Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-02-11
saoratarr stantnn,a .Adaress.

explanation or defence have deemed il noes
sary TO present to the People ofthe United Sta.ss
a brief statement of facts in vindication OF my
motives and in explanation of the results of the
act for which have been condemned.
The Office in question was not given at nv So
eitation. Ny acceptance of it. under all the cir
cumstances, was proof of strong friendship for
the President, and of unbounded confidence In
the firmness and faithfulness with which he VOID 1
adhere to the line Of policy deliberately agreed
upon between him, his whole Cabinet, and Gov.
Walker.
On my ARRIVAL in the Territory in April last, /
in advance of Gov. Walker, confess that had |
an imperfect knowledge of the real condition of
affairs. 1suppossd tbs question of slavery to be
the only cause of dissension and difficulty among
the people; and in my brief inaugural address of
the 18th April treated this as the chief subject
of difference upon which a submission to the
people would be likely TO be demanded. soon
found. however, that this view was altogether
too limited and did not reach the true ground of
controversy. The great mass of the inhabitants
of the Territory were dissatisfied with the local
government, and earnestly denied the validity of
the existing laws Asserting that the previous
Legislatures had been forced upon them by the
fraud and violence of neighboring people, they
proclaimed their determination never to submit
to the enactment Of legislative bodies thus be-
ieved to be illegitimate and not entitled to ODE
dience.
This was the condition of things when Gov.
Walker cams to tho Territory in the lattes part
of May. 1t was evident that The Just policy of
permitting the people TO regulate their own az
fairs could nctbe successfully carried out, unless
they could be inspired with confidence in tho a.
gents Of Government through whom this result
was to be effected If minority of the
people had been thus dissatisfied aud contuma-
cious, they might possibly have been pronounced
factious and treated as disturbers of ths peace;
but when the dissatisfaction was general, COM
prising almost the whole people q more respect
full consideration was indispensable to a peaceful
adjustment. It was evident that the policy of
reprssson-a rigid attempt to enforce submis-
sion without an attempt at conciliation-woud
inevitably result in renewal of the civil war.
With eommendable anxiety to avoid this contin-
gency, Gov. Walker resolved to go among the
people to listen to their complaints, to give them
assurance of fair and just administration of the
Territorial Government, and TO induce them if
possible, TO abandon their hostility and to enter
upon the peaceful but decisive struggle of the
ballot box. was often with the Governor when
he addressed the peoples and gave my best efforts
in aid of the great purpose Of Cancellation.
It was too late to induce the people to 90 into
the June elections for delegates to the Convsn-
ton. The registration required by law had been
imperfect in all the counties, and had been Who'll
ly omitted in ono half of them; nor could the dis
frsnchised counties vote in any adj ccn: county,
as has been falsely suggested. In such of them
as subsequently took census or registry of
their own, the delegates chosen were not admit
ted to seats in the convention. Nevertheless it
is not to be denied that the great central fact,
which controlled the whole case, was ths utter
want of confidence by the people in the whole
machinery Of the Territorial Government They
alleged that tho local officers in all instances,
were inscriptions partisans, who had previous
ly defrsuded them in the elections, and who were
ready TO repeat the Same Outrages again; that,
even if intruders from abroara should not be per-
mitted to oyeTpower them, they would be cheat
ed by false returns, which it would not be posi-
bic for the Governor and Secretary to defeat
Although at that time these apprehensions SEEM
I'D to me to be preposterous and unfounded it
was impossible to deny the earnestness and sin
cerity with which they were urged, or to doubt
that they were the result of deep convictions.
having their origin IN some previous experience
Of that nature
The worst portion of the small minority in Kan
sas, who had possession of the Territorial organ
lzation. loudly and bitterly complained of Gov
Walkers plan OF concihation and demanded thu
opposite policy OF repression. And when, under
the solemn assurance given that the elections
should be fairly conducted. and no frauds which
we could reaeh be countenanced or tolerated. Il
had become apparent that the mass of the peonla
were prepared and determined to particioa.e in
the October elections the minority eudeavored
10 defeat the result by rowling the tax quslif.
cation for electors, which had been repealed NV
the previous Legislature. Opinions were oh
tanned from high legal sources the effect of which
had they prevailed would have been ia exclrda
the mass Of the people from voting, to keep up
agltationan to render civil war inevitable. Bnt
the intrepid resolution OF Walker in spite of the
fierce opposition and denuncatiou far and naar
carried him through this dangerous crisis. aud
he had the proud satisfaction of having achieved
peaceful triumph, by inducing the people to
aub f1ff IN tbaO rlt fr,r &aFsl Al
But the minority were determined not to sub
NIT to defeat The populous county of Douglas
had been attached TO the border county of j ohm
son, with large and controlling representation
in the Legislature. The celebrated Oxford fraud
was perpetrated with a view to obtain malorities
in both Houses of the Assembly. When these
returns were received at my office, in Governor
Walkers absence, | had fully determined not to
give certificates based upon them. If they had
been so formal and correct as to have made Il nv
duty to certify to them, l should have resigned
my Office order to testify my sense Of the enur
nifty Of the wrong. Gov. Walker, at Leaven-
worth, had formed the same resolution, as he sta
ted to mo and several others, and we were both
gratihed that we found the papers so imperfect
as to make il our duty to reject them Great ex-
citemsnt followed in the Territory. The minor
ity thus Tighteogsy defeated in the effort to PRO
long their power, became fierce in opposition and
resorted TO every means of intimidation. But /
am led TO behave that they found their most Of
feCtual means of operation by undermining us
with the Ad ministration at Washington.
The Constitutional Convention, which had sd.
journed over until after the October election met
again in Lecompton to resume it's labors Many
of the members of that body were bitterly hostile
20 the Gov. and Secretary, on account of their
rejection of the Oxford and McGee frauds. in
which some of the members and officers of the
Convention had q direct psStScipation. In fact |
this body, with some honorable exceptions, well
represented the minority party in the Territory,
and were fully imbued with the same spirit and
designs. 1t was obvieusly not their desire to se-
care to the real people of Kansas the control of
their affairs. In the Constitution soon after
wards adopted, they endeavored to superse de the |
Legislature which had been elected by tho poo |
pie, by providing in the 2nd section of the sched-
Ule, that "all laws now of force in the Territory
shall continue inforce until altered, amended |
or repealed by a Legislature under the provisions
of this Constitution" They provided still more
eflectually, as they supposed for the perpetuitv |
of their minority Government, by adopting the /
Oxford fraud IS the basis of their appurtionment.
giving greater preponderance Misrepresentation |
10 the counties or the Missouri border and af- |
fording, Mt the same time, every possible facility
for the introduction of spurious votes.
The President of the Convention was clothed |
with unlimited power in conducting the elections
and receiving the returns, while the officers are |
not required to take the usual oath to secure fair
and honest dealing. Tho elections hurried on in |
nid-winter-the 2lst of December and the 4th of
JanuRry-whGa emgrants could come only from
the imne liate borders, under the qualification
which invited TO the bslloi-box every white male |
inhabitant in the Territory on hG; day The |
same men whe did this had previously denoun-
csd Gov. Walker for the suggestion in his inau-
guyal address, and in his Topsks speech that the
constitution should be submitted to all the bona
file character of inhabitancy.
twas apparent that all tho machinery had been
artfully prepared for repetition Of gross frauds,