Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-02-12

stature. OplhIohs were oolaiheu hoii'
high legal sources, the effect of which.
had they prevailed, would have been TO
exclude the mass of the people from vo-
ting. 10 retain the control in the hands Of
the minority, and as a consequence TO
keep up agitation and to render civil war
inevitable. But the intrepid resolution
of Gov. Walker, in spite of fierce oppo-
sition and denunciati0n, far aud near,
carried him through this dangerous crisis,
and he had the proud satisfaction of hav-
ing achieved peaceful triumph, by in
ducing the people to submit to the nrbi-
,rament of the baiioi-box.
But TIE minority were determined not
to submit to defeat. The populous eoun-
ty of Douglas had been attached to the
border county Of johnson, with large
and controlling representation in the Leg
stature. The celebrated Oxford fraud
was perpetrated with view TO obtain
majorities in both Houses or the Assem-
bly,. When these returns were received
at my office, in Gov. Walkers absence,
had fully determined not 10 give GER
tiiicates based upon them. If they had
/ been formal and correct as to have made
it my duty to certify them, would have
resigned my office in order 10 testify my
sens. OF Tie eaormity Of the wrong. Gov.
/ Walker, at Leavenworth, had formed the
same resolution, - lac stated TO me and to
several others, and we wer. both gratifi 1
that we found the papers so imperfect as
to make it our duty 20 reject them. Great
excitement followed il the Territory.
The minority, thus righteously defeated
in the effort to prolong their power, be-
came fierce in opposition ard reso:ted to
csery means of Intimidation. But am
led to believe that they found their most
e'F.r'ga, means Of operation By under
nl.ai43 Us with the ADMINISTRATION n
Washington.
The Constitutional Convention, which
had adjourned over until after the Octo.
Der election, met again in Lecompton &c
resume is 'a''"r-, MANY of the mem.
be:s of that bOdy were bitter AJs...@ =
he Governor and Secretary, on accoun
OF .l.-.- rejection of the Oxford and Nc
Gee frauds, il which some of the mem
beers and officers OF he convention had ,
direct participation. In fact, this body
with some honorable exceptions, wei
represented the minority party in III
: Territory, and were fully imbued will
| he same spirit and designs. 1t was OBJ
: Iiousiy not their desire to secure to tn
real people of Kansas the control of thei
;. own affairs. In the constitution soon al
i. forwards adopted, they endeavored 10 ST
i, persede the Legislature which had bee
: elected by The people, by providing,
the second section of the schedule, tha
=. ''all laws now of force in the Territor
! shall continue to be Of force until altere,
amended, or repealed by Legislator
md, the provisions of this constitution
They provided still more effectuall
as they supposed, for the perpetuation
their minority government by adoptr
. .ue Oxford fraud as the basis of their a
portionment, giving great preponde
ance of representation to the counties
? the Missouri border, and affording, at Il
same time, every possible facility for Il
y introduction of spurious votes. II
~ Pr s:dent of the Convention was cloth
with unlimited power il conducting 4
10 elections and receiving the returns, viii
10 the officers are not required to take t
e. usual oath to secure fair and honest de;
all ing. The elections were hurried on
cd mid-winter-the Dist Of December a
@ the 4th Of January-when emigraI
In could come only from the immediate b,
,ly ders, under the qualification which
Sc viIed TO the ballot-box every white mi
cir inbsbitant in the Territory on that da
Id The same men who did this had pre-
sv- ously denounced Governor Walker
he the suggestion in his inaugural addr
he and in his Topeka speech, that the CO
III stiiution should be submitted to all
IA bona tide inhabitants, although he in,
Mt. riably stated, when asked for expla
rs, ton, that some reasonable length of re
ar dence ought to be required as evideI
led Of the bona tide character of inhabitan
dy /; wa3 apparent that all the machine
lat, had been artfuliy prepared for rep
not ton o. gross frauds, similar to tn
'ey which had been attempted in Octob
ich and II WAS in view of all these facts,
m ter the adjournment of the Convent
at that the people Of the Territory, by
10 almost unanimous demand, called III
led, me, as the acting Governor, to cow
less an extra session of the Legislature
1