The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1858-04-02
THE LEOomPT0N FRAUD,
INVESTIGATION SUPPRESSED.
REPORT FROM Mr.. HARRIS COM
MIpTEE.


press their views upon the action Of the
majority Of the Committee, constituted,
as Il originally was, with majority Of
its members hostile TO the resolution by
which it was created and Under which II
was directed TO act
The undersigned indulge in no reflect
ions discreditable to the character and in.
tegrity Of the mNiority Of the Commit
tee, from whom they have been compelled
to differ, most Of whom were undoubted
| " selected from the ablest and most OK.
periencsd members Of the House. Yet
IN their action, in the opinion Of the un-
dersigned, they have stripped the resolu-
| ton under which they were appointed Of
practical effect. and submitted their own
views aud reflections alone in great
measure for the evidence which ought to
have been collected by the Committee. Fl
With the exception Of a call upon Mr.
Calhoun, proposed by one Of the under
signed, the majority have resisted sue
lcessfully every effort at inquiry made by
either Of us, while they themselves have
elicited nothing relative to the matter Of
inquiry not already before the country
Indeed, some Of the most important items
Of Information, admitted by the majority
in the resolutions adopted by them IN
Committee at last session to be Essential
to the investigation, have never been
obtained by the Committee, to wit: "Lhe
vote Of the people under the law" for
taking their "sense" for or against a Com
stitution 'the election of Delegates as
officially certified to-" and "Iho vote on
the adoption Of the Constitution under
its own schedule, aud provisions as Off
cially adjudged and announced" These
important facts-admitted to be essential
by the majority--have not. as far as the
undersigned have knowledge ever boen
brought before the Committee.
In addition to these important facts,
we thought it entirely pertinent SIS essen
tial to the object OF our investigation to
ascertain by the best evidence within our
reach:
L. The population Of the Territory.
2. The disposition Of the people there
of toward the Government Of the United
States.
3. Whether, as charged by the Presi-
dent, the people of Kansas are in REBEL.
ion against the government under which
they live.
4. Whether the alleged vote. OF the
sense Of the people for or against Con-
stitution, was taken under such laws and
in such a manner as to entitle IL to be
considered as the sense of the people.
5. Whether the paper purporting to be
the "Constitution OF the State of Kansas"
was made by the people over whom it is
designed TO act, and embodies their will,
fairly and legally expressed.
6. Whether tho elections which have
been held in connection with the forma-
tion Of said Constitution, both before and
since its adoption by the Convention,
were so taken, conducted and returned as
to give effect to the popular will, aud
what that will was and is.
I. How far the results of the election
on the 4th of January, when they voted
for said Constitution and for State officers,
is indicative Of the will of the peoplo Of
Kansas either as to the piopriety Of the
admission of said State into the Union,
or as showing whether the said Constitu'
tion is acceptable and satisfactory to a
majority of the legal voters of Kansas
and hence an inquiry whether the returns
of said election as published are true or
false. And as further reason for such in
quiry. that rs said Constitution provides
no mode of correcting frauds, or contest
ing elections, how far Congress night,
by the admission of said State, commit
itself TO the endorsement and confirmation
Of frauds, aud TO fasten upon a people a
government and Constitution against it'
: will.
0. Whether certain protests and re
solves said 10 have been passed by th'
Territorial Legislature against the admis
sion Of Kansas under the Lecompton Con
, stitution ought not to be obtained anC
considered as indicating the will Of the
people in that regard.
These. and numerous other points o
= inquiry which the undersigned thought
material and essential to the investigation
q ordered by the House "as far as conneete,
; with the said Constitution" aRd fact
Q connected with "the law under which thl
t same was originated" aud as facts relat
q ing to ''the question or propriety Of tht
admission Of the said Territory into thl
Union under tho said Constitution, anC
: whether tho same is acceptable and salts
/, factory TO a majority Of the legal voter
Of Kansas" were untouched and unno
Al ticed by the Committee, aud on the 3rt
: inst. the Committee, by an adjournmen
/ sine die, brought It's labors 10 close
Z having, in our opinion, failed 10 accom-
plish any one important object for whicl
: Il was raised.
There are scores Of prominent citizen
Of Kansas, of all parties, now here, VIII
could have given She most weighty eyi
dence touching all the points Of inquir,
embraced in the resolution, particularly il
. 20 the most monstrous frauds perpetrate,
nt the election on the 2lst Of Deoembe
last.
. We think thore is no excuse for neglect
ing to use tho means within the reach 0
70 the Committee. and for returning 10 th