Until he could accomplish this, nothing was done toward the pacification of the Territory.

To induce them to do this, he pledged to the Free State men a fair election.

But he found that he was speaking to ears that could not hear.

He had said in his inaugural address with all apparent fairness: I can not doubt that the Convention, after having framed a State constitution, will submit it for ratification or rejection by a majority of the actual _bona fide_ resident settlers of Kansas.
With these views well known to the President and Cabinet, and approved by them, I accepted the appointment of Governor of Kansas; my instructions from the President, through the Secretary of State, under date of the 30th of March last, sustain the regular Legislature of the Territory in assembling a convention to form a constitution, and they express the opinion of the President that when such a constitution shall be submitted to the people of the Territory, they must be protected in their right of voting for or against that instrument; and the fair expression of the popular will must not be interrupted by fraud or violence.
This seemed very fair, but what did it amount to?
The people knew that the Governor must consent to be a mere cat's paw and convenience of these conspirators, or else be unceremoniously thrust aside; and that the authorities at Washington would sustain them and not him.

This had been the fate of Reeder, of Shannon and of Geary, and this also would be the fate of the present Governor.