majority of those who voted wore hemp in their button-holes, (3) and their password was, "All right on the hemp. Many of the Missourians were known and are named by the witnesses. Several speeches were made by them at the polls; and among those who spoke were Major Oliver, one of your committee, Col. Burns, and Laban Williams, of Platte county. Major Oliver urged upon all present to use no harsh words, and expressed the hope that nothing would be said or done to wound the feelings of the most sensitive on the other side. He gave some grounds, based on the Missouri compromise, in regard to the right of voting, and was understood to excuse the Missourians for voting. Your committee are satisfied that he did not vote. Colonel Burns recommended all to vote. They came to vote, and he hoped that none would go home without voting. Some of the pro-slavery residents were much dissatisfied at the interference with their rights by the Missourians, and for that reason, and because reflection convinced them that it would be better to have Kansas a free State, they that day "fell over the fence."(4)

The judges required the voters to take an oath that they were actual residents. They objected at first, some saying they had a claim, or held a claim, or owned a claim, or "I am here;" but the free-State judge insisted upon the oath, and his associates, who at first were disposed to waive it, coincided with him, and the voters all took it after some grumbling. One said he cut him some poles and laid them in the shape of a square, and that made him a claim; and another said that he had cut a few sticks of wood, and that made him a claim. The free-State men did not vote, although they believed their number. to be equal to the pro-slavery settlers, and some claimed that they had the majority. They were deterred by threats thrown out by the Missourians, before and on the day of election, from putting up candidates; and none were run, for the reason that there was a credited rumor prevailing that the Missourians would control the election. The freeState judge was threatened with expulsion from the polls, and a young man thrust a pistol into the window through which the votes were received. The whole number of votes cast was 417; of the names on the poll-book but 62 are on the census rolls, and the testimony shows that but a small portion, estimated by a witness at one-fourth of the legal voters, voted. Your committee estimate the number of legal votes at 80. One of the judges refused to certify to the governor that the election was fairly conducted. It was not contested because no one would take the responsibility of doing it, as it was not considered safe, and that if another election was had the residents would fare no better.

SIXTEENTH DISTRICT.

For some time previous to the election, meetings were held and arrangements made in Missouri to get up companies to come over to the Territory and vote;(1) and the day before and the day of elec

(3) E. R. Zimmerman, Joseph Potter.

(4) E. R. Zimmerman.

(1) H. Miles Moore, A. McAuley, L. Kerr.

tion large bodies of Missourians from Platte, Clay, Ray, Chariton, Carrol, Clinton, and Saline counties, Missouri, came into this district and camped there. (2) They were armed with pistols, bowie-knives, and some with guns and rifles, (3) and had badges of hemp in their button-holes and elsewhere about their persons. (4)

On the morning of the election there were from 1,000 to 1,400 persons present on the ground. (5)

Previous to the election Missourians endeavored to persuade the two free-State judges to resign by making threats of personal violence to them ;(6) one of whom resigned on the morning of the election, and the crowd chose another to fill his place. (7) But one of the judgesthe free-State judge-would take the oath prescribed by the governor, the other two deciding that they had no right to swear any one who offered to vote, but that all on the ground were entitled to vote. (8) The only votes refused were some Delaware Indians, some thirty Wyandott Indians being allowed to vote. (9) One of the free-State candidates withdrew in consequence of the presence of the Missourians, amid cheering and acclamation by the mob.(10) During the day the steamboat New Lucy came down from Weston, Missouri, with a large number of Missourians on board, who voted, and then returned on the boat. (11)

The Missourians gave as a reason for their coming over to vote, that the North had tried to force emigration into the Territory, and they wanted to counteract that movement. (12) Some of the candidates, and many of the Missourians, took the ground that, under the Kansas-Nebraska act, all who were on the ground on the day of election were entitled to vote; (13) and others, that laying out a town and taking a lot, or driving down stakes, even on another man's claim, gave them a right to vote; (14) and one of the members of the councils, R. R. Rees, declared in his testimony that he who should put a different construction upon the law must be either a knave or a fool. The free-State men generally did not vote at that election,(15) and no newly-arrived eastern emigrants were there. (16)

The free-State judge of election refused to sign the returns until the words "by lawful resident" voters were stricken out, which was done,

(2) David Brown, F. A. Hart, G. F. Warren, R. R. Rees, A. Russell, P. R. Orr, L. J. Eastin, A. Fisher, M. France, H. M. Moore.

