The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-11-22
From the s.. Louis Intclli gencer, 18th.
Later from Il ansas.
Duel 6ettceen Col Lane and Lourie-Conp
ton inteJering-C Convention discussing the
Negro" question.

ton intettering-C oneent!on discussing the
Negro" question.
TOPEKA, X. T., Oct 80, 1855.
MEssRs. ED1roRs.-The good people of To-
peka, and the Free State Convention setting
here have been thrown into considerable ex-
element by a report that duel was on the Ia
piS, and that the parties implicated Were Col.
Lane, President of the Convention, and Mr.
Lowrie, private Secretary of Governor Reed
er. That challange really passed from
Lane, to his younger opponent, aud was &C
cepted, i. certain.
The Convention had been called in the
morning usual, x.olonel Lane presiding
and as resolut on OF Mr.. Roberts. calling on
the standing committees 50 TO frame their
work as to provide for immediate State organ
ization, and the election OF Safe and local of
ticers, the Convention Immediately resolved
itself into committee OF the whole. upon it;
Mr.. Emery Of Lawrence, in the chair. Col
Lane got the floor. and made speech some
two hours long, and while be was strong and
earnestly for Free SAFE. il betrayed some
peculiar features, sing reiteration and en-
dorsing of Squater Sovereignty and the
Kansas Nebraska act. This has been harp
ing string of 2 certain class of politicians here
ever since the Convention assembled, and IS
ocracy is evidently working for capital here.
After the speech, Colonel Lane left the Hall
Of the Convention. and scarcely had he done
so, when Major klotz Of Pswnee, rose and
offered resolution, which stated, that a duel
was on the taps. in which member of the
Convention was implicated, and would
come off within an hour, and calling on the
Convention 70 put stop to 1t. Considerable
excitement was manifested: a committee was
appointed. and the committee having gone at
ter the supposed bellgerents, Convention ad
journed, and delegates and audience hurried
after them. As report was introduced only
the day before, depriving any citizen Of the
territory of the right of holding office, who
shall have sent, accepted, or carried chal-
lenge, this action of the President Of the
Convention was rather startling.
1t was soon understood thai the duel was
postponed for the present. by the interference
OF the committee. The committee, we learn
ed, insisted that Lane should retract his chal-
lenge; and they also urged that Mr.. Lowrie
withdraw his acceptance. The latter gentle
man. we learned. consented 70 withdraw the
acceptance after his opponent had Withdrawn
his challenge, but not before. How far the
President 81 the Convention viii yield to the
suggestions OF the committee, remains TO be
seen. The pistols and coffee for two may
come off tomorrow or next day, or some 9TH
err day, may be postponed indefinitely; or,
in parliamentary language, Laid on the Ia
BILE"
There are many rumored causes of quar-
rel Some attr. butte il to a little scandal OF
private matters: Others hint that Lane and
Reeder are now the two great popular rivals
in political matters here. and Lowrie is
the private Secretary and particular friend of
Reeder. that it was not difficult for a quarrel
TO ensue; or at leas. that the state Of feeling
existing should render the parties in question
not quite choice in their language 10. or
about each other, as their pride demanded.
Whether the Convention will expel their
President or not remains TO be seen.
This afternoon the first discussion on the
'vexed question has transpired- Il arose
first on the Militia report. on motion 10 allow
Indians and Negroes 10 be enrolled: the first
proposed was amended so as to limit, and
adopted: but the latter was rejected by large
majority, after sharp discussion
The question again came up this evening,
on a report on elections and suffrage Black
laws were dsrkiy limited at and will doubt
less be sustained when the Convention gets to
that place The debates were too discursive
TO trace the precise position of each member
Positions of all kinds were taken, but il IS
clearly evident that nothing very fanatical
will emanate from that BODY. ARsUs.