Raftsman's journal. (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, July 16, 1856, Image 2

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BY S. B ROW.
CLEAEFIELD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1850.
VOL. 2. NO: 48.
1
1 WISH SOJIEUODY'D COME.
' Th flower re blocming on the lawn,
The birds are singing free, -
And everything is Fall of life
And happiness but me;
The flowers look strangely dull to-day,
- 'jey ro shadowy as uiy dreams,
And very lonely seem to mo
The sunlight's golden gleams.
" A8nfor the birls, I heed thorn not,
. . They had as well bo dumb ;
They cannot charm my heart to-day
I wiah somebodt'd come !
I've triud my books my music, too,
I've tried it o'er and o'er
But. pshaw ! I cannot see my notes,
My eyes keep wandering so.
Unanswered notes before me lie,
I'll count them one, two, throe ;
And here are letters waiting, too,
And what aro they to mo '.
My books arc stale my inusio
Discordant as a drum,
My voicj is very bad to-day
I wisb auMEBJor'acome!
' The sun is setting in the west,
And twilight deepens now.
And night comes forth, an ebon qucon,
With jewels on her brow ;
The cat is sleeping on the hearth,
The bell has rung for tea,
' 'And not one living soul has ooine
What can tho matter be ?
The day is pone, tho night comes on,
And I will look no more
There! Bettie, don't you hear the bell?
Somebody's at the door !
BLUE 11EAKD.
This bugbear of every nursery in Christen
dom w as no fabulous monster veiled in human
lorm. He actually lived, moved, and had a
being in the fifteenth century ; not, however,
as a long-robed, turbaned Oriental, as the pic
tures which used to make our blood curdle
would lead us to think.
On an eminence which overlooks tho little
village of (Jhamptocc, near the Loire, stands
the imposing ruin of an old feudal castle. Its
grey walls, bare and broken, rear themselves
against the glorious sky ; and amid tho tumb
ling turrets, the bat and tie owl beat their
w ings and shriek in their midnight revels.
Tho superstitious peasantry avoidthc neigh
borhood from fear, and when tho storm whis
tles and tho wind moans, they imagine tho
sounds to be wails from the injured dead of
the oil ruin. The dread of the place is not a
new foclinir. but h.i iTitf! anion? succeed
ing generations of peasantry since the reign
c-f Charles the Seventh. It was at that time
the dwelling of Gilles de Ketz, a feudal baron,
who, as be was then, and still is called the
"Barbe Bleu," was, no doubt, the original of
our time honored, or rather feared Blue Beard.
His deeds of blood, which were but the every
day incidents of bis life, made him tho terror
ol the surrounding region. The bare mention
of his name was enough to subdue the most
rebellious urchin into submission j and even
tho parents believed the winds which reached
them by passing over his domain, were sul
phur tainttd.
Well do-;s the history of this man reveal the
dark superstition of the fifteenth ceutury,and
aloo the impunity w ith which one in high rank
might coraiuit tho most revolting crimes a
gainst hu-nanity. Do Ketz had once been in
possession of immense estates and untold
wealth. Hut by the most debasing excesses
he not only squandered bis fortune, but also
ruined his constitution, so that, wbilo yet a
young man, ho bore tho appearance of decrep
itude and old age. lie could not, however,
consent to pay the penalty or his sin by bo
coming old before his time. In the blindness
of his superstition, ho conceived the hopo of
reclaiming' both health and wealth by the pow
er of magic. Having heard of a famous Ital
ian alchyrnisl who bad performed somo great
miracles by this art, he sent for him to the
castlo.
Tho cunning magician at onco read hi3 man,
and encouraged his hopes j ho was, therefore,
employed at a high price to undertake the
work, and invited to make the lofty castle his
home. The first act was the winning back of
health and vigor, without which all other trea
sures are of little avail. Numberless were tho
arts he tried, and mysterious the preparations
bo made. Tho dark dungeons and secret sub
terranean passages beneath the castle were the
seen of this work. Hero the terrified pea
santry imagined that the Italian made a com
pact with the Frineo of Darkness, and sold the
duped I)e Ketz to him in compensation for his
aid in restoring bis health. Among many
iionsensical and harmless experiments, were
also some of a cruel and abominable charac
ter. He induced bis infatuated employee to
believe there exbled in tho blood of infants a
-bann for restoring youth and vigor. lie as
mired him that by bathing daily in the blood
of these innocents, the pure young life which
bad so lately coursed through their tiny veins
would be transferred to his own.
