Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-03
THE KANzAs FRAUDS.
LETTER
FROM EX-SECRErARY STANTON.

sure on the part OF the President, and having
had no official information of my removal, nor
any opportunity for explanation or deierse,
| L have deemed it necessary to present TO the
people of the United States brief statement
Of facts, in vindcation Of my motives in ex-
| PLANTATION Of the results of the act for which
have been condemned.
The office in question was not given at my
solicitation. My acceptance of it under all the
circumstances, was proof of strong friend
ship for the President, and of unbounded
confidence in the irmness and faithiulness
with which he would 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, l confess
that had an imperfect knowledge of the real
condition of sFairs. supposed the question
of slavery to be the only cause of dissension
and difficulty among the people; and, in my
brief inaugural address Of the I7th of April.
l treated this the chief subject of differ.
ence, upon which submission to the people
would be likely to be demanded. | soon
found, however, that this view was altogether
too limited, and did not each the true ground
OF controversy. The great mass of the uhab
ltants of the territory were dissatisfied with
the local government, and earnestly denied
the validity OF the existing laws. asserting
that the previous Legislature had been forced
upon them by the fraud and violence of
nelghboliag people, they proclaimed their de-
termination never to submit 10 the enactments
of legislative bodies thus believed to be lille.
gitimate, and not entitled to obedience.
This was the condition Of things when
Gov. Walker came to the Territory IA ,he lat.
ter part of May. 1t was evident mat lie lust
policy of permitting the people 10 regulate
laTE Af,-rs y i
carried out, unless they could beihspil ed with
confidence i'll the agents Of g verrment,
through whom this result Nas to be effected.
If mere minority Of the people had been
thus dissatisfied and contumacious they might
possibly have been pronounced fectious and
treated as dlstutbeTs OF the peace but when
the dissatisfaction was general, comprising
almost the whole people, a more respectful
col sheraton was indispensable to a peacea-
BILE adjustment. 1t was evident that the pol
icy Of repression-a rigid attempt to enforce
submission without effort at Cancellation
would inevitably result in renewal Of the
civil war. With commendable anxiety to
avoid this contingency, 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 gov
eminent, and to induce them, if possible, to
abandon their hostility, and TO enter upon the
| peaceful but decisive struggle of the ballot
| box. l was often with the Governor when
he addressed the people, and gave my best eff
forts III and OF the great purpose of concia-
ton.
1t was too late to induce the people to 20
into the June election for delegates to the
convention The egistration required by law
had been imperfect in all the counties, and
had been wholly omitted in one half of them
nor could the people Of these DISTINGUISHED
counties vote in any adjacent county, as has
been falsely suggested. In such of them as
subsequently took a census or registry OF their
own, the delegates chosen were not admitted
to seats in the convention. Nevertheless, it
is not be denied that the great central fact,
which controlled the whole case, was the ut
ter want OF confidence BY the people in the
whole machinery OF the territorial government.
They alleged that the local officers, in all in
stances, were INSCRIPTIONS partizans, who
had previously deirauded them in the cleo.
tons, and who were ready to repeat the same
ouirages again; that, even if lntIuders from
abroad should not be permitted to overpower
them, they would be cheated by false returns,
which it would not be possible for the Gov
ernor and Secretary to defeat. Although, at
that time these apprensions seemed to me to
be pleposteIous and unfounded, it was i'm
possible to deny the earnestness and sincerity
with which they were urged, OF to doubt that
they were the results Of deep convictions, hay-
ing their origin in some previous experience
of that nature.
The worst portion of the small minority in
Kanzas, who had possession of the territorial
organization, loudly aud bitterly complained
of Gov. Walkers policy of Cancellation. and
demanded the opposite policy Of repression.
And when, under the solemn assurances civ.
en- that the elections should be fairly conduct
ed, and no frauds which he could reach be
countenanced or tolerated, it had become ap-
| parent that the mass Of the people Vi ere pre-
| pared and determined to participate in the
| OCTOBER elections, the minority endeayoied to
defeat the result by reviving the tax auah.
cations for electors, which had been repealed
| oy the previous Legislature. Opinions were
OBTAINED from high legal sources, the effect of
winch, had they prevailed, would have been
10 exclude the mass OF the people from voting,
| 10 retain the control in the hands of the mi
nority, and as a consequence to keen up agi-
! tatlon aud TO render civil war inevitable. BIT
the intrepid resolution of Gov. Walker, in
spite OF fierce opposition and denunciation, far
ana near, carried him through this dangerous
crisis, and he had the proud satisfaction of
having achieved peaceful triumph, by in
dueing the people to submit to tie arbitra-
I
But The minority were determined not to
submit to defeat The populohs county Of
douglas had been attached to the border coun-
| ty OF Johnson, with large and controlling
representation in the Legislature Tho cele-
broted Oxford fraud was perpetrated with
view to obtain maiorities in both houses of the
Assembly. When these returns were receiv-
cd at my Office, in Coy. Walkers absence,
had iully determined not to give certificates
based apon them. If they had been SO tor
MAJ ana correct as to ave made il my duty
70 certify them, would have resigned my Of
nee IN order to testify my sense Of the enor-
NIFTY OF the wrong Gov. Walker, at Leayen-
worth, had formed the same resolution as he
STATED to me and to several others, and we
were both gratilied that we found the papers
80 imperfect us to mako it our duty to reject
tnein' Great excitement follow cd in the ter
ritory, The minority, thus rghteously de-
fented in the effort TO prolong Their power, be-
cane fierce IN opposition, aud resorted to eve
| ny means Of intimidation. But / am led TO
believe that they found their most elftctual
means OF operation by undermining us with
the administration at Washington.
lho Constitutional Convention, which had
adjourned over until after tho October olec.
] ton, met again IN Leoompton to resume ito