(3) D. Brown, F. A. Hart, G. F. Warren, A. Fisher, H. M. Moore, W. G. Matthias.

(4) F. A. Hart, L. J. Eastin, M. France, W. H. Adams, H. M. Moore.

(5) F. A. Hart, T. A. Minard, G. F. Warren, R. R. Rees, A. J. Pattie, W. G. Matthias. (6) D. Brown, M. France.

(7) D. Brown, F. A. Hart, M. Francer

(8) M. France.

(9) M. France.

(10) F. A. Hart, L. J. Eastin, W. H. Adams.

(11) D. Brown, F. A. Hart, T. A. Minard, G. F. Warren, R. R. Rees, L. J. Eastin, A.

T. Kyle, D. J. Johnson, M. France, A. J. Pattie, H. M. Moore.

(12) R. R. Rees, L. J. Eastin, W. H. Adams, H. M. Moore.

(13) D. Brown, T. C. Minard, E. F. Warren, R. R. Rees, H. M. Moore.

(14) D. Brown, F. A. Hart.

(15) D. Brown, T. G. Minard, G. F. Warren, F. A. Hart, M. France, H. M. Moore. (16) L. J. Eastin, M. France, W. H. Adams.

and the returns made in that way. (17) The election was contested, and a new election ordered by the governor for the 22d of May.

The testimony is divided as to the relative strength of parties in the district. The whole number of voters in the district according to the census returns was 385, and according to a very carefully-prepared list of voters, prepared by the pro-slavery candidates and other proslavery men a few days previous to the election, there were 305 voters in the district, including those who had claims but did not live on them.(18) The whole number of votes cast was 964; of those named on the census 106 voted. Your committee, upon careful examination, are satisfied that not over 150 legal votes were cast, leaving 814 illegal votes.

SEVENTEENTH DISTRICT.

The election in this district seems to have been fairly conducted, and not contested at all. In this district the pro-slavery party had the majority.

EIGHTEENTH DISTRICT.

Previous to the election Gen. David R. Atchison, of Platte City, Missouri, got up a company of Missourians, and passing through Weston, Missouri, (1) went over into the Territory. He remained all night at the house of Arnett Grooms, and there exhibited his arms, of which he had an abundance. He proceeded to the Nemaha or 18th district. (2) On his way he and his party attended a nominating convention in the 14th district, and proposed and caused to be nominated a set of candidates in opposition to the wishes of the pro-slavery residents of the district. (3) At that convention he said that there were 1,100 coming over from Platte county, and if that wasn't enough they could bring 5,000 more; that they came to vote and would vote, or kill every G-d d-d abolitionist in the Territory. (4)

On the day of election the Missourians under Atchison, who were encamped there, came up to the polls in the 18th district and voted, taking the oath that they were residents of the district. The Missou rians were all armed with pistols and bowie-knives, and said there were sixty in their company.(5) But seventeen of the votes given there were given by citizens of the district. (6) The whole number of votes was sixty-two. R. L. Kirk, one of the candidates, came into the district from Missouri about a week before the election and boarded there. (7) He left after the election, and was not at the time a legal resident of the district in which he was elected. No protest was sent

(17) L. J. Eastin, M. France, W. H. Adams.

(18) L. J. Eastin, A. McAuley.

(1) H. Miles Moore.

(2) Dr. G. A. Cutler, Arnet Grooms.

(3) Dr. G. A. Cutler.

(4) Dr. G A. Cutler.

(5) D. H. Baker, John Belew.

(6) D. H. Baker, John Belew. (7) John Belew.

to the governor on account of threats made against any who should dare to contest the election. (8)

The following tables embody the result of the examination of your committee in regard to this election. In some of the districts it was impossible to ascertain the precise number of legal votes cast, and especially in the 14th, 15th, and 16th districts. In such cases the number of legal and illegal votes cast is stated after a careful re-examination of all the testimony and records concerning the election.

No. 1.

Abstract of census and returns of election of March 30, 1855, by election districts.

(8) Dr. G. A. Cutler.