The bloody baron did not shrink for one mo
ment from the commission of the horrid crime
which this prescription rendered necessary.
Tender infants wero secretly stolen or forcibly
torn from their parents, and kept in tho dua-
geous of tho castlo till their blood was re
quired. It is believed that not less than one
hundred humble niotber3 were thus deprived
of their youngest born. This fiend in human
shape hired a magician but not a murderer
That office ho reserved for himself, nor did his
savago nature shrink from tho horrid work it
imposed. With bis own hand did he pierce
the hearts of his affrighted littlo victims until
there was blood sufficient to cover bis emacia
' ted t ody. This is one instance of the cruelty
of De Ketz. We think very likely his wives
shared tho fate of the poor infants, and that
tho story of Blue Beard in wide trousers, loose
robe and turban, was not much exaggerated.
: But crime cannot always go unpunished.
Even then, when the rich ruled over the poor,
justice and mercy triumphed at last. The
cries and entreaties of the heart-broken peo
ple around his domains reached the ears of his
superior, JohnY. He was arrested and bro't
before a tribunal of justice. His palace was
thrown open to the public gaze, and its horrid
dens and vaults were swift witnesses against
him. He was found guilty of murders by
scores, and after confessing many crimes, be
fore unknown, he was burnt at the stake in
Nantes, 14 10. This was the original of "Blue
Beard," and there, although more than four
hundred years have passed away since he paid
the penalty of his crimes, the broken walls
and jagged turrets still stand as a memorial
that tho wicked shall not go unpunished.
ONE OF OUE PECULIAEITIES.
A quaint contributor to one of the maga
zines, says that the "character of a people
may be known by tho beverages which they
use." This theory is not without a certain
degree of plausibility, but it would be difficult
to apply it to the people of this country. The
English may to some extent, derive their som
niferous plethora from the beer which they so
universally imbibe ; and it is even possible
that Hie immaterial character of tin ordinaire,
or sparkling w ine, may impart to tho French
men a certain measure of their own volatile
nature. The valorous Highlander may per
chance derive bis indifference to danger and
his personal courage, from his potations of his
favorite usquebaugh ; and the Irishman owes
bis quickness of repartee and natural shrewd
ness, to the poteen which ho surreptitiously
distils under tho very noses of the excisemen.
But w hen our theorist takes tho people of this
country into consideration, his idea fails in
the application. Unfortunately, we nro a na
tion of bibbers, and our drinks are as multifa
rious as is possible. Without any positive sta
tistics upon which to base the assertion, it is
nevertheless safe to say, that as a people, we
spirits upon tho face of tho globe. Go where
wo may, we find drinking and drinkers, and
drinking is the order of the day drink drink
drink ! If one man is introduced to anoth
er, they miiFt drink "to our better acquain
tance;" and when friends separate for a time,
a libation must be poured down, as a liquid
bath in which to drown regret. Wo drink in
negotiating transactions ; drink to raise tho
spirits when they arc depressed ; drink when
elated, to prevent tho body from taking wing
with our happiness and ascending like a bal
loon. Wo drink to induce warmth when the
air is keen, and to sustain nature when it is
sultry. Wc drink when wo aro travelling be
cause wo aro "away from home, and it does us
good j" and we drink w hen at home for all the
reasons enumerated above. riiil. Ev. Jour.
Those who live ix Glass Housks shoved
not tuhow Stonfs. In the reign of James I.,
tho Scotch adventurers who came over with
that monarch were greatly annoyed by per
sons breaking tho windows of their houses ;
and among tho instigators was Buckingham,
tho Court favorite, who lived in a house in St.
Martin's Fields, which, from its great number
of windows, was termed the "Glass House."
