Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-26
THINGS IN KANSAS.

Newspaper accounts may be relied on, it will
in all likelihood be yet many months, if not years,
before the young and enterprsing population Of
Kansas shall settle down. The feud which has
ragged 80 bitterly between the Abolitionists and
the Pro-slavery men still continues. Although
we hear of no acts of violence or scenes of blood
shed, we see nothing to induce the hope that the
sectional feud between the anti and pro-slavery
men has become less acrimonious. That the
determined men who started with the organiza-
ton of Kansas and resolved that it should be
moulded in accordance with the Constitution of
the United States and the Nebraska act, will
resolutey execute that purpose at all hazards and
To the last extremity, Is pretty well understood
The Legislature, now in session, seems to be
working industriously. II consists Of a House of
Representatives and Council The House
numbers twenty-six members, the Council thr-
teen. The Speaker of the House, Mr.. Stringfel-
low, Virgnan, but not the gentleman known
as General Stringfellow, is thus described by a
correspondent of the St. LOUIS Democrat:
"Mr. Stringfellow, of the Squaiter Sovereign, is
Speaker of the House. His physiognomy denotes
great energy and industry; his hair is slightly
tinged with grey; his complexion is fair but rather
sun burnt; his stature of the ordinary height; his
age apparently abou, thirty five or thirty
The great majority of the members are over thirty
years of age, and their faces plainly indicate that
they possess that characteristic which the north
ern press has recently christened backbone,
but which we prefer to call by its old name
earnestness. There are no Miss Nancy men
here"
If we may trust the various dispatches that
have appeared recently in the newspapers, the
feeling against Governor Reeder, though not SO
exasperated as il was, is yet quite profound as
ever. 1t is said, and we believe truly said
that the Legislature expelled all those mem
bers known Freesoilers It is furthermore
said that Governor Reeder vetoes all the bill.
passed by the Legislature so soon as they are sem
to him, and that his alleged for doing SO is
that he cannot and will not recognize the body as
the regular and lawfully constituted Legislature
of the Territory If this be true, it appears to us
that the Governor involves himself in a gross and
glazing inconsistency. He certainly sent in his
message to that body, by doing which he as GER
tainly recognized it lawfully constituted Lee
gislature. However, il would be neither fair MOI
sensible to make inculpatory comments until more
definite information shall have beeny received
Woodson, Secretary Of the Territory, is reported
to have said that he would assume the reins OF
government in case Governor Reeder refused to
recognize the Legislature.
The two most important acts of legislation in
contemplation are the following:
"lst. REQUIRING CITIZENS ENGRAVING FROM
MAssAcHUsETTs, or other northern States, which
have annulled may nullify the laws OF the
United States, ON ENTERING KANSAS, TO TAKE
AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO SUPPORT THE Con
sTITUTIos AND LAWS THE UNITED STATES
AND THE LAWS OF THIS TERRITORY.
sd Authorizing the collection of a poll taa
on all residents in the Territory"
II is said that when the first of these comes up
on its final passage, il will command unani.
nous vote.
If the second, requiring the payment Of pol
tar, be passed, as il no doubt will, Il is much "a
be feared that there will be much strife, if not
bloodshed, il. the Territory. The Frecsoilers be-
ing excluded from the Legislature, refuse to re-
cognize il as the Legislature Of Kansas, and will
of course, treat its acts utilities. They will
II is Presumabe, refuse TO pay the poll tax, and
then there win be open war between them and
the officers, and them and the pro-slavery party.
The following toast, offered at Fourth Of
July celebration by one of the leading anti
slavery men, may be taken as the exponent Of
the feelings of his party towards the Legislature
IL is as follows:
"THr KANSAS LEersLATuRE.-A body alien
TO our soil, elected by fraud: we are not respon-
sible for their acts, and ask no favors at their
hands,"
A correspondent Of the st. Louis Democrat
sAys:
"know-nothingism, ms a practical question,
does not exist in the Territory Of Kansas.
have spoken with politicians from different sec
tons Of the Territory, and they all agree in this
particular. There three well-deffned parties
in Kansas, which are daily becoming more and
more distinct: the Pro-slsvery, Abolitionist, and
Free State parties. The Abolitionists proper are
a very small band; but they are earnest, bold,
and influential. Dr. Robson and Mr.. String.
fellow are respectively at the head Of the Free
State and Pro-slavery parties"