The Lancaster ledger. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, February 06, 1856, Image 1
%
mmmmmmmm wmmmmmmm i ^ ^ ^ igi i ^ ^ ^ ^ i "i"" i tmmmmmm ?mnmammm mmmsm w ^
#2 PER ANNUM
U> rh'iivc lo Iriilh where'er ?lie leud? tlic way. IN ADVANCE.
3 /amilg noil ^nliliral JJtmspcptt?Unmlfi) lo ll|t Jrts, J-titntrs, littralort, ifiiutaiina, Sgriulhurr, 3nttrnnl Siiiprmmiitiils, /urtign null Fuuifslic I1 ran, mill tjit jFHnrkrts.
VOLUME IV. LANCASTER. C. II., SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY MORNLNd. FEBRUARY 6,1356 NUMBER 50
** - ... .? -
!>flnt poftrq.
COUHTRY LIFE.
ItT Jolt* H lAZt.ST.
In town* and eitiea thousands lire,
Hiking for something whieh will gi*s
I*rge gain* for little toil ;
They "train their wits, dletrvee their mind*,
And call him smart or great, that firtdl
Some new way to deapoil.
t(nw strange, that men of goodly part*
Will rondract'od to meanest arte,
In trying to make ca*h ;
Will shave, and eerew, and swindle too,
Without regard to me or yoa
Nc they may rut a dnsh.
Why ia it so ! What mania fills
Their silly heaJa and perverse wills.
That thus they chase the wiad ;
loosing their health and manlr minds,
Losing each tie and grate thai binds
Ua mortal* to our kind.
Tbriea blaaaad ia a country life,
Far, f*r i??y. from fraud and atrifa,
In aomo secluded apot ;
Whara killing carta ara aeldom found.
Whare peace aud plenty moat abound,
And frienda ara ne'ar forgot.
I jibar la God'a command to malt,
Happy are thay who do and can,
**b?y the great intent;
Wo artificial wanta they'll crave.
Few alvrpleav nighla, no thoughta that rave
nut reat and ?* act content.
The flock# and herda in field* and gravaa,
Lie down ia ahad?s,or feefl in drovt-a,
Conacious that faod ia there ;
The treat, plante, aliraba, around ua riaa,
Mwaet flower* aend incanae to the skies,
While fruit treea bloom and bear.
Nature's d<>maina a concert heth,
Whara birda with aong, aud caw, and rail,
Ior<>k? the L? -ity ;
The plougbn?n whiatloe o'er the land.
The milkmaid eiageth blithe and bland,
la a-eat simplicity.
O give me than a country )if?,
Fir far away from pride and strife,
Where happiness la found ;
My wishes moderate and wiaa.
My paeaiona tamed with mod eat guiae.
And all by love ia erowiivl.
?BaBBHB9-WWHa?H??5-5H?5SH??HP
ftliBrrllanpotis.
[/Ve? Mi Keening /'ill.
THB LATE SAMUEL ROGERS
T WILLI Alt C. UkTHT.
* The death of the poet Rodger* scam*
a!moat like (be extinction of an institution.
The wot Id, br hie <'?|.*rture, baa one ob
j?et in* im or interval and reverence.?
The elegant koipiutiij which h? ili?|N-ni J
for *?arly three quarters of a nnturr,
Bit ia which Americans iiaai a large
barret brought to an end, an<l a vacuity
is fTM(*l winch nu Englishman rM
- apply. Ktgirv loved to speak of bit rotation*
with American*. Three Amrriraa
PmW*#!!,' be used to say, have
L??S entertain*! under nay roof;' and
{hen J.o would enumerate, in h>s succinct
way, tli* illustrious ni*n, founders of our
?r#pul>lict or eminent in ita later hiaiory,
who bad been his guest*. II* claimed
,aa b*r*ditary interval in our country.?
