Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-24
KANSAS ELECTION.
statement by General Calhoun.

, WASHINGTON CITY, FEB. IL, 1898.
To the Editor Of the Union:
: SR:-I have already communicated to the
Committee on Territories in the Senate full
statement of facts connected with the appli-
cation of Kansas for admission into the Union
as State. / need not repeat those facts in
this paper, as they will doubtless reach the
public in few days. 1t is with reluctance
that L refer to matters pertaining solely to To-
cal politics Of the Territory in which L live,
and with which, to some extent, | have been
connected; but the various and contradictory
statements that have been made by unscrupu-
lous and irresponsible Ietter-writers to the
public press, touching the discharge of my
official duties as president of the constitu-
tional convention. make the duty imperative
On the 18th of January. the day before l
opened the returns of the Kansas elections for
and under the constitution, was called upon
by several gentlemen from Lawrence, head
cd by Doctor or Governor Robinson, and ask
ed if | would be governed, in determining the
result of the election in Leavenworth county,
by the sworn statement of one of the judges
of election at the precinct known as the 'Del-
aware Crossng.' | replied. mol That could
not, and would not, go behind tie election
returns. 1t was then stated that the question
was as TO the legality Of returns; and fraud
was charged, on what information | did not
learn, upon the ground that the returns sent
TO me were not the true returns as approved
and signed by the judges of election. To
give the full opportunity of submitting testi-
mony ar to the legality Of the Returns, told
the gentlemen that, as the legislature would
have no duties to perform until after the de-
cision of the question Of admission, there
could be no necessity for the Immediate issu-
ance of certificates of election in that or any
other case, and that the difficulty which they
suggested could, i'll the meantime, be fully i'll
vestigated.
This statement made the next day in the
| presence of the gentlemen who were present
at the opening of the returns. ! also authOr-
| ised Gov. Denver To state that If the judges
| of election would furnish me, under oath, a
| a statement that the return made was false
and fraudulent, would treat such statement
as IA corrected return, and be governed by it
| in giving certificates of election. ] knew
nothing of the Delaware Crossing returns,
only that public rumOr had given to the de-
mocratic party majority at that precinct OF
some three or four hundred. | supposed the
retdrns from that precinct were in my Office,
| and was undeceived only when all the returns
were opened and they were not found. These
returns were of great Importance, as they de-
termined not only the political complexion Of
/ Leavenworth county, but of both branches of
| the legislature. As they stood at the opening
of the returns without the Delaware Crossing
vote, the republicans had majority in Lea
| ycnWorth county, and. consequently, a major
! ity Of both branches of the legislature.
! In order to ascertain the truth, | sent a
messenger To that precinct to see the Judges
of election and learn the facts as to the
| charge of fraud in the return. In the mean
time the sealed returns from that precinC t
were put into my hands by Mr.. DiefendOrf,
one of the commissioners for Leavenwortb
| county, and on the same day that the messen-
! ger returned from Delaware Crossing precinct.
| | received thc returns and the messengers re-
port ut Weston. Missouri, on the 2lst day of
January.-Ihe IN assengcr brought to me the
| following sworn statements of the Judges and
clerks OF the precinct i'll question::
! TERRITORY OF KANSAS.
! County of LeavenwOrth
The undersigned judges and clerks of the
! election held for State officers and members Of
| the State Legislature, held at the precinct
known Delaware Agency, on the fourth
! day of January, \. d., 1858, do hereby certi-
| fly that the returns made by us of said cleo
| ton were correct and genuine, and that any
! statement made by any persons as to the vote
/ of said precinct can only he determined, as TO
its truth or falsty, by a reference to said re-
| turns made by us as managers and clerks OF
said election at said precinct.
| ISAAC MONDAY,
THEODORE f. GARRETT Judges.
JAMES G. GRINTER,
| W. &. WILSON,
JAMES FiNDLAY. | Clerks.