Now the Scotchman, in retaliation, broke the
windows of Buckingham's mansion. The
courtier complained to the King, to whom the
Scotch bad previously applied; and the mon
arch replied to Buckingham, "Those who live
in glass bouses, Steenie, should bo careful
how they throw stones whence arose tho
common Faying.
A Joke Discovered A Joke goes a great
way in tho country. I have known one to List
pretty well for seven years. I remember mak
ing a joko after tho meeting of tho clergy, in
Yorkshire, wheie the Rev. Mr. Buckle was,
who never spoke when I gave his health, say
ing that ho was a buckle without a tongue.
Most persons within hearing laughed, but my
nest neighbor sat unmoved and sunk in
thought. At last, a quarter of an hour after
wo had all done, he suddenly nudged me, ex
claiming: "I sco now what you meant, Mr.
Smith yon meant a joke."
'Yes, sir," I said, "1 believe I did."
Upon which be began laughing so heartily
that I thought be would choke, and was com
pelled to pat bim on tho back.
We accosted a little fellow t'other day.
He was about the size and build of a plug of
"dog leg" tobacco, and his face was some sort
of a landsbape, done up in free-soil and apple
butter. "Who are you T" we asked rather
sternly. "Mot" said Young America, try
ing to look bravo "I'm One of Em Don't
you know me f"
Cigar ashes will be found an invaluable
remedy for the bito of the mosquito and other
insects. Wet the ashes and rub them on the
part bitten, and tho stinging sensation will bo
avtrurfed almost instantly. The reason of
this is, that ashes contain alkali, which neu
tralizes tho acid of the poison.
TnE meanest man in the world lives out in
West Troy. In helping him out of the river
- . w,m torn the collar of his coat. Iho
next day be sued him for assault and battery
THE GAP OUTLAWS.
The Columbia, Pa., Spy, of the 21st June,
says: If is well known in this county and
throughout the State, that a regularly organ
ized band of villains under the name of the
"Gap Outlaws," has long been as 'institution'
in tho beautiful Foquca Valley. Their celeb
rity has not, however, been confined to this
State or any section they are known over the
whole country, and have their different stations
and depots throughout the union. Tho leader
of the gang Is an old man about seventy a
smooth, sleek-tongued rascal, who is as slip
pery as an eel, who has grown old in wicked
ness and crime, and w hoso history, could it bo
written, would present a greater variety and
generally successful practice of villainy than
tho records of the most notorious "lives of
criminals" that have ever been published.
For over forty years has he had the reputation
of being prime mover and instigator in every
act of lawlessness and infamy in tho county ;
of being an adept in crime a perfect "prince
of devils" prime imp of Satan and agent of
tho powers of darkness. Assisted by aids who
do justice to their commander, he has long
held the neighborhood of tho Gap under sub
jection. If one attempted to have any of his
baud answer tho powers that be, for some
criminal act, anonymous letters threatening
tho burning of their property and death, were
received by the prosecutors almost immedi
ately, and when arson was threatened it was
almost invariably followed by tho reality.
Their depredations have not been confined to
a single crime ; they stole everything from the
copper on a dead man's eyes to the most val
uable silver plate, horses, &c. Counterfeiting
they carried on extensively, manufacturing
money to meet their demands. Barn-burning,
poisoning animals or injuring them bo as to
render it merciful to kill them, &c, &c, have
been tho frequent acts of the Gap ontlaws.
When brought into court, which was very
rarely, they could prove alibi at sight, and
perjury was among their least crimes.
We are happy t believo that a process of
extermination has been at last commenced a
gainst this infamous band, which is likely to
luuiwamg u uoiciuvi kin iuij
leaders, Bill Bear, young Clcmson and others
are now in the hands of justice, and we trnst
it will be meted to them in full. The cause
of these arrests, was the Btcaliug of two valu
able horses from Jacob Sheeler, of Warwick
township, Chester county, some two or three
weeks ago. The neighborhood was aroused
and suspicion was directed towards tho Gap.
Upon the arrival of the pursuing party in that
neighborhood, the citizens of Penningtonville,
Christiana and tho surrounding country, join
ed in an endeavor to arrest tho thieves, and
followed them to Baltimore and Washington.
