Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-07-31
Vory Interesting Letter from Kansas.
Doings OF tho Legislature.
Gov. Reedsr declares that tho Lcgisla'
ture no longer Exists.

ture no longer Exists.
MessRs. EplroRs You viii !, no doub
be ssionished ut the new light thrown
upon legislation, constitutional law, and
The mowers OF Congress, by the Legisla
ture CT Kansas, which adjourned from
this place yesterday, after session o
five days. Tho first bill introduced Of
ter the House was organized. was TO nd
ioum tho Legislature from this AGO tc
the Shawnee Mission, or Manual Labor
School, located about two miles from
Missouri, near Westport.
MI. Hu,chson, FREQ State member
made a speech ssain't il, arguing that
tho organic act authorized tho Governor
10 locate the first legislature, and de-
termine tho place Of holding its sessions
that they had no power to order the
Governor 10 move his Office and locate
il permanently at tho Indian school,
that the government had been at the ex'
pense Of fitting up a large two story
stone building, sixty feet long by thirty
wide, with suitable desks, &c.--and the
citizens had been at much expense in
preparing for their accumulation
and the officers at Ft. Riley had gen.
erously offered them whatever accommo'
da,ions they should lack in the town,
with a Garage at their service, free OF
expense, to take them to and from their
place of meeling-hc thought i, unwisc,
unncc essary, and contrary to the organic
act making it territory, &c. The
Speaker, Mr.. Strinsfcllow, said there
was no use in spending time TO discuss
this bill. They had determined mhat
course TO pursue two months ago. They
had told Gov. Reeder what 10 expect,
&c. The bill finally passed. The Go.
velnor vetoed it. 1t was than passed
by a ,wo.,hirds majority. A committee
was appointed to wait on the Governor
and tell him the result. lie replied,
that By that act Mey hal dissolue3 them.
selres, that he shouM not tolloac them
nor take further notice Of their pro-
ccedings. They no longer a legislature.
Early the first or second day of the
session, a resolution was introduced ap.
pointing a committee on contested elec'
lions, with instructions 10 examine per-
sons and papers. No seat was contest
ed. No person was sent for. But on
the second day after their appointment,
the committee reported that they had O
large bundle OF papers put into their
hands by the Governor. concerning
election frauds, &c., but they had not
opened them. They had also concluded
mot to examine the persons elected at the
Man election, and holding seats by
authority Of the Governors certificates,
as they had determined bejore tAcy came
here, how to dispose Of this matter.-
They would therefore recommend that
all persons elected at the first election
of March 3lst, in Kansas whethcr IN
the opinion of the Governor they wert
elected legally or illegally, should be en-
titled to their seats and that all those
elected at the second election should re.
tire. This report was adopted. And
the members holding free State priuci.
piles were cxpelled ,oiihom trial or er.
animation.
One of them (Mr. Jessee) said, as he
had not been heard before the committee
he would state TO the House that he was
clerk of the first election, held in the
third representative district. That carly
on the day Of election, before many Of
the settlers had come in, body oi
armed men from Missouri, numbering
about three hundred, came 10 the polls,
and took violent possession ofthe ballot.
box. They drove away the officers ap.
pointed by the Governor, and put in
some Of their own number. They then
proceeded to vote ia a pro.slavery dele.
CATION from the district. The people
repudiated it, and the Governor set tho
election aside as illegal, and ordered a
new one. The result was, that at the
next election the freo.soil ticket was
elected by an overpowerng ma jofity.-
And he had no doubt but that three.
fourths Of the voters in Kansas were for
making it free State.
MIR. Wattles said that his day OF
legislation was drawing to close, he
must express his admiration 10 the House
for the lrankness and openness which
had characterized all their proceedings.
He thanked the Chairman Of the Com.
millee on contested elections for his
frankness in disclosing to the House and
the North, this new and unheard Of
method Of dealing with persons holding
contested seat. He also thanked the
Speaker for his candor in stating that
discussion on these questions was Of no
use, as they were determined on by the
pro.slavery party two months ago, and
they had told Gov. Reeder SO. He also
thanked the House for expellins him
from it as a member. They had fairly
come out and made the issue. He was
ready to take it up as they had it down,
nntrammeled and unembarrassed by any
other question. Shall Kansas bs a free
State or slave State Let the SOW.
ereign squattcrs Of Kansas determine
this.
1t is to snch q place as this that they
want 10 go, where they can intiniJate
and overawe by violence, the legislation
Of the country.