The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-01-13
Correspondence.
Letter from 8. n. Wood, ESQ.

this W10Ie controversy. IL appears 10
me that, after the late election, all friends
of the freedom of Kansas should have
passicefy agreed to let by-gones be by
cones, and throwing aside minor differ
ences and personal chickering's, united as
one man to sustain the freedom of Kan
sas; and far be it from my purpose. at
this late day, TO attack the motives OF any
man or set of men but when l, as well
as others who saw proper to sustain Judge
Wakefield for Delegate to Congress. are
spokenofas turn-coats in anti-slavery, "
and the Judges character, not only as
friend of the freedom of Kansas, but as
a citizen, is attacked, it became ques-
ton, not simply between Charles Stearns
and DR.. Robinson, but a question in
which all the supporters of Judge Wake
field are particularly interested, and it be-
comes my privilege, if not duty, to put
myself, at least, right upon the record.
OF Judge Flenniken | have but a few
words to say. From personal acquaint-
ance learn that at home he is a rabid
pro-slavery man, taking the extreme hun
ker side of the slavery question; that in
Washington, last winter, he was friend
and supporter of Douglass Nebraska bill !;
that he solicited the appointment as judge
in Kansas from the Pierce administration.
This fact of itself would prove Mr.. Flen-
niken friend of the bill, as no other
would ever have thought of applying to
General Pierce for office under it. Mr..
Flenniken came to Kansas just before our
late election, was placed before the peo-
pie as a candidate for Delegate to Con-
gress by self-constituted committee at
Leavenworth, who say in their circular
that " some persons In the Territory, WE
REGRET TO SAY, are making an effort to
introduce into this election the question
of FREE and SLAVE labor" Oh, horror
Again say they: " We cannot see the
necessity or propriety of agitating this
question at this time.'' Again say they /:
:" A Delegate in Congress viii have no
duties to perform connected with it in
any way" DC. Again say they: Mr..
F. does NOT run as candidate upon this
issue, and WE do not place him before the
people on that ground" Again say they:
"We may add, that the best evidence of
our sincerity is, that we ourselves are di-
yided in opinion upon the question-some
of us being anti-slavery men, and some
pro-slavery men whilst we are, never
theless, united in the support of Mr..
Flenniken.''
Such were the statements of those who
put Mr.. F. in the field--such the position
of Judge Flenniken. As anti-slayery
men, need we have went further? But
I will not Judge; persons honestly anti
slavery at heart may still have had good
reasons for supporting Judge Flenniken /;
and wishing to exercise all the leniency
possible with him, will visit Lawrence,
and hear him define his own position.
The Judge, Just before the election, made
quite lengthy speech at Lawrence in
favor of improvements of various kinds ;
and when called out upon the Douglas
bill, declared himself in favor of it, but
said he would have preferred letting the
Missouri compromise alone. But, said
he, Congress has no more right to legis-
late upon the subject of slavery than up
on that of religion" n"-thus avowing the
ultra Cass, Douglas, and Pierce doctrine.
Mr.. F. went on and declared " that, as a
Delegate, he would have nothing to do
with the subject and being asked if he
would go for restoring the compromise,
said he had "never thought upon that
subject" DR.. Robinson also declared,
at that meeting, that ga Delegate to Con-
gress had nothing to do with the ques-
tion," and thatwe should ego for the
man who would do the most otherwise
for the Territory" "-pecuniarily, of course.
Upon these declarations of Flenniken
and his friends, /, as an anti-slavery man,
could not, nor did not, support him, and
have, as yet, seen no cause to regret my
action. Those who saw different are re-
sponsible for their own acts. | can only
express the hope that they will do better
in future.
As to Judge Wakefield, I had been his
neighbor since early in July last had
heard him, before knowing my senti-
ments, express himself funcompromisingly
lopposed to slavery in Kansas. His views
and sympathies were with the Republican
party of the North. Judge Wakefield
had been citizen of Illinois; was in the
battle between slavery and freedom il
that State, and upon the anti-slavery issue
took his seat in the Illinois Legislature
and upon the same issue was reelected
had held various other offices of trust ol
honor in Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota
was lawyer of note, and had, early il
the season, with his family, made Kansa.
his home. The first pioneer party from
Massachusetts, received much encourage
ment from Judge w. They found hin
true upon the slavery question. 1t wa
some of-them, believe, who first named
the Judge as Delegate for Congress.
| In a speech made in Lawrence as earl,
as October last, at which DR.. Robinson
was present, Judge w. declared that tn
question now was not "Whig or Demo
crat, or any of the old party issues, bu
slavery or anti-slavery. Upon the anti
slavery side, said the Judge, '' / am full,
committed" Time passed on. Variou
lpro-slavery candidates came into the field
and retired again, Judge Wakefield stil
being regarded as the anti-slayery eandi
date, until less than two weeks before th
ELECTION. / was consulted by DIR. Rob
Iinson in reference to conducting the cam
paign for Wakefield, the Doctor remark
ing that s'it was no use at this late dat
to think of any other candidate . AM
no longer than one day before Flenni
ken's visit to this place-nine days be
fore the election-Dr. Robinson agai
said that Wakefield was the man-objeci
ing to him upon some minor points, bu
admitting that he was right upon th
slavery question. At this time Wake
:. q, n 4. IL.