A resolution of the Senate of the 4th instant, calling for copies of certain papers relating to the Territory of Kansas.

FEBRUARY 18, 1856.-Read, referred to the Committee on Territories and ordered to be printed.

To the Senate of the United States:

In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 4th instant, requesting transcripts of certain papers relative to the affairs of the Territory of Kansas, I transmit a report from the Secretary of State and the documents which accompanied it.

WASHINGTON, February 18, 1856.

FRANKLIN PIERCE.

DEPATMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 18, 1856.

The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of the Senate of the 4th instant, requesting the President "to furnish the Senate copies of the laws and journals of the legislative assembly of the Territory of Kansas, and also copies of the executive proceedings and correspondence of the governor or governors of said Territory, or of any person acting as such; and that he also communicate to the Senate such information as he has in relation to the present number of inhabitants in said Territory," has the honor to lay before the President the papers mentioned in the subjoined list, which contain a copy of two letters from J. H. Lane and C. Robinson, and also a letter of the Secretary of War addressed to Colonels Sumner and Cooke, and a letter of this department to Governor Shannon, all relating to the same matter but not called for by the resolution. No journals of the proceedings of the legislative assembly have been received at this department, and the printed copy of the laws of the Territory was not received in the ordinary course, from the secretary of the Territory,

but was furnished by the public printer, now in this city, whose certificate accompanies the volume.

These papers embrace all the information upon the subject now in this department.

To the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

W. L. MARCY.

List of papers accompanying the report of the Secretary of State to the President of the 18th of February, 1856.

Mr. Woodson to the President, with a copy of the executive minutes of the Territory of Kansas.

Mr. Marcy to Governor Reeder, June 12, 1855.
Governor Reeder to Mr. Marcy, June 26, 1855.
Same to same, June 26, 1855.

Mr. Hunter to Governor Reeder, July 28, 1855.
Governor Reeder to Mr. Marcy, August 15, 1855.

Governor Shannon to the President, December 1, 1855.

The President to Governor Shannon, December 3, 1855.

Governor Shannon to the President, with accompaniments, November

28, 1855.

Same to same, December 11, 1855.

J. H. Lane and C. Robinson to the President, January 21, 1856.

Same to same, January 23, 1856.

The Secretary of War to Colonels Sumner and Cooke, February 15, 1856.

Mr. Marcy to Governor Shannon, February 16, 1856.

Mr. Calhoun to Mr. Marcy, February 16, 1856.

Laws of the Territory of Kansas.

Mr. Woodson to the President.

SHAWNEE MISSION, KANSAS TERRITORY,

Office of the Secretary, January 1, 1855.

SIR: I herewith transmit to you a copy of executive minutes for this Territory, from the organization of the territorial government to the last of December, 1854, in pursuance of the provisions of the act of Congress, approved May 30, 1854, "organizing the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska."

Very respectfully,

His Excellency FRANKLIN PIERCE,

DAN'L WOODSON, Secretary of Kansas Territory.

President of the United States.

EXECUTIVE MINUTES OF THE TERRITORY OF KANSAS.

June 29, 1854.-Commission to Andrew H. Reeder, of Easton, in the State of Pennsylvania, as governor of the Territory, issued by the President of the United States.

I, Andrew H. Reeder, governor of the Territory of Kansas, do solemnly swear upon the Holy Evangelists, that, as governor of the Territory of Kansas aforesaid, I will support the Constitution of the United States, and will faithfully discharge the duties of the said office. A. H. REEDER.

I, Peter V. Daniel, one of the associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, do hereby certify that the preceding oath was taken and subscribed in due form of law by the said deponent, A. H. Reeder, before me, at the city of Washington, on the seventh day of July, 1854.

JULY 7, 1854.

PETER V. DANIEL.

June 29, 1854.-Commission to Daniel Woodson, of Lynchburg, in the State of Virginia, as secretary of the Territory, issued by the President of the United States.

