Report of the special committee appointed to investigate the troubles in Kansas,: with the views of the minority of said committee.

KANSAS AFFAIRS.
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 same cl..imed 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
revailing that the Missourians would control the election. The freetate judge was threatened with expulsion from the polls, and a young
mnan 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.
SIXTEENTHi Dirsmrcr.
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, L McAuley, L. Kerr.
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