Their ellorts wero fruitless, but we have heard
that tho horses have been recovered and are
in tho hands of tho officers of Washington cily.
Among the gang arrested is a man named
Young, who has peached, and his story has
led to tho discovery of caves, metal for coun
terfeiting, goods of all kinds, &c, evidencing
tho guilt of -many usually thought to belong to
the "(Jap outlaws," as well as several respec
table men in tho vicinity who have never been
suspected of connection with them. We trust
tho officers will perform their full duty, and
not stop until every man, no difTorcnce what
his station, who has had any lot or part in this
matter, is brought to answer at tho bar of jus
tice. The Gap gang has long been a reproach
to Lancaster county ; it has been a terror to
many honest people, and it is high time these
disgraceful and criminal outlaws should suffer.
A litter bad luck is beneficial now and
then. If Patrick Henry bad not failed in the
grocery business, it is not at all probable that
he would ever have been heard of as an orator.
He might have become celebrated, but it would
not have been from bis eloquence, but the
great wealth ho acquired by speculation In
bar soap and axe bandies.' Roger Sherman
becamo a signer of tho Declaration of Inde
pendence for no other reason than that be
could not make a living at shoemaking. He
cut his bristles and staked bis "all" on tho
"rights of man." Tho consequence was that
the same individual who found it bootless to
mako shoes, in a few years becamo a living
power in our revolution.
The Flood is France. Tho inundation in
Franco appears to bavo exceeded all former
floods, back to Noah's 40,000 habitations
have been destroyed or rendered uniuhabita
bio without serious repairs. Immenso agri
cultural districts have been rendered wholly
or nearly valueless by deposits of sand, and
the crops havo been entirely swept away
throughout fourteen departments. The hu
man suffering involved in the calamity is quite
incalculable. It is well, therefore, that the
wealthy and benevolent havo taken measures
to afford relief.
A Fraction "Humble as I am," said a
Buchanan spoutcr to a mass meeting of tho
Unterrified,' "I still remember that I'm a
fraction of this magnificent Republic."
"You are, indeed," said a bystander, "and a
d-d vulgar one at that."
"An isO'Flaharty yer name ?" said Paddy
to bis new made acquaintance. "Shure, an I
knew two old maids in Tipperary of that name;
but they wern't yer mother, was they 7"
REPORT
Of the Kansas Investigating Committee.
On July 1st, Messrs. Sherman and Howard,
two of the Kansas Committee, made their re
port on the affairs of that Territory to Con
gress. Mr. Oliver, tho other member of the
Committee, and who is proved to have acted
w ith the Border Ruffians in invading Kansas,
has not yet made bis report. The Committee
set out with the declaration, that all the cir
cumstances connected with the history of the
Territory, go to show that if tho Compromise
had not been repealed, tho settlement of It
would have proceeded gradually and quietly,
until the pcoplo would have made application
for admission into the Union. Such applica
tion would have been made only on a Free
State basis. When tho Missouri restriction
was removed, agitation at once began, and tho
peace begotton by the act of 1820, was gone
forever.
The Committee reviewed the first acts of tho
Missonrians in regard to the question of the
introduction of slavery into tho Territory.
These acts in point of time, were immediate
ly subsequent to the passage of the Douglas
Bill, and anterior to the setting-in of the tide
of emigration. They exhibit these facts,show-
ing that a deliberate, systematic effort was
made to keep emigrants opposed to the intro
duction of slavery into the Territory from em
igrating thither, era any number of them had
resolved to go. They also assert that every
officer in the Territory, from Congressman
down to constables, had been elected by peo
ple who did not live in the Territory. No ac
tual political power has ever yet been exercis
ed by the citizens of Kansas.
