The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-01


governor q ths esafs and ssss e6oses were ssscts4
i'm. q: s & s' sss:s: s IN. called al .
sins ihs srsss BODY q patriotic citissn. q ou}
belon absent from the State serving q soldiers In
the army Of the United States War was hagrant IN a-
polls surrounded by armed men from other States and
the militia OF State The result was the success
q those who clsmored most Loudly against me
war showed keeper appetite for civil once az peanf
Of IL overthrow. than for the hardship and danger q
service In the field The Constitutional Convention thus
elected passed ordinance vacating almost all the civil
oces in the State those elected at the same time.
conferred gave the Governor OF the State the
power OF appointment % AL the Offices thus vacated.
were his sna Is ana S the other Va.
cancies from the same class Of persona The Convention
then made z new constitution, which was not SUBJ
but those OF the people only who would take
oath which the Convention had prescribed-~h,eh
constitution Of the United States and which thousands
or our most loyal citizens could not consciensiousy
take, and least OF all thoss who framed the oasA and
forced il upon tho people OF the State The result
that eghsynve thousand votes only were cast a the
ejeon upon the ratification OF the constitution, less by
some twenty thousand than the number Of soldiers con-
tYbuted by tho State 70 the armies Of the union ana
only onchalf OF the number OF votes polied IN ,hi1
State al the Presidential election OF 1850 The new cons
sttution proclaimed to be ratified by egheenhun-
bred maoy-some Of the strongest Union Counties a.
ties against IT, and Of the strongest secession
counties IN the state at that period giving msoTe fos
It. Thus election in which more than one-ha %
the people disfranchised BY an unconstitutional
test oath--many thousands OF those distraachissd
being in the service as soldiers OF the republic
by q minority vote OF the people this new con-
sttutior was fastened upon the State as tn
Fundamental law The constitution required !.
Regisrv law to be put in force, and one enacted
born OF the spirit which made the constitution and
intended retain the power Of the state in the hands Of
the minority who had made it The Registration law
Unvo that
who TO appoint the registrars for every county IN
the State, and the registrars mus appointed had tho
power subst analy to appoint the voters. They COULD
with without evidence reject tho vote Of any one or
admit the franchise whomsoever they pleased The
judges OF election appointed by the judges Of tho
county couFts all Of whom appointed by the Gov
ernor and the clerk Of the county court whose duty -
cessfuI cand,dstes was also appointed by the Cow
ernor. No single link of the Chain of despoism ~
which the absolute control Of the elsca:sns wss
0ratey contrved pan So shameless and careless even
Of appearances the con,rvsrs Of this paipable
fraud that at the last election IN this state large NUM-
Der OF the registrars supervisors were themselves
candidates the most lucrative offices in the several
counties while making out the lists Of qualified voters
ton in which political party had the power fods.
franchise its political antagonisswas as was intendeC
1t should be- to confirm the power OF the minority ana
retain its leaders in Office The majority o. the people
Of the State DISTINGUISHED by their political antagonists
submitted peacefully and quietly, in the hope ana ex-
pectaon tina. their constitutional night Of suffrage would
DO restored 70 hom by an appeal 10 ne judiciary q me
would again resume it's republican character
ell in nane and that the fundamental principles OK
liberty would be vindicated and enforced.
II not TO be supposed that those who have COM
United such crimes against popular liberty would hes-
tate commit further and greater Grimes TO retain the
these crimes have been perpetIaied purpose
Of possessing themselves Of the modest emolaneR Of
Office prescribed during the days of our former Republicans
frugaity and simplicity; nor has the which at
tended these posons aiaasting The conAdens
fellow citizens much attraction for tcss who no longer
seek them through the consent cf the people, SThese
men have been actuaed by other motives The manner
in which The usurped power has been used will dsciw6
the objects for which they have committed many
crimes In It's pursuit The declaration OF war by the
Governor Of this stale upon the people OF Jaiksvn and
Lafayette countess and tue unposcked robbery and muir.
der or their citizens is hut the continuation Of sim acts
Of violence by which many citizens Of this state have
sanction and counivance Of the authorities ap
p0intment and power emanated from the Governor.
Preachers OF the Gospel have IN many parts q ,nis
officers Of the law under the barbarous provisions Of the
new constitution, but also BY armed mobs OF laiess
Mr. Headlee was taken from the horns or the Atari
and bru,sy shot and killed by band Of armed outlaws
and effort OF kind has been made BY the auihor
ties OF the punish the perpetrators %
these crimes Many have been murdered Ia some In
tancss by persons claiming authority under the Governor,
under the pretonce that they we're or had been rebels
sympathizes and that while the courts OF Ia" were
open for their trial and punishment and no attempt had
been made by the State authorities 70 prevent o. pun
sh these crimesbut on the contrary tho perpetrators,
in the OF namei Babcoke, have by such
y
become the familars and favortes Of our Governor.
Tho possession Of property In some parts o. tho
the country under pain Of death in case OF refusal and
and always under circumstances involving the sacrnc'
Of theproperty which usually fails into the bands
the patriots most active In Kidding the country Of SUI
obnoxious characters Nor has this spirit been coat
with the spolation Of private property. The raIrcs
70 which our creditors look for reimbursement and
burdoned people for relief have been wckeily ano
corruptly sacrificed for sums Of money absolutely
fr,fs in " and
too when In some instances double the amount amt In
every instance much larger amounts were offered for the
same property than was accepted from the political
partisans 90 whom this property was ecld We ciiengs
the record Of civilized State 10 show more shame
and enrich parsans favorites than those nishcd
by the sale leo called OF the Iron Mountain ftsfoad
sush transactiops bv which the propery II the
State disposed OF for sums OF money 80 IN
adequate when larger amount was offered fos
responsibilities brings rs incsissibly 70 the CON!
clusion that the officials who sanctioned them nuss
have shared In the plumber. The dersriion
OF war upon the counties OF Lafayette and Jackson 10
the contin uaton and Development into system or tho
spirit by which Missouri has been governed during tho
last few years under the usurpei rule OF minority 10
wiz last long the rule OF the minority continues
Il fcsssIadows the fate o. every e9.nly n The ss
object 70 be 10 drive the people BY violence and
intimidation to abandon their hcnes and ands and then
70 purchase them from the banished proprieors AZ
nominal price, or at the sales under laws passed Tor haa
purpose.
Under these painful ana threatening circumstances
the undersigned feel themselves compelled to appeal TO
your Excelency and through you 10 the Congress-
OF the United States. for protection against tho
outrages OF which our fellow citizens In almost
every county OF the Stale. and especially
those Of the counties OF Lafayette and jack
son, have been madc the victims In this
State tho executive functionarcs well tho icgsla-
tive and the judicial, almost all the creatures of
minority and the equal instruments OF the oppression
OF the people whom they have wrongcd and whom they
consequently fear aud hate
We invite from Congress scrutiny and investigation
nf rl,o hayu frn
Congress fails 70 perform the duty which It
peopief u fails to investigate the charges which
make and 70 ntcrpose the authority OF the government
10 protect PEACEFUL loyal and law abiding citizens from
oppressons which have become uncomfortable then viii
Congress make itself responsible for the
which may follow. Respectfully,
A. ID. FIILEY, John HOOD,
JAMES O. BRoADHEAD, THOS r. CAN'T,
Il. b. BROWN, g. n. FILLEY,
FRANK Y. BLAIR, JOSEPH 0NEIl@
A. r. GLOVER,