The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-07-21

Byafssotutiou d ths nee Stass ab69nss Lseis
latnfs ~ xsnsas = IL session b NafsA tas IL VI
dsssrminsd 70 ofsassenbls thas bodytu Tie 4th b
July, 1856 at Topeka, for The purpose of suaotind
laws Tor the Estate u Kansas" = A ihIs was "a
thing iea than an attempt 70 establish govsru
msnt over the territory 10 pscs Of the one created
by Csngresa. the authorities determinsd 10 prsvenl
meeting Of that body To that end, acting Gov
efnor woodson. MarshaI Donaldsou and Col Sun.
nef, with about eight companies Of the lat csval
~ Of the United Stasss, and U. s. Attorney Isaacis
were encamped near Topeks, ON the ID inst Thu
eofrsspondsnt ofshs Missouri Republican, givina
an account Of the AFFAIR, says:
"The Abolitionists were in convention here for !
day or two previous, and military companies with
drum and hfe, were parading The sstrssta Thia
military turn out was under the pretext Of csle'
oration Of the Fourth, and On this account it was
deemed inexpedient to interfere with them, mot
withstanding II was an organisation "outside Of
down TO the camp for the purpose Of Learning what
course would be taken in case the 'LegislatuRe,
should meet These persona did represant them
selves ~ authorized to represent their fsnds hui
there can be no doubt that they were. The objeci
of this committee also to lind out how far they
would be permitted to co. and whether the mem.
oers would be arrested, or Ii the military would
take them In hand
There was no disposition on the part Of officers
TO dsguiss or mince matters. and they were told
that Il was determined not to permit meeting OF
their "Leglslature" They wanted to know II
they would be permitted to meet call the roll, and
then adjourn to another day, with the view of
keepsng up their organization. The opinion Of the
officers was unanimous that they could not meet
fer any purpose whatever, and that to prevent
them from keeping up their organization was the
msin object of the authorities When the deputa
ton found they could make no terms of the kind.
they suggested 1t as their opinion that ii the Colo
mel and Acting Governor would send up procla
nation avowing their purpose, no attempt would
be made to organize. As this was . matter of
great public concern, and probably pregnant with
important results, proclamations were sent up
early the next morning, declaring in most en-
phatic terms the intention of the Government to
prevent an organization." 500
'"Fhe question of resistance was discussed, and
from the speeches made In the Convention, one
would have felt certain that collision would be
inevitable; but at the appointed time az M } Col
sumner, with his command, and Marshal Donald
son. went up to the State House. Two or three
companies Of armed abolitionists were formed in
front of the house, under the pretext of q banner
presentation, when there can be but little doubt
that, had the Marshal gone up to arrest them with
only . few men, then these companies could have
prevented him from doing so and the 'Legisla-
ture' could have met and adjourned over to anoth.
er day thereby perpetuating their organization =
This circumstance will account for the necessity
was formed upon the ground occupied by the abo.
tion troops, who left in double quick time. Col
Sumner then entered the State House, followed by
. large number of the members, crowd of citi-
zens abolition troops, ladies, &c, amidst shouts,
yells and confusion. sa
'sThe roll having been called, It became known
that majority Of tue Legislature answered to
their names; some Of them declined answering At
all This done, the Colonel told them, in man
ner that clearly meant that he would do what he
said, that they must disperse or be arrested; and
the Marshal in . like manner, told them the same.
Upon this information, they all left the hall Col
s. then requested those persons claiming to con-
stitute the Senate to meet him in their chamber,
which they did. all other persons but the Marshal
having been excluded; and when there told them
they would not be permitted to organize, to which
they seemed reluctantly to consent The Marshal
then told them that in the discharge Of his duties
he should require pledge of honor that thes
would not meet, organize, or attempt then, or at
any future time, lander their present organiza
"To this proposition they were not wen disposed
to assent and gave - reason that they could moi
pledge Themselves for absent members,' to which
the Marshal replied that . quorum Of the members
was present, according to their own statement
and that if each of them did not give pledge ol
them before they should leave the room. They
then consented but desired to organize informally
with the view of taking : vote of Adjournment
but the Marshal told them that they could not or
ganize formally or Informally; that that, with 9th
or things, was what he came there to prevent; oil
of which was eoncurred In by Col s. The Mar
shall then put the question Of adjournment on the
condition Aforesaid to the bogus members, and the
vote was unanimous in the affirmative. Thus ter
minated one of the most reasonable bodies thal
ever assembled In this or any other country
sl5sF tsfs .....s..4.... s