The committeo declare that, la October,
18-31, and beforo any election was or could be
held in the Territory, a secret political society
was formed in Missouri (1.) It was known
by different names, such as "Social Band,"
"Friend's Society," "Blue Lodge," "The
Sons of tho South." Its members were bound
together by secret oaths j and they had pass
words, signs and grips by which they were
known to each other. Penalties were impos
ed for violating the rules and secrets of the
ccedings of the Lodges, and tho different
Lodges were connected together by an effec
tive organization. It embraced great numbers
of tho citizens of Missouri, and was extend
ed into other slave States and into the Terri
tory. Its avowed purpose was not only to ex
tend slavery into Kansas, but also into other
territory of tho United States, and to form a
union of flll tho friends of that institution.
Its plan of operating was to organize and send
men to vote at the elections in tho Territory,
to collect money to pay their expenses, and if
necessary to protect them in voting. It also
proposed to induce pro-Slavery men to emi
grate into the Territory, to aid and sustain
them while there, and to elect none to office
but those friendly to their views. This secret
society was controlled by men who avowed
their purpose to extend slavery into tho Terri
tory at all hazards, and was altogether tho
moit effective instrument in organizing the
subsequent armed invasions and forays. In
its Lodges iu Missouri the affairs of Kansas
wero discussed, tho force necessary to control
the elections was divided into bands, the lead
ers selected, means were collected, and signs
aud badges wf o agreed upon. Whilo tho
great body rt .he actual settlers of tho Terri
tory Voro" relying upon the rights secured to
them by till organic law, and had formed no
organization or combination whatever, even of
a party charactevytbis conspiracy against their
rights was gathering strength in a neighboring
State, and would bf?o been sufficient at their
first election to bavo overpowered the settlers
if tbey had been united to a man.
Concerning tho election of 18-5I,w hcn Whit
field was first elected to Congress, they state
that there was littlo or no fraudulent voting
was dono in tho First, Third, Eighth, Ninth,
Tenth, Twelfth, Thirteenth or Seventeenth
districts. They say however of the Second
District, that out of 201 votes cast, G5 wero
thrown by citizens of the Territory and 22G by
thoso who wero not. In the Fourth.cut of 161
cast, only about SO were deposited by citizens.
Out of 82 voters in tho Fifth, between 20 and
30 were entitled to vote ; tho others who vo
tod were Missourians. In the Sixth, 105 votes
were given, and 80 of these wero cast by tho
invaders. In the Seventh District, 601 votes
were cast, yet "the census shows thero were
but 53 rcsidcuts therein, taken three months
after." The Committee found but 12 names,
who wero voters when tho census was taken,
and they declare that not more than twenty
legal votes could have been polled altogether.
This was a most glaring and terrible fraud.
Tbcro were 581 illegal votes polled. In the
Eleventh District, out of 215 votes cant, 238
of theso were polled by Missourians. Iu the
Fourteenth, out of 103 cast, 60 were fraudu
lent. In the Fifteenth,not more than 100 were
legal out of 300 thrown. In the Sixteenth, or
Leavenworth District, there wero 312 votes
deposited, and not more than 110 wero enti
tled to be given.
The following is a rcsumt of the election
and census of 1851 :
Legal votes, . . . 1,111
Illegal votes, - . . 1,720
Thus your Committee find that in this the
first election in tho Territory a very largo ma
jority of the votes wereca.it by citizens ot tho
State of Missouri in violation of the organic
law in the Territory. Of the legal votes cast
General Whitfield received a plurality.
In January and February, A. D. 18 jo, the
Governor caused an enumeration to be taken
of the inhabitants and qualified voters of the
Territory, an abstract of which is here given :
ABSTRACT OF TUB CENSUS RETURNS.
Males, . . . . . 6128
Female, . . . . 3373
Voters . . . . . 2903
Minors, . . . . . 31G9
Natives of the United States,. - 7161
Foreign Birth, . . . . 409
Negroes, . . . . . 151
Slaves, . 212
Total, .... 8501
On the same day the census was completed,
tho Governor issued bis Proclamation for an
election to bo held en the 30th of March, A.
D. 1853, for Members of tho Legislative As
sembly of the Territory. It prescribed the
boundarlas of districts ; tho places for polls ;
the names of Judges ; the appointment of
members ; and recited tho qualifications of
voters. If it had been observed, a just and
fair election would have reflected the will of
the people of the Territory. Before the elec
tion, false and inflamatory rumors were busily
circulated among tho people of Western Mis
souri. The number and character of the emi
gration then passing into the Territory were
grossly cxaggeiated and misrepresented.
