Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-02-11

"6Nn' tiat, even II intruders from abroad should
,. oc perait.ed to orerpower them, they would be
~ oy fsise returns which IL would not be DOS
s,o'e ier the Governor and Secretary 70 defeat Al
.hongn at that time these apprehcnsions seemed to
rue 10 DC preposterous and unfounded II was iunos
sI;o ueny the earnestncss and sincerity with
he ra.,,,. reee urged or 10 doubt that they were
tne result OF deep convictions hav;ng tho;s -:
IN some previous experience of thu. r,,r-. ' ~"
inc worst portion of the small minority i, R.cs.
VINO hau possession OF the Territorial orpan;,at;or
loudly aad bitterly complained of Gov Wsirar,.'
policy of conciliation, and demanded tl,e orr,s;,,
policy of repression. And when, under the sal,,
assurances given, that the elections should be f,ri
conducted, and no frauds which we could reach bc
countenanced or tolerated, IL had become apparent
that Ae great mass OF the people were prepared and
determined to participate in the October elections.
the minority endca vored TO defeat the resnh BY re
viving the tax qualification for electors, which had
been repealed by the previous Legislature. Opir-l
ions were obtained from high legal sources, the eff
feet of which, had they prevailed, would have been
to exclude the mass OF the people from voting. 20
retain the control in the hands of the minority,
anl as consequence, TO keep up agitation, and TO
render civil war inevitable. But the intrepid rrso-
luton of Gov. Walker, in spite fierce opposition
and dcnunciation, far and near, carried him through
this dangerous crisis and he had the proud satisfc
ton of having achieved peaceful triumph, br in
ducinS the people 10 submit to the arbtIsmeRt OF
the ballot box.
But the minority IRE determined not 10 submit
to defeat. The populons county OF Douglas had
been attached to the border county of Johnson with
large and controlling representation in the Legis
lature. The celebrated Oxford fraud was pcrpetra-
ted with view to obtain majorites in b,th Houses
of the Assembly. When these returns we're re-
ccived at my Office, in Gov. Walkers absence had
fully determined not to give certificates based upon
them. 1t they been for.lal and correct rs to
have made it my duty 10 certify them, would hare
ra-,~x .a1 N. --..f-
enornty of the wrong. Gov. Walker at Learen-
worth. had formed the same resolution as he stated
TO me an, to several others. and were both graf
ified that we found the papers imperfect rs to-
make IL our duty to reject them. Great excitement
followed in the Territory. Tho minority, thus
rlshteoHsly defeated in the effort prolong their
power, became fierce i'm opposition and rcsorted TO
every means of Intimidation, But am led to be-
eve they found their most ercctual me ms Of op.
Grafton by undermining with the Administration
at Washington
The Constitutional Convention, which h,d adj.
ourned over until alter the October election. mct
again in Lccompton to resume its ls,ors. Many of
the members of that body were bitterly hostile to-
the Governor AMI Secretary. on account of their
rejection Of the Oxford and MCGEE frauds in which
some oflhe mcnibers and officers of the Convention
had direct participation. IN fact, this body, with
some honorable exceptions. well represented the
minority p,rts in the Tcrrit Jry and were fully inn
ousv not their desire to to the real people of
n>as the control of their aft ,rs. In the
Constitution afterwards adopted they endea,-
nred To supersetle the Legislature which hal been
elected 10y the people, by providing, in the second
section of the schedule, that call laws of frcc
in the Territory shall continue 20 b. of fJrcc until
altered, amended, or repealed. by Legislature un-
der the provisions ofthis Constitution" They pro
vdcd still more cffccrrIliy. they supposed for
the pcTpctu lton of their minority Government, by
adopting the Ox:rrJ fraud as the biss of tn. ir ar-
pDintn'cn, giving great prepon lcrance of repc-
scntaon to the counties ON the Missouri border
ind aforiing, at the time. every possible fsi
ty for the Introduction OF spurious woes. The
President oi the Convention was clothed ith unlir
tied power in conducting the elections and recei,
Ing the returns, while the officers not required
take the d oath Ia fair AMI honest deal
ing. The elections were hurried in mit~ inf,r
tho 2lst of Dec, mhcr and the 18th of Jinuar,-
when cmierants could ccmc only irons the mmctii
a:e borders un,ler the qualification which invited
20 the bao.-b0x every white m ale in'ialptant .sin
| the Tfrrifory on that day" The ssmc mcn who
lid tbs had previously denounced Gov. Walker for
the suggestion in hs inaugural address. and n his
Topeka spec ch IN the Constitution should be- sub
mtted to all the bona tde infabitant althou h he
invariably state when asked for exp anation that
some rci.o.iablc length of residence ought TO Lc
required, as evidence OF the bona td character &
nh ,b:.ancy.
