Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/723

 the abolitionists and threatening the only free state judge of election. A majority of those who voted wore hemp in their button-holes, 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 Lalan 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 harm the feelings of the most sensitive on the other Bide. 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. Col. Burns recommended all to vote, and he hoped 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—because reflection convinced them that it would be better to have Kansas a free state—they "fell over the fence." The judge requested the voters to take an oath that they were actual residents. They objected at first, some saying they had 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 him a few sticks of wood, and that made him a claim.

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, and the day before and on the day of election, large bodies of Missourians from Platte, Clay, Ray, Charlton, Carrol, Clinton, and Saline counties, Missouri, came into the XVIth district and camped there. They were armed with pistols and bowie-knives, and sum with guns and rifles, and had badges of hemp in their button-holes and elsewhere about their persons.

On the morning of the election there were from 1,000 to 1,400 persons present on the ground. Previous to the election, the Missourians endeavored to persuade the free state judges to resign by making threats of personal violence to them, one of whom resigned on the morning of election, and the crowd chose another to fill his place. But one of the judges, the 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. The only votes refused were some Delaware Indians, some 30 Wyandot Indians being allowed to vote.

One of the free state candidates withdrew in consequence of the presence of the Missourians, amid cheering and acclamations by the Missourians. During the day, the steamboat New Lucy came down from Western Missouri, with a large number of Missourians on board, who voted and then returned on the boat.

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