.Oe lb* newt of th* battle of I exiqgtou,
kia father pot on mounting, * Uav* you
MI e irumo r tnmabuds a?k*d him, who
wear IWts indication *f sorrow. 1 Imvo
tort * pul ms#y,' ?u the answer,?
my friends in New Englaud.*
" Rogers* breakfasts wers tha pleasi
as I set social mssttngs thai can la con eaivsd
ot, liars you met persons of ??s
t*y vstMiy of intellectual sod rocial dis
tiactWw, eminent moo apd , ertrorr.ive wo
wits, oratosa, pwsnos r*?MfkabU>
ifbr ikdr pMNn of con versa lion, artists,
Mramatista, travellers?all found tbcni
f elves on ths easiest terms with their venerable
host, whoso noon of Id* was reach*
ad in tho last century. Even bores, in
...his society, ebieh discouraged oil todious<o*ee,
ood to tho rsnpatt which bio pro
. vsooeo inspired. aooosod to Isso their ueusl
-ebararUC, Md to hll hrrotuatarily into
tho lively and graceful How of eor.versa*
tiion, of wbieh ho ga?? tho example. The
- 4 dtowiog little incident wQ| show with
Jw>w good a grace he could a
otraagnr to his hospitable dwelling. <J>0
one ocroeion he met Ml A mwrieen, fee tho
Arwt flfna, at a literary breek&et, at tho
gplto'Cftff, ftrerett, who, while sVmd,
wns never wanting in obliging nnd friend- i co
1 attention* to bis countrymen. ' Whero on
are your lodging* !' be asked of the th
American. 4 In St. James' Place,' was foi
the answer. 4Come with me,' said Mr.
llogtrs, 4 and 1 will show you the near- eli
eat way to St. James's Place.' lie took ; f?<
bi* new acquaintance into that part of cr
Loudon which is sometimes called Bel- ; nb
gravis, and poiuteJ out to bitn the stately to
rows of *pacioua mansions lately erected re:
to ettlhvllish the grunt capital of Lngland; an
then passing through th* patk of St. I da
James, fresh in the beauty of early June i to
ho arrived at the gate of a small garden, mi
j Taking a key from his pocket, he opened : w|
I the gate, and, following a little walk g?'
; among shrubbery and trees, oti which in- 1 dit
j numerable sparrows were chirping, boon kn
j tvred a house by the back door, and in wl
troduced the American to his own home. ; th
After hu had given him a little time to oh- j Ml
serve the objects of art which it contained,
he diem * el him by the fr?>i t do..r, which j of
opot I a'.oSt. James*] 1 ?ce. 'You see,' 1 nt<
said he, 4! have brought you by the near pr
Ml was- InKl J a I'U.n. If......
the house, mid come to breakfast with me lh<
to-morrow morning.' \ lh<
"Tlie mention of sparrows in hi* gar- j hi
den remind* u* of an anecdote of which ; nt?
they were the subject. 41 once used to ( ur
f?wl sparrow*,' said Mr. Roger*; 4 but, I J*
one day, whm I was throwing them *''j
' me crunil* for their breakfast, a gen- ! "f
lleman said to me, 4 L>o you see those |
birds on the tree yonder, how they keep j Pn
aloof, and do not venture down, while 1 ''h
these on the ground are feasting at their "I
leisure I Those yonder are the females; !
these which you are feeding are the gen- | l'''
tleman sparrows: they keep their males "!
at a distance.' Since that day 1 feed he
sparrows no mere.' m K1'
" Roger* began his poetical caceer ear- fre
ly. One of his acquaintance*, was speak- vu
ing oj the little well known aoug of his, . *"
fain ilia; '.o our graudinothers, beginning *'
thus ? j tb<
' Dear i* wy little native va'?,*
; j no
The ling-dove builds and warbles there; w?
Clow by %)* rot *h# Ull* her tale mi
T# fVi-rj pa.sing villager; jn,
Th* equirril leap* from tree to tree:
And shell* hi* nuta at liberty.'