I, Daniel Woodson, having been appointed secretary of the Territory of Kansas, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and well and truly discharge the duties of said office to the best of my knowledge and ability.

DAN'L WOODSON.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, the twenty-eighth day of September, A. D. 1854, at the city of Washington, D. Č.

PETER V. DANIEL,

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

June 29, 1854.-Commission to Madison Brown, of the State of Maryland, as chief justice of the Territory, issued by the President of the United States.

June 29, 1854.-Commission to Rush Elmore, of the State of Alabama, as associate justice of the supreme court of the Territory, issued by the President of the United States.

I, Rush Elmore, one of the associate justices of the supreme court of the territory of Kansas, do swear upon the Holy Evangelists that, as one of the associate justices of the supreme court of the Territory of Kansas aforesaid, I will support the Constitution of the United States, and will faithfully discharge the duties of the said office. RUSH ELMORE.

I, A. H. Reeder, governor of the Territory of Kansas, do hereby certify that the preceding oath was taken and subscribed, in due form of law, by the said Rush Elmore, before me at Fort Leavenworth, in the Territory of Kansas, on the fifteenth day of October, A. D. 1854. A. H. REEDER.

June 29, 1854.-Commission issued to Sanders W. Johnston, of the State of Ohio, as associate justice of the supreme court of the Territory.

RECORD OF OATH.

[This blank in the original is left to record the oath of Judge Johnston, not yet filed, but who was sworn in July or August, 1854, before the governor.]

June 29, 1854.-Commission to Andrew Jackson Isacks, of the State of Louisiana, as United States attorney for the district of Kansas, issued by the President of the United States.

I, Andrew J. Isacks, United States attorney for the district of Kansas, do solemnly swear, upon the Holy Evangelists, that, as United States attorney for the district of Kansas aforesaid, I will support the Constitution of the United States, and will faithfully discharge the duties of said office.

A. J. ISACKS.

I, A. H. Reeder, governor of the Territory of Kansas, do hereby certify that the preceding oath was taken and subscribed, in due form of law, by the said deponent, A. J. Isacks, before me at the Territory aforesaid, on the twenty-ninth day of November, 1854.

A. H. REEDER.

June 29, 1854.-Commission to Israel B. Donalson, of the State of Illinois, as marshal for the Territory, issued by the President of the United States.

Personally appeared before me, Rush Elmore, associate justice in and for the said Territory of Kansas, Israel B. Donalson, marshal in and for the said Territory of Kansas aforesaid, who on oath says that he will support the Constitution of the United States, and faithfully discharge the duties of marshal of said Territory of Kansas aforesaid. So help him God.

ISRAEL B. DONALSON.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, this, the 10th day of November, A. D. 1854.

RUSH ELMORE, Associate Justice, Kansas Territory.

September 20, 1854.-Charles Augustus Williams appointed executive clerk, and entered upon the duties of the office.

Charles Augustus Williams, executive clerk of the Territory of Kansas, being duly sworn, according to law, this ninth day of October, A. D. 1854, deposes and says that he will support the Constitution of the United States and faithfully perform the duties of his said office. CHAS. AUG. WILLIAMS.

Sworn to and subscribed before me, governor of said Territory, October 9, 1854.

A. H. REEDER.

October 7, 1854.-The governor came into the Territory and established the executive office temporarily at Fort Leavenworth.

October 10, 1854.-On complaint of James C. Brown that an assault and battery, with intent to murder Fleming Thompson and William N. Borden, had been committed by Wesley S. Davidson, John A. Davidson, and Samuel Burgess, and that the lives of the said Thompson and Borden were despaired of, the governor, as the conservator of the peace of the Territory, and in the absence of the judges, issued an executive warrant, specially directed, in the absence of the marshal, to Malcolm Clark, for the arrest of the offenders.

October 11, 1854.-Samuel Burgess and Wesley S. Davidson were brought in custody of the special marshal, Clark, and same day recommitted to his custody for further hearing.

October 13, 1854.-On hearing before the governor, it was determined that the prisoners should be admitted to bail; and the same