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

KANSAS AFFAIRS.
stood, and Mr. Fee, Mr. Harding, and Captain Whitehead, candidates,
were there. That was two days before the election of March 30, 1855.
Captain Whitehead, Mr. Harding, and Mr. Fee addressed the meeting.
Captain Whitehead said he was a pro-slavery man; the others ap peared to me not to express themselves very decided free State mend
but the drift of their argument was in favor of a free State. There
were not more than 12 or 15 voters, I think, at that meeting. I con-.
versed with quite a number of them. I also made a little speech
there myself, in which I tried to persuade the people that they ought
to vote the pro-slavery ticket.
William P. Richardson, now member of the council of this Territory, resided at that time in the Territory of Kansas, about 61 miles
from St. Josephl's, by the usually travelled road, and about 4 miles in
the most direct way. Major Richardson lived in my house until the
fall of 1854, September or October. He managed the farm, and at
the time he left my farm and house turned it over to me, and I have
had the whole matter to myself, and he has had nothing to do with it.
He has never lived in my house or on my farm since, only occasionally
visiting us. At the time he left my farm he said he was going to reside in Kansas Territory. I have been frequently at his house in
Kansas since that time. He has a farm in the Territory of Kansas
which he cultivates. Prior to and at the time of the election of
March 30, 1855, Major Richardson had between 200 and 300 head of
cattle in the Territory, and also some slaves, some two or three, sometimes more. He also had horses and mules, and a circular saw mill.
He had also some hogs, I think. As to the amount of land he had
under cultivation at that time, I cannot say, nor how much he had
enclosed by fences. Major Richardson was an actual resident of Kansas Territory at the time of that election. Sometime during the day
of election, perhaps about noon, there was a fight. I got to the place
of election prior to the opening of the polls. I heard of no quarrelling or disturbance before the polls were opened, or any threats by persons of any party. I was present when one of the candidates, I think
Mr. Fee, got up and stated that the free State ticket was withdrawn.
I heard a speech, all of it, delivered by Major Richardson on that occasion. I cannot state the words, but I can state what I recollect of
the substance and drift of what he said. He said that he was a very
strong pro-slavery man, and yet he believed that the honest free State
men would vote for him. He said he would get up at any time in the
night to defeat the free State principles, and if elected he would oppose their free soil principles in every way in his power, but in any
other respect he would represent them impartially. I think that is
about the substance of all he said upon that subject. I think the
polls were closed when I left that evening. I got over the river before
dark, and I think a little after sundown. I went over on a steamboat.
I do not know how prominent and leading I was in the councils of
the pro-slavery party on the ground that day. I was in consultation
with those I considered the leaders of the pro-slavery party at that
time. There was no fighting committee appointed and left there for
the day, so far as I know. I think if there had been anything of the
kind I should have known it, though there might have been such a
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