" I wrote that *ong at sixteen year*
of age,' said Roger*. Vet, though the
production of an immature ng?, it ha*
all the letter characteristic* of hi* later ' tit
poetry, and it shows bvw reinarkal.lv ear- t is,
ly they were acquired, I n hi* 'I'lessur** re<
of Memory,' lery elaboiately cnni|>o*cd, ; re
he adopter! the cargfuJIy mean.fed ver*ifi- : .'\
cation iu faaltion *1 th* time it ap|H*arvd, re
with it* unvaried period*, ita antithetic i tit.
turn*, and it* voluntary renunciation of th
the power, gf ptnportioiuug the expression j wl
to the thought, ho Li* * Human Life,' a P?
later and (titer poem, he show* that hi* *ti
t**U had changed with the taste of the cu
' age; he broke loose from hi* ohl fetter*, th
' indulging in a freer niodujplion of num- ih
her*, though not parting with anything of
| their harmony and *?eetnea?, and atudyi
ing a more vigorous and direct phra*oo|<>- l.r
gy. 'Human Life' i* the beat of his te
longer poem*, and that in which his g?- ru
niu* i* *een to the best advantage. It ?*
deal* wi;h life in it* gentler and lea* stor- ?t
my n)ood*p whether of pleasure or of and- I
nw?, the ugahittQ and the shadow* of i*?
common life. 'She poen) i* of a kind by j te
wj^ich a htrgu clasaof reader* is interested ' pr
and contain* paaaage* which, once read, ' a*
are often recurred to, and keep their place 1 Li
in the memory. j p*
" Tha illustrated edition of hi. poem* ti?
is the only work of the kind with which ! d*
we are perfectly satisfied. To illustrate *ti
adequately bv the nencil the wriiuor* <.f th
I * w 9 1 - --- xn
eminent poet, in one uf the most dittt ' th
cult undertakings in the world. The fine > g?
teste of lingers in the arte, end hie Intima- ; th
cy with the greatest artiste of hie country, 1 wi
gavq h'i? a prcnt advantage in thie r<s wi
i >pect, and we have heard that the designs., rji
' which oml>elli*li that edition of hie work* pr
were selected from a touch larger dumber Ce
made for the purpose. [ t>
M In approaching the close of a I tie ao | 4*?
mweb prolonged beyond the usual lot of I of
man?a hfe, the years >f which eircuin- so
scribed the activity of three generations, ' at
he contemplated hie departure with tho ! to
almost stvenhy. The state of roan after lt?
death be onllad the great auVJecf, and U
calmly awaited U?? moment, when lie ei
should be admitted tu contemplate ita fo
myateiiea. '1 have found bfo mi this. If
world,' ha uead to any, * a happy alatc; i fa
i d?e goodncaa of Oed haa taken care that ra
nana i< Ita hswef|onc ttn the mow ?n I"
nsidorab'.e?should l>? performed will
it sensible pleasure ; ami I am cnufidet
at in the world to oom?', the sami cai
r rri)* happiness will accompany me.'
" Mr. Rogers was of low statute, neitlic
ghtly nor sturdily proportioned; h
:e was rather full and broad than otl
w ise, and his complexion colorless. II
ways wore a frock-coat. ' I will not g
court,' he uud to say, * ami for or
nson among others, that I will not wer
y other coat than thisi' ' The otlu
y,' he once added, ' 1 sept my clothe
the palace, and a man in them.' Tli
tn whom ho meant was Words wort 1
10 came to London as the guest of lie
r?, in ord r to attend court at the bit
ig of the Queen, and to make his a<
ow lodgements for the post of laurenti
licli had been bestowed on liirn. 0
at occasion he wore the court suit i
r. Roger*, whose guest he was.
" In conversation Mr. Rogers was or
the most agreeable and interesting <
ill ; lie was rotnnikablo for a eertni
......r..i i_..~ i
..v.ii ii i?< wiiiimi, u neatness iiiui power (
ectiun in Ulling a story or expressing
ought w ith its accessories, which wei
v ??iivy of the best talkers of his lime.is
articttla'ion wns distinct, just delil?e
enough to be listened to with plea
p, hu<1 during the Inst n n or twolv
ars of his lite, slightly and but vet
ghtly, marked with the trcmulousne
old ag<*.
M Hi* ordinary manner was kind an
ternal ; lie delighted to relate niiccilott
jMralive of the power of I he affection
lich he did with great feeling, 'hi cm
sion, however, he could say canst
ings, and a few examples of thi kitu
licit were so epigrammatic as t
entc^laiuiyg in their itretition, hav
reii rise to the mistake that they wet
uncut in his conversation. llis belli
>r to the other sex was uncoinmonl
gaging. He was on fiiendiy tent
tli his eminent literary brethren, thong
ev wore enemies to each other, an<
it withstanding that his political opiniol
ro those of the liheral school, his inl
sries knew no party distinctions, an
rluded nun of the opposite politic)
;t."