Through the active exertions of many of the
leading citizens aided by the secret societies
beforo refened to, passions and prejudices of
the people of the State were generally excited.
Several residents there have testified to the
character of the reports circulated among and
credited by the people. These efforts were
successful. . By an organized movement which
extended trom Andrew county In the north to
Jasper county in the south, and as far cast
ward as Boone and Cole counties, companies
of men were arranged in regular parties and
sent into every Council District in the Terri
tory, and into every Representative District
but one. The number were so distributed as
to control the election in each district. They
. wllii tbo avow (HI UCSlgu to
make Kausas a slave State. They were gen
erally armed and equipped, and carried with
them their own provisions and tents ; and bo
marched into tho Territory. The details of
this invasion, from the mass of the testimony
taken by your Committee, are so voluminous
that we can hero but state tho leading facts
elicited.'
At tho election thus ordered by Governor
Reeder, out of 1031 votes polled at Lawrence,
the Committee arc satisfied that not more than
"P.11 lornl itnna H'opo rn11o.1 rf ill 1
ulcnt.
At Bloomington, the Second district, there
were 311 votes thrown, of which 30 were given
by citizens. At Tccumsch, in tho Third,from
200 to 225 citizens voted out of 803. Of the
legal votes cast the Free Stale candidates re
ceived 152. In the Sixth district at Fort Scott,
of the 330 deposited, 100 were legal. In tho
Seventh, 252 were given, only 23 of which
were from citizens ; and 23 of theso were cast
for M'Geo the only Free State candidate run
ning. In the Eleventh, 323 votes were cast,
of which only 7 were found in the regular cen
sus. In the Thirteenth, 209 wero deposited
when thero were only 96 votes in the District.
In the Fourteenth, only 200 out of 727 were j
legal. Thero were 117 cast in the Fifteenth, I
of which 80 were thrown legally. OGI were
given in the Sixteenth, and only 150 were le
gal. In the Eighteenth, 2 votes, and only 17
by residents.
The Committee report the following facts
not shown by the tables :
Of the 2005 voters named in tho census
roll, 831 are found on the poll books. Somo
of the to I tiers were prevonted from attending
the election by the distance of their homes
from the polls, but the great majority were de
terred by the open avowal that large bodies of
armed Missouriau? wuld be at the polls to
vote, and by the fact that they did so appear
and control tho election. Tho same cause de
terred the Free-State men from running can
didates in several districts, and ia others in
duced the candidates to withdraw.
The poll books of tho Soeond and Eighth
districts were lost, the proof is quite clear that
in the Second district thero were 30, and in
the Eighth district 38 legal votes, making a
total loss ot 898 legal veters of the Territory,
whoso names arc on tho census returns, aud
yet tho proof, in tho state iu which wo are o
bliged to present it, after excluding illegal
votes, leaves tho total of 1310, showing a dis
crepancy of 1 12. The discrepancy is account
ed for two ways first the coming in of set
tlers before the March election, and after tho
census was taken, of settlers who wero omit
ted in the census; or secondly, the disturbed
state of the Territory while wo were investi
gating the elections ia some of the districts,
thereby preventing us from getting testimony
in relation to the names of legal voters at the
time of the election.
If the election had been confined to tho ac
tual settlers undeterred by the presenco of
non-residents, or tho knowledge that they
would be present in sufficient numbers to out
vote them, the testimony indicates that the
council would have been composed of bevoa
in favor of making Kansas a Free State, elect
ed from the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th and 6th Council
districts. The result in the Sth and 10th elec
ting three members would have been doubtful,
and the 5th, 8th and 9th would have elected 8
pro-slavery members.
Under the circumstances the House of Rep
resentatives would have been composed of 14
members in favor of making' Kansas a Fre
State, elected from the 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, 7tb,
Sth, 9th and 10th representative districts.
Tbe result in the 12th and 15th representa
tive districts, electing five members would
have been doubtful, and tho 1st, Ctb 11th and
15th districts would have elected 7 pro-slavery
members.
