The Kansas Herald Of Freedom

The late election proves what has so often been affirmed in the Herald of Freedom, to wit: that there is no pro-slavery party in Kansas Territory, and never has been. The pro-slavery party, lived in Missouri, and came to Kansas to vote. They came with their leaders, and voted into office whom they pleased, and then returned to Missouri, leaving the United States to defend the officers so elected from the vengeance of an outraged populace. We know the facts and re-assert them. No bogus officer dare attempt to enforce the so-called laws of Kansas Territory without being supported by United States troops. The people had no hand in making them, and they will not execute them. Gov. Walker sees this, and he knows it to be the vital element of squatter sovereignty; consequently, when he is called on for troops to aid officers in enforcing laws, his reply is, "If the people made the laws, they must enforce them themselves. If they did not make them, they ought not to be enforced."

That they did not, everybody in Kansas knows. One fact will illustrate many of a similar character. At the first election, called by Gov. Reeder, in March, 1855, Gen. A. M. Coffey was a citizen of Missouri, and lived in Pettis county; Jas. Fox lived in Kansas, on Sugar Creek. These two men were candidates for the Council—Coffey, pro-slavery, Fox, Free State. Coffey came in with his Missouri voters, and was elected; while Fox received a majority of the actual settlers' votes. In consequence of this, Gen. Coffey has had a seat for two years in the Legislature of Kansas; and although a gentleman of unexceptionable manners, moderate in his views, and has formerly filled offices of trust with honor to himself, and satisfaction to the government, yet this usurpation is none the less reprehensible. It is rather worse, from the fact that better things were expected from him. But now the bubble is burst. The fraud is apparent. The dust and noise of conflict has subsided, and this famous Pro-Slavery party, which has been trying for three years to rule and ruin Kansas, has exploded. With all the aid of the sympathizing National Democracy, they have polled, in a voting population of 32,000, about 1,500 votes.

The explanation is simple: The President took up the leading Border Ruffians, and appointed them to lucrative offices. This supplies them with funds, and gratifies their ambition. The Missouri border counties, which supplied the men and means for carrying out the schemes of the leading demagogues, are exhausted, and are now suffering as badly as Kansas, for provisions and the necessaries of life.

The sensible men of Missouri, who never joined the run on Kansas, have again the control of matters, and Kansas is left to take care of her own affairs.