IKE MUBJDER OF RICHARD
DOWNIE.
"About the end of the eighteenth cei
ry, whenever any student of the Ma
loil College, A ben teen, Scotland, incn
\ the di*pleaaiire of the humbler oil
n, he was assailed with the <pie*tio
Vho murdered l>owni* I" Iteply an
joinder gonrrallv brought on a roll
>n between "Town and (iowii," ahhoup
e >? "'K gentlemen were accused <
iat ?mi cl.ronologteully impossible.'
ople haie a right to he angry at Lain
gmati/ed as murderer*, when their a
*er* have probability ou their sid<*; ht
e "taking oil" of l>??w die occurred wh?
e gownsmen, an maligned, were i
raddling clothe*.
"Itut there was a time when to I
a ivied as an accomplice in the slnngl
r of Itichnrd 1'owuie, mad* hi* bloc
n t<> the sheek of many a you'll an
nt him hotue to hi* book*, thoughtfi
id subdued,
"I>oarnie km sacrist or janitor at Ma
dial College. One of hi* duties ennsi
d in Keruring the gate by a certain hoi
eviont to which all the students had t
setubl* in the common hall, where
at in prayer was delivered bv the prim
d. Whether in discharging this fun
>n, Downie wa> more rigid than his pr
cessor in office, or whether he Lecan
ricter in performance of it at oii? tin
an another, cmnnot lie ascertained; Im
ere cnn ln? no doubt that he closed tl
ito with *u?tere punctuality, and tin
ovj who were not in the common ha
ithin a minute of the prefer bed tin
rre shut out, and wore iiftorwardt re|
IIHUdi-d and lined I y the principal an
ofcaaora, The student* became iirit
(1 at tjiia *tr;?;int;N?, ami, took every |mean*
of annoying the aacrut ^he, i
turn, applied the acrew at other poin
academic rouuuc, and a tieroa hi
on liegait to rage between the coilegiai
ul the hutnbla functionary. ]>own
ok CAM lltat in all hit pcoeeediug* 1
?pt within ll?e airict letter of tlie Ian
it kia opponeata nero not so care ft
id ih? deci*ion? ?f the ni!e?w wowe un
rmly again*! them, and in favor <
ownic. kcpriiaand* aud fine* bavin
iled in producing due aubordmnlkx
tiealion, auapanaion, and even the e
an# eentene* wf wpwt?w>n, ha#' to I
li- put to force; and, in the end, law and | inj
it ordor prevailed. Hut a secret and dead- ' his
rc ly grudge continued to be entertained ( bl<
agnints Downie. Various sche nt-B of re?r
j vongc wore tliouglit of.
is j "Downie was in common with the | flo
i- j t"aelier and the taught, enjoying the lois- lift
le ure of the short New Year's vacation ; an
;o I the pleasure l?ving no doubt grsatly en- na
le ! hanced by the annoyance* to which he ! jol
ir ' had been subjected during the re'eent j
r bickerings; when, as he was one ovetiing 1 ro:
?s seated with his family in his official resi- j
ie | dencc at the gate, a messenger informed cd
i, him that a gentleman at a neighboring 1 wa
v | hotel wished to speak to him. Downie
1- ; obeyed the summons, and was Ushered ' jf?
> from one room into another, till at length od
p, lie found himself in a large apartment.