By the election, as conducted, the pro
slavery candidates in every district received
majority of the votes ; and several of them in
both the Council and the House, did not "re
side in" and were not "inhabitants of" the.
district for which they were elected, as requir
ed by the organic law. By that act it was de
clared to bo "tho true intent and meaning of
this act to leave the people thereof perfectly
free to form and to regulate their domestic in
stitutions in their own way, subject to thoCon
stitution of the United States."
A lengthy recital of the history and purpose)
of the Emigrant Aid Society a full detail of
the people in their election of a constitutional
convention a narrativo of tho proceedings
and deliberations of the Convention tbo rat
ification of their work by the people are giv
en, and the Committee finish their report by
avowing that they have reached tho following
conclusions t "
1. That each election In the Territory held
under the organic or alleged Territorial law
haa been carried by organized invasion from
the State of Missouri, by which the people of
the Territory have been preventod from exer
cising the rights secured to them by the or
ganic law.
2. That the alleged Territorial Legislature
was an illegally constituted body, and had no
power to pass valid laws, and their enactments
are, therefore, null and void.
3. That these alleged laws have not, as a
general thing, been used to protect persons
.a iuoperty and to punish wrong, but lor uu
lawiui rrt,nqg.
4. That the election
delegate, John W. Whitfield, holds his seat,
was not held in pursuance of any valid law,
and that it should be regarded only as the ex
pression of the choice of thoso resident citi
zens who voted for him.
6. That the election under which the con
testing Delegate, Andrew H. Rccdcr, claims
his seat, was not held in pursuance of lav, and
that it should be regarded only as an expres
sion of the choice of the resident citizens who
voted for bim. .;
C. That Andrew H. Reeder received a great
er number ot votes of resident citizens thaa
John W. Whitfield for Delegate.
7. That in the present condition of the Ter
ritory a fair election cannot be held without a
new census, a 6lringcnt and well guarded elec
tion law, the selection of impartial Judges,
and the presence of United States troops at
every place of election. . -; .
8. That the various elections held by tho
people of tho Territory preliminary to the for
mation ol the State Government, have been
as regular as the disturbed condition of the
Territory would allow ; and that the Constitu
tion passed by the Convention, held iu pursu
ance of said elections, embodies the will of a
majority of the people. j .
As it is cot the province of your Commutes
to suggest remedies for tho existing troubles
in the Territory of Kansas.thcy content them
selves with the f oregoiug statement of facts.
We deem tho facts submitted and proven by
a cloud of witnesses, as establishing beyond
the shadow of a doubt, all the allegations here
tofore made by- tho Free State men. The
whole forms a history of a concerted systema
tized plan of violence, crimo and usurpation,
never equalled by any set of occurrences in
the history of our country. If it docs not
startle and convince the most unbelieving and
captious, we arc iudeed much mistaken in our
judgment of the force and effect truth ought
to have.
Trite Yankee. A Yankee out walking ia
Virginia at Wheeling, while to himself a talk
ing, experienced a feeling strange painful
and alarming from his caput to his knees, as
ho was suddenly covered oer with bees !
They rested on his eye lids, and perched upon
his nose ; they colonized his peaked face, and
swarmed upon bis clothes. They explored bis
swelling nostrils and dovo deep into his ears,
they crawled up his trovsers, and filled his
eyes with tears. Did ho yell liko a hyena T
Did bo hollow like a loon 1 Was he scar't and
did be "cut and run 1" or did tho critter
swoon? Ne'er a one. . Ho wasn't scar't a
mite ; he never swoons or boilers ; but he
biv'd 'em in a nail keg-tight and sold 'em for
two dollars ! . . :
Some wise max, years ago, said : "If you
want to learn human nature, get married to 7 X.
spunky girl, move in the bouse with another
family, and slap ono of the young ones, anr
then you'll learn it." ' J
Patrick, meeting a jackass braying hit
ly, reinark'-'I, "It's a fins largear y&zs
haa for but he's got a wonjj -i,.j j a
3X arr9'6s -
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