This gave a majority to the Free State party in the Lecompton Territorial Legislature, and thus Gov.

Walker redeemed his pledge that the people should have a fair election.
Judge Cato felt that it was time to come to the rescue of his friends, and issued a writ directed to "Robert J.Walker, Governor of Kansas Territory, and Frederick P.Stanton, secretary of the same," commanding these gentlemen to issue certificates of election to the men who appeared to be elected according to the original returns.

Gov.
Walker good-naturedly refused to obey the order of the court, offering to submit to arrest for contempt of court, and tendering the judge _a.
posse_ of United States troops to aid in making the arrest.

The judge began to see that he had been making a fool of himself, and dropped the subject.

These Territorial judges had shown themselves capable of any excess of villainy, and had been a sure refuge in every time of trouble to this Lecompton party; but even the courts had now failed them, and these "border ruffian" judges were only laughed at by this Southern Governor.