n , hung with black, and lighted with a sol- stu
>f itary candle. Aftei waiting for some! OV(
I time in this strange place, about fifty fig- Uii
ie , urea, dressed at black, and with black . re:
sf, marks on their faces, presented them- j an
n selves. They arranged themselves in a tli<
r?f' form of a court ; an I Dow nie was given 1?,
a ! to understand that he was about to be '
e j put upon hi* trial. j t j,,
? "A took In* seat on * bench ; a j ovi
r- j clerk and public prosecutor sat below ; a J wl
n* jurv was oiupannoled; and witnesses and , for
e 1 spectators stood around. Po.vnie at first uli
y J sot down the whole affair as a joke ; but :
s.h llie proceedings woio conducted with JV|
j Mich persistent gravity, thai, in spile of j,f,
id himself, he began to believe in the genu- OOI
,'s ! ine mission of the awful tribunal. The 0f
?, clerk rend an indictment, charging him wjj
c-I with conspiring ngainst the liberties of. no
ic ihe students : witnesses were examined in j
!, J duo form ; the public prosecute* address-1 j10
,o j *d the jury ; and tl e judge, summed up. i
o " fientb'tnen,' said l> ?wnie, 'the joke1 j,e,
e linn been carried far enough ; It is getting ll(,j
?. ! late* and ruy wife and family will be anx-'
v ions about me. If 1 have been too strict ' atu
is with you in time pMt. I am sorry for it ;1 oll
h and I ssHure you, I will take better care ! jtfl
J, in future.' j ,'t/
is | " Gentlemen of tho jury,' said the j fnt
i-[ judge, without paying the slightest Alton-1 no
d lion to this appeal, 'consider your verdict; ' mj
il if you wish to retire, do so.*
'The jury retired. 1 hiring their aluence, vj
the most prof mnd silence whs observed ; m,
and, except renewing the solitary can<lle
tLat b*ou t Itiaide the judge, thero wh?not ,|j,
i i the i lightest movement. j vo
r- j 'Tli# jury returned and recorded a ver- J
r f diet of Guilty !' j p(j
i-I 'The judge aoloianly nuunie) s l-arge M
n, black cap, and addressed (lie prisoner :
idj 'Richard l'owniel The jury hare unanili
moiialy f?>u:.d you guilty of conspiring a h
gainst the just liberty and immunities of
sf the stud-'ivts of MarUcli i! Collrgc. You
? have wautonlv provoked aad insulted
g 1 those inoffensive lieges for some months,
c- and your punishment will assuredly he
it condign. Y ou must prepare for death 1
n I In fifteen minutes the senterce of the '
lb court wi 1 be earriid into effect. T<
'The judge placed his watch on the
>e bench. A block, an axe, ami a bag of
i- saw-dn*t were Uougbt into the centre of tui
m| tee room. A figure moie terrible than za
id any had y?t appeared, came forward and pr
ul appeared to act (he part of doomsler. re
*|| was now paat midnight. There was at
r no sound"audible aavo the ominous ticking re<
a- of the judge's watch. T>owni? became in
ir more and more alarmed, go
o ! 'For God's sako I gentleman,' saiJ the
a terrified man, 'let me go home. 1 pro- re
'i- j inise that y ui nevershall again have caure no
c- fi.r camp'whit.* I rei
? ( !>...1.ur,I 1 I iK' lit* ramnrl'A.I ?li.? in,l,M an
?*: - , - j-?*- ?
you uro tainly waisting the few momenta
hs thMl *n; hifl toil on eirih. ^ oil htd in N;
it the hand* of those who demand your life. ti<
te No human power can uue you. Attempt on
#1 to utter one cry you are seized and your mi
ill ?doom is oomph-ted before you can inter ?b
le another! Kvory one here preterit hat pr
f?- I sworn a solemn oath urrTcr to re*ml tlie ad
ul proceeding* of this night : tlioy arc known ur
a- , to none hut ourselves ; an I when the oh- of
t- hvt for which we have met is accomplish ol!