1t Was apparent that all the machinery ha b, On
art'ully pr, pared for repetition OF gross Frauds
rir1 lar those which n I'd been atcr tied in Oc,o
ber ami it was in view of all these ticrs. after the
adjournment Of the Convention, that the people Of
the Tcrritorv by al Almost ininious dcnIans,,
called Lpsn me, the actin. Governr, to cohv,ne
an extra session Of the Legislature, in order 10 TN
die them pcacesby to project themselves agsi,,st
the wrongs evidently contempt lated iv ~ adftsu
IF this Constitution. There no lav TO IEnish
frauds in election returns. The people in
;caey excited; and i WAS the opinion OF the coolest
men in the 1c. r,torv, that, without call Of the
lie .isaiure the cluctit n under the Coist tuition
could not have taken place wihuu. collision ard
h,od-hcd. The meet NJ fihc Legislature diver:
ed the attention al The people from the sche az
rio enc, upon which they we're brooting substituted
the ctcnient ofdbltc and investigation for that
IF fierce and wirlikc hatred, and enabled their rrl
rcscntat;,cs devise for conntcract;ag tho
wroncs which the. Justly appr,hcmicd: O.
Recen, events hive shown that their apprthen-
,ion> were we'll founded. Enormous frauds have
been er ctrated at the precincts OF Oxford. Shaw
nee and kickapoo; and it my well be believed that
this result actually designed by the artfnl lead
,rs who devised tive plan and framework of the lie
complon Constitution. ] have lately been ut
| Shawnee. and have seen and convcrscd with FER
sons who ut Oxford on the day of election
! The frauds committed are notorious; and though
dishonest persons may deny them. and may MI the
channels oil public inforfn1ton with shameie~s rep
resolutions TO the contrary. they can be easily es-
! tabIishcd beyond all controversy
! I. -~=s 20 enable the people to shield themselves
from these frauds ana Ia give legal expression 10
their hatred and rejection OF The instrument which
perm, tied am, and To be carried by them, that
/ called the Legislature to.ctlicr s's-s-
Inmy judgment, the people had q fair claim 10 be
heard on this subject through their Legislature
The organic act confded 10 me the discretion of
cenv. ming that body in extra session. The Presi-
den, of the United States had no .rightfu authority
to exercise that discretion for me. He had the pow
CT OF removal, and such control that power gives
him. But woald clleer:ully have submitted tn
removal and consequent luss of favor with tho
President rather than occupy the position of Gov
crnor and refuse to the people an opportunity to
a sert their most essential rights and to protect
themselves against the bisest frauds and wrongs
ever attempted upon outraged community
| Not having been informed OF the grounds OF M
removal. | know them only through the newspaper
reports. to the effect that ncaliing the Legislature
| | disobeyed the instructions Of the President
no had instructions bearing the subject ana there
was no time to obtain them, even II had felt bound
to substitute the Presidents will for that disetion
which the organic act cou6ded TO me- The conven.
ing of the Legislature undoubtedly prevented din
Guilty and secured peace. We're Il important, am
confdcntI could establish this position by the most
indubtablc facts but il is sufficient now TO say that
the peace of the Territory was not in fact disturbed