his lie. J. J. Barker, probate Judge OF
| l5reCkinridge, being free-State man, refused
| to act. These four Were tie only Orgnni2ed
I counties mot represented IN the conUentioa.
| Why not represented 1t was the fault Of those
who now complain, and son their heads, and
theirs alone, will rest the responsibility"
| 1t is well TO observe that Of the nineteen Coun-
ties spoken of as not repre- #pted, the census was
not taken in tour for the %easons stated the
other fifteen Were, for civil purposes, attached to
! organized counties as follows:
Two, Richardson aud Weller, to Shawnee.
! Fhree, Madison, Butler, and Wise, 10 BrecA-
inridge.
One, Coffee, 10 Anderson.
! One, McGee, to Bourbon.
Six, Greenwood Hunter, Dorm, Wilson,
Woodson, and Gregory, to Allen.
One, Brown, TO Doniphan.
One, Davis, to Riley.
| The counties Of Brown, Washington, Clay,
and Dickinson were organized at the last session
of the legislature; in the last-named three there
were no inhabitants.
| The registry law was executed, and voters
were registered in the following counties john
son, Lykins, Lynn, Bourbon, Douglas, Shaw
nee, Doniphan, Atchison, Lpavenworth, JefItr-
son, Nemeha, Calhoun, Marshall, and Riley.
! 1t will thus be seen that the only counties
really dlsiranchised were thu four in which ab-
olltonsts would permit no registry 10 be taken !;
and it is an established fact that many factlous
| people refused to tell their names, and otherwise
obstructed the otIicers-some giving fictitio Us
appellations, and others threatening the lives
and property of census takers.
''fhese officers were political partisans,'' and
they 'srefused or neglected TO take any census
| or make any regiftry, and therefore they were
entirely dislranchised, and could not, and did
not give a single@ote." Why did they not
compel the officers to do their duty? It was
possible but if not, they could have petitioned
the governor for redress. Ifthe people Of those
counties could not and did not vote, it was a
''fault of their own and on s'heir heads, and
theirs alone, will rest the responsibility"
From first to last, every opportunity has been
given for an expression otthe will of the malorl-
ty and now if the principles of a minority, as
alleged, are 10 triumph in Kansas, by the neglect
Or factious opposition OF the socaled mojoTity,
son their heads, and theirs alone, will rest the
responsibility"
Fl. CLAY PATE.
We concur in the foregoing
GEO EGE w. McKowN, eX-member of the Le-
compton convention.
FRANcIsJ. MARSHALL, democratic candidate for
governor.