in ed, we -hall disperse unknown to any one. IV
t* Prepare, then, for death : another flv? an
ur minute* wi|l he nlluwril you?hut nomor'*. eri
im 'The uuforryifl I r.ian.Mi agony of J end-, ** I
ie ly terror* -aved and diri.hcd fur, merry ; lie
ie | hut tho aveng-r* paid no head to hi* orie*. i ih
- ; |1m ferwred, trembling lipc tlmn moved aa it,
it, if in ajUmt prayer: for lie felt that the te
>i- brief apace between him and otemity was ' pr
of: but n few mom tickings of that ommou* - tin
wvteb, 8ti
a, 4.\79? f* etcUimed the judge. 1 jx>
x- Tour person* stepped forward and aeiz- eh
e-ll\iwnie oj? w)iom foeturre rsMelsm- '
r sweat had burst forth. Thoy bared , ''or
noclc, and made him kneel before the ' ou'J
>ck. i but
%$tri&e !' exclaimed the judge. j crei
'The executioner struck the axe on the legi
or : an assistant on the opposite side Oei
ed at tho same momont a wet towel, ! Tlx
d struck it across the nock of the crimi- a c<
I. A loud laugh annoucod that the dul
ce bad at laat coftre to a.i end. , the
'Hut ]>ownip responded not to the up- . eaU
vrous nierrimout. I goc
'Thoy laughed again ; but still lie iuov* ; spit
not. Thoy lifted him up, but Dow trie : wh<
>s dead ! ! vid<
'Fright had killed him as effectually as enn
ho axe of a real hoadsinan bad sever- j itat
his lioad from his body. , beii
'It was a tragedy to all. Tho medical j sea;
dents tried to open a vein, but all was l scri
rr, and the conspirators had now to bo- firs
nk themselves of safety. They now in wit
ility swore an oath among themselves ; , cat
d the affrighted young men, carrying i sub
.ir disguises with them, left the 1**1 y of I iriij.
?wnic lying in the hotel. j sen
'One of lh.-ir number told the landlord rigl
at their entertainment was not quite ; slio
er,:??d thev did not wish the individual I u
" I j
10 was left in the room to be disturbed dec
some hour*. This was to give them 'con
time to eacnpo. J ?nj?
'1 lie no\t morning the body win found 1
dicial inquiry w?s itistitued, butnosat- pro
nctory result* could l>o arrived at. The ) sea
rp*c of poor Ihiwni exhibited n<> marks aru
violence, external or internal. The ill tacl
II between him and the students was b?i i
t kuown ; it was aUo known that the
dents had hired apartments in the 1 ",01
tel for a theatrical representation.? |
>wtiie had heen sent for hy them : but, lor"
kond this, nothing whs kuoun. No j
ise had been heard and no proof of mur- I *,lM
rcould bo idduccd. Of two hundred j wer
id?nts of the college, who could point , *eju
t the guilty fifty ? Moreover, the stu- j l^,e
ills scattered over the city and the may- | "i*51
rotes th'tnsrlvrs had many of their ow n j
nily among tho number and it was j An,
t desirable to go into the affair too I
nutelr. I
'l>ownie's widow and family wore pro- I on
ie<i jor, ami nu slaughter remained a I "
fstery until alxmt fifteen j<au after it) I 1,01
current on gentleman on his duath bed i*'0
closed the vrholo particulars, ami a- ' a c
we<l himself to have belonged to the ' 14n"
noxious class of students who murder- | Ue<
Downie.' !ko'
^olitirol.
[Aro/n the Washington Union, 1 '
>ECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE i
PRESIDEHT. r<f'
The subjoined message from the Presi- lo (
nt of the United States was transmit- j,e
I to both houses of Congress rtsterday: ' n<
> the Senate, and ! j#|,
House of Representatives : ' Ju
Circumstances ha\e occurred to di?- Ne
rb the course of governmental organi- i
lion in the Territory of Kansas, and eor
oduce there a condition of things which om
nders it incumbent on me to call your orj:
tendon to the subject, and urgently to | as
commend the adoption by you of such 1 the
casurcs of legislation as the grnve exi- ! an?
unitsQl i 1m case appear to retyiire. <-oi
A brief exposition of the circumstances ass
terrcd to, and of their causes, will be { Itt
cessary to the full understanding of tbe Ion
commendations which it i* proposed to 1 ser
binit. j pai
The act to orgnni/o the Territories of ' mi
ehrasku and Kansas was a manifest.)- bl<
>n of the legislative opinion of Congrea* ' of
i two groat point* of oouititittionai con- e?t
ruction; one, that tlx designation of.
m boundaries of n new Territory, and ?a?
ovi?ion for it* political organisation and I 291
liniiiMtralion n* a Territory, are ineas- des
ea which of right fill within the power* ! the
tho General Government; aud the j the
lior, that the inhabitant* of any *uch gal
rritory considered a* an inchoate State cer
r entitled, in the exert-im of *elf gov mil
rniienf, to determine for theinaclrr* the
nit *hall be their own dounstc inatitu- , did
ma, subject only to the Constitution and 18.
