Report of the Special Committee Appointed to Investigate the Troubles in Kansas

KANSAS AFFAIRS.

many of the settlers, and was here at the election on the 30th of March, 1855; I saw several Missourians here on that day, and think I know the inducements which brought them here. For about a month or six weeks previous to the election a general rumor prevailed among the free State men in this place that a large number of eastern emigrants would be at the election-this before we knew when the election would be, and before the proclamation was published. It was rumored that it was known in the east that the election would take place here before we knew it ourselves; and that there would be a sufficient number of emigrants here to elect the free State ticket. It was also rumored, and believed by the people here and by the people in Platte county, Missouri, that this was the work of regular organized societies in the eastern and northern States. Owing to those rumors, as they said, they came over at that election, or about that time. I never heard any threat that they intended to take control of polls, or to take the election out of the hands of the bona fide residents. They said that they came over here to offset the votes that might be shipped up here by the Emigrant Aid Society. The first notice that ever I saw giving the time of the election was in the Boston Atlas. I stated that it would be on the 22d of March. We received the notice, and gave it to the public through the Kansas Weekly Herald about two weeks previous to the election. I think we had some three or four hundred majority in this election district if no Missourians had voted. I think the election was conducted orderly. I saw no badges except one or two hemp badges on the hat; one of whom was a Wyandott, and one was a white man. I was here when Felix G. Braden declined being a candidate of the "free State party.' He said he was in favor of making this a free white State, but that he had made the canvass of this district and was thoroughly convinced that it would be utter folly for him to run; that the proslavery party had a large majority in the district. He said he would prefer seeing it a "free white State," but that he did not want to see it an abolition or a free soil State, that he was neither himself. He said by running, it would cause fathers and sons to have hard feelings, and cause contention, and for that reason he would not run. H. Miles Moore, whose name is said to be on the poll book, and who was said to be a Missourian, voting here, was in the Territory at the time of the election and before; he was a shareholder here in this town, said this was his home, was here at our nominating convention, made a speech, and sought a nomination as candidate for a legislative office, but was not nominated. I heard no one dispute the legality of his citizenship. I looked upon him in the same way that I looked upon many others who had property, and lived here most of the time. “He had no family or property that I know of in Missouri. He staid at Weston a portion of the time; said he intended to move here and stay here all the time as soon as he could get an office here.

To Mr. Sherman :

Mr. Braden withdrew the day before the election at about eleven o'clock. He made a short speech at the Kansas house; he said h did not want to run as a candidate, and wanted his name off. There

were a good many people in the town at that time, say 250; there was public speaking by the candidates in the town that day. It was rumored that there would be several hundred emigrants at our polls on the 30th of March, and this induced the Missourians to come over. The eastern emigrants did not arrive that day. I cannot explain why the Missourians voted, and I do not know how many did vote. I know, as a matter of fact, that a great many of those eastern emigrants came up in a few days. They told they were eastern men, and were generally Massachusetts emigrant aid men. They returned a few days afterwards, and told me that they came here just to vote, and did not intend to settle. They did return. I was one of the proprietors of the "Kansas Weekly Herald" at that time, and am now. I was here at the time Phillips was taken across the river in May. I decline to say what occurred there on the ground that it may impli

oate me.

WILLIAM H. ADAMS.

LEAVENWORTH CITY, K. T., May 31, 1856.

To Mr. Sherman:

A. MACAULEY called and sworn.

I came into the Territory on the 23d day of November, 1854, from Iowa. I know Frank Marshall, member of the legislature from Marysville, as I understood. I am acquainted with a man known as Judge Almond, living in Platte City, Missouri. I never was in Missouri to induce people to come here to vote, unless they had a right to. A number of persons had claims in this immediate vicinity, and were temporarily absent in Missouri. Shortly before the census was taken ordered by Governor Reeder, I notified persons who I thought ought to have been taken in that census that I thought they had better be on their claims, so as not to be overlooked by the assessors. This notice was without regard to party. I was in Missouri at another time, before the election of the 30th of March, and at Platte City during the sitting of the circuit court. On that occasion there was a meeting of citizens, and several speeches were delivered; among the rest, I was called, and gave them the best turn I could.

The object and purpose of that meeting was to discuss the affairs of Kansas. The subject discussed in that meeting bore upon the subject of the coming election and the affairs of Kansas generally. I did make a list of what I considered to be legal voters in this district, and took a good deal of pains with it, prior to the election of the 30th of March. I included in this list none but those that I considered settlers on the soil. It was for the purpose of giving information to the pro-slavery party and to satisfy my mind. I now have in my possession, and in my hands, the list of voters made by me.

Question. Please either furnish a copy of that list or allow one of our clerks to copy it.

[The witness desires time to determine whether he will allow it to be copied.]

Witness resumes: The number of names on the list is 305. I estimated 112 to be free State men and 192 to be pro-slavery men. I gave general information of these facts to my party and friends, and I called in others to assist me, and, among others, Mr. Payne, one of the candidates. I have made on the list my own private marks, to designate the two parties. In this list there are a great many who are doubtful, and all those I have put on the free State side.

By Mr. King:

At the meeting of Platte City subjects were discussed of the affairs of Kansas and opposition to the Emigrant Aid Society. It was generally the belief, as expressed in the speeches, that the Emigrant Aid Society was importing paupers into Kansas to control elections in an unjustifiable and extraordinary manner, and to make Kansas a free State. The majority of the speakers, and I think myself among others, took the ground that the object of the Aid Society was to make a thrust at the institutions of Missouri. This was the pro-slavery sentiment of the people at the meeting. They expressed themselves that, if Kansas was made a free State, it would be through these societies, and, if they succeeded, they might as well give up every nigger they had in the State.

This list I have was the best one I could make. It was taken about the time the census was taken, and about the time I notified the settlers that they had better be on their claims. After this list was made, and before the election of the 30th of March, a great many additional settlers moved into the district, and how many I have no means of knowing.

I was present in this place on the 30th of March. That election was a good deal like other elections. I am satisfied that no person was prevented from voting. I was satisfied of the strength of parties before the election as well as afterwards, and think that the proslavery party increased considerably before that election, and after my list was made. I do not believe there has ever been a time when the pro-slavery majority has been less than one hundred in the district. At the polls on the day of election the ropes spoken of by the witnesses were drawn to give men an opportunity to vote at the polls in two diverging lines, so as to afford an easy access for voters. Men were appointed to see that voters should be admitted, and to keep order.

[The witness here states that he will furnish a copy of the list. The marks designating the political opinions of men will be explained in the copy.]

At the meeting at Platte City it was a cause of complaint that Reeder was delaying the elections to give the eastern emigration time to arrive, and I think it was also charged at that meeting that Greeley, of the New York Tribune, knew when the election would come off before we here in the west did, and this had a tendency to produce excitement among the people.

LEAVENWORTH CITY, K. T., May 30, 1856.

A. MACAULEY.

List of Voters in the Sixteenth District, by A. Macauley.