The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-10-23
For Tie Hsrold Of Freedom.
Correefion
BURLINGTON. Oct. 19. 1853.


BURLINGTON, Oct. 1S, 1858.
G. w. Brown, ESQ. II observe, in the
last issue of your paper, two articles upon
the county seat in Coffey county, based
upon what you term "reliable informa-
tion," and embodying statements 50 en-
tirely erroneous that / am unwilling to let
them pass unnoticsd. The late election
for the location of the county seat. was
held under the provisions of special act
of the Legislature, temporarily locating
the same at Burlington, and requiring a
majority Of all the votes cast to remove it.
The majority clause was, by some over
sight, left out of the printed copy of the
laws but prominent gentlemen from Le-
roy and other parts of the county, had
examined the original, in the Office of the
Secretary off Territory, and understood
we'll this particular provision, as did the
people of the county generally.
With this understanding, and in view
of the fact that from the diversity of
local interests involved, no place would
receive majority of all the votes, no
particular effort was made, except upon
the part of the citizens of Leroy, who
succeeded in polling two hundred and
five votes-eishty-two more than in the
August election, and fifty more than were
polled at Burlington, although in the pre-
vious election Burlington polled the larg-
est vote. These facts have significance
which requires no explanation.
According to your published statement,
Leroy received seven votes more than
Burlington; the "other contestants re.
ceived about one hundred votes, large
majority of which would have been cast
for Burlington, on a test between that
place and Leroy. In view of these facts,
and the fact that both the Probate Judge
of the county and Governor of the Terri
tory have expressed the opinion that the
county seat remains at Burlington, it is
difficult to understand upon what your
reliable informants :" base their state
ments. ..-..
In regard to the assertion that the coun.
ty seat had been twice located at Leroy
formerly, offer my corroboration, ,oitF
this explanation During the second ses.
sion of the first Legislative Assembly
some gentlemen, petitioners " from lie.
roy, being in sympathy with that body
applied and obtained the location of the
county seat, and the appointment of the
county officers at Leroy. This was the
location by petition, with which the peo
pie Of the county generally had nothing
to do, and were entirely dissatisfied, inso.
much that petition was circulated ani
very numerously signed, asking aremova
to Burlington, under the provisions of al
act of the Legislature of 1856, for tn,
permanent location of the county seat, By
commissioners to be elected by the people
The county Neroy) authorities established
precincts in several places in the county
at which the bulk of the vote was cast, 9
large majority of which was against the
Leroy candidates ; whereupon these au
thorities discovered that the establishment
of these precincts-their own work-wa,
informal; and thus the entire vote of tn,
county, except that of Leroy, was thrown
out, and a second location of the county
seat made at that place.
The above is essentially q statement o
facts, which have no fears any "relia
BILE gentleman in Cotfey county will at
tempt to controvert Very respectful,
yours, o. E. LEARNARD.