l,iwa.duiy enacted by Congre** under i |y,
ami to the powen or. the existing State* j T**
decide aecordiny to the provision* and Co
incip'c* of the Constitution at what , hy
ne the Territory *ball be received a* a mn
ate into the Union. Such are the great ?rr
fit leal right* which are aolenuily da* tv,
lied and affirmed by that * J. out
listed tljwm \Wm theoryv the a-^ of p?d
igress defined for each Territory the J
linos of republican government, distri-1
ing public authority among lawfully j
sted agents?executive, judicial and ;
islative?to be appointed either by the
icral Government or by the Territory. {
j legislative functions were intrusted to :
ouncil and a house of representatives '
y elected and empowered to enact all !
local laws which they might deem
ntial to their prosperity, happiness and I
>d government. Acting in the same j
-it, Congress also defined the persons
0 were in the first instance to be con
?red as the people of each Territory ;
cling that every free white male inhabit
above the age of twenty-one years,
ng an actual resident thereof, and posting
the qualifications hereafter debed,
should l>u entitled to vote at the
1 election, and be eligible to any ofiieo
liin tho Territory, but that the qualifiions
of voters and holdi >g office at all
meqiient elections should be such as
>ht be proscribed by tho legislative asibly
: Provided, however, that tiie I
it of sull'rage and of holding office
uld he exercised only by citizens of the j
ited States, and those who should have j
tared on oath their intentions to he- J
ic such, and have taken an <>uth to j
port tho Constitution of the 1'nitod
tea and the provision* of the act. Ami ;
vidcd further, that no ollieer, ?<?:<liur, j
man, or marine, or other persou in the ,
ly or navy of the United Stales, or at j
lied to troops in their service, should j
allowed to voto or hold olli.e in cithsi
ritory by roason of being uu service j
rein.
iuch of the public oflicors of tin; Terr ii*
u*, by the provisions of the a:t, j
e to be appointed by tho General 1
rernineHt, including the governors, ,
e appointed uucl commissioned in due
ion; the law having been enacted on 1
30th of may, 1864, mid the com uiis-1
l of the Governor of the Territory of 1
hratku being dated on tbo l!d day of J
gust, 1854. and .t>f tha Territory of i
neat on the 29lh day of June, 1854. '
Vmong tho duties imposed by tho net
the Governors was that of directing ;
I superintending the political organitai
of tho respective Territories. The
vornorof Kansas was required localise
rtisus or enumeration of the inhabitants
1 qualified voters of the several couni
and districts of tho Territory to be ta- j
i by such persona and in such mode as i
might designate and appoint; to split
and direct tho time and places of
ding the first elections, and lite manner
:on<Juctii)g them, both as to the persons i
superintend such elections and the re- I
ns thereof; to declare the number of |
i members of the council and house o! ;
>resvn.Utive* for each county or district; '
declare what person might appear to \
duly elected ; and to appoint the lime
J place of the first meu ing of tire leg
itiv# assembly. In substance, the same
ties were devolved on the Governor of
brask*.
While, by this act, the principle of the
istitution for each of the Territories was
and the same, and the details of the .
janic legislation regarding both were
nearly at could be identical, and while ,
i Territory of Nebraska was tranquilly
I successfully organized in the due
irse of the law, and its first legislative
envbly inct on the l(Uh of January,
55, the organization of Kansas was
g delayed, and has been attended with
ious ditli 'ultaos and embarrassments, j
rtly the cottseapieuce of local in-d-ad- '
nistration, and partly of the ui.jtistitia- [
t interference of the iubab tants of some ,
the States, foreign by residence, inters,
ind rights to the Territory.
The Governor of the Territory of Kan
, commissioned, as before staled, on the [
ill of .Lorn _ lH.r> I. did not reach tin
liguatcd iwnl of liia government until
i ?/li of t ho ok suing Octol>or ; amt even
in foiled to make the first atcp it its lcor^nnu*
ion?that, ?f ordering the :
mils or enumeration o! its inhabitants?
lil so late n day that the election of
members of the legislative assembly
not take place until the 30th of March,
r?5. nor its meeting until the 21 of Ju1865.
So that, for a year a(l?r (lie
rritory was ronstitutod by the act of
ngress and the officers to l>e appointed
the Federal Erocutiva had been comauonod,
it was v? rtiiout a complete ?<*inent,
without any legislative author!withotit
local law. ami of course withthe
ordinary guarantee* of peace and
iJ'o oyjet.
Iii other respect*, the Governor, instead
of exercising constant vigilance and put*
ting forth all his energies to prevent or
counteract the tendencies to illegality,
which arc prone to exi*t in all imperfectly-organized
iiticJ newly-associated communities,
allowed his attention to bo diverted
from official obligation by other
objects, and himself set an example of tho
violation of law in the performance of
acts which rendered it my duty, in the
sequel, to remove liiin from the office oj
chief exoculive magistrate of the Territory.
Iiefore the requisite preparation was
accomplished for election of a territorial
legislature, an election of delegate to Congress
had bceu held in the Territory on
the 29th day of November, 1854, and the
delegate look his seat in the House of i(eprescntalives
without challenge. If arrangu.ricuts
had bceu perfected by the
Governor so that tho election for members
of the legislative assembly might be held
in the several preeincts at tho same timo
as for delegate to Congress, any quostion
appertaining to the qualification of the
persons voting as people of tho Territory
would have passed necessarily and at onco
und.T the supervision of Congress, as the
judge of the validity of the'returu of the
delegate, ami would have been determined
befo'u conflicting passions had become inflamed
by time, and before opportunity
could have been aflforded for systematic
interference of the individual States.
This interference, in so far as concerns
its primary causes and its immediate
commencement, was one of the incidents
of that pernicious agitation on the subject
of the condition of the colored persona
held to service in some of the States whion
has so long disturbed the repose of our
country, and excited individuals, otherw ise
patriotic and law-abiding, to toil with
misdirected zeal in the attempt to props
gate their tonal theories by the pervertion
and abuse of the powers of Congress.
The porsons and the parties whom the
tenor of the act to organize the Territories
of Nebraska and Kansas thwarted in
i ho endeavor to impose, through tho
agency of Congress, their particular views
of social organization on the people of the
future r.uw Slates, now perceiving thai
the policy of leaving the inhabitants of
each Statu to judge for themselves in this
respect was ineradicahly rooted in the
convictions of the people of the Un-on,
then had recourse, in the pursuit of their
general object, to the extraordinary measure
of propagandist colonization of the
Territory of Kansas, to prevent tho free
and natural action-of its inhabitants in
its internal organization, and thus to an
ticipate or to force tho determination of
that question in this inchoate State.?
With such view s associations were organized
in some of the States and their purposes
were proclaimed through the press
in language extremely irritating and offensive
to those of whom the colonists woro
to become the neighbors. Those designs
and acts had the necessary consequence to
awaken emotions of intense indignation in
Stales near to the Territory of Kansas,and
especially in the adjoining State of
souri, whose domestic peace was that the
most directly endangered; but they are far
from justifying the illegal reprehensible
counter-movements which cmued.
Under these iuauspieiou) sireuinstanc es
the pri nary elections for members of the
legislative assembly were held in most, ff
; not all, of the precincts at the time and
the places, and by the persona designated
! i i-.. ? 1: ?
i niiu nj?j?viu%rvi L'? iucvviviuvi iKTurulU^
to law.
Angry accuentione thai illegal vote* had
been polled, abounded on all side*, and
imputation* were made both of fraud and
violence. But the Governor, in the exercise
of the power, and the discharge of
the duty conferred and imposed by law on
him alone, officially toceivod and considered
t.te returns; declared a large majority
t of the member* of the council and the
house of representative* " duly elected ;n
withheld certificate* from other* because
of alleged illegality of votes; appointed a
new election to supply the place of the
person* not certifies! ; and thua at length,
in alt the forir.t of statute, and with hi*
own official authentication,complete legal*
ily ?m gnren to the first legislative assembly
of tha Territory.
Those decisions of the returning officer*
and ofithe governor arc final, except that
by the parliamentary usage of the country
applied to the organic law, it may be cor*
ceded that each house of the ***crT*b'y
mutt have been competent to detcrmine.ia
e be '? 4 resort, the ind lb*