Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-07-25
KANSAS.
The Dispersion of the Kansas Free-Stete Legisla'
ture How IL was done.
ron, he Chicago Democratic prcee


TOPEKA, X. T., July 5, 1856.
Yesterday was marked by one Of the most
outrageous occurrences that mark our nation
al annals Franklin Pierce not content with
all his previous infamy on Kansas affairs, con
summated it by a crowning act of outrage on
free institutions. Tho Federal troops rode
into town in battle array and dispersed the
Legislature,
A great Mass Convention had been called
to assemble at Topeka Owing to the polit
ical troubles and insecurity in the Territory
it was not so generally attended as had been
expected but there were about 900 persons
men and women, there.
Col Sumner had been collecting large
military force in the neighborhood of Topeka,
and as it was reported that he intended to
drive out the Legislature and disperse the
people assembled, with his troops, cOnsdera-
ble excitement prevailed. At 10 o'clock in
the forenoon Of yesterday, United States
Marshal Donaldson came into Topeka, ac-
companied by Judge Elmore. lie stated that
he had communication to make. The Pres
ident Of the Convention, Mr. Currier of
Lnavenworth, invited them both to the stand,
when Donaldson said he had a proclamation
to make, and got Judge Elmore to read first
copy of the Presidents last February proc
amation then Shannon's June proclamation,
which he read from a little piece of sclssoring
ron rawsnnnor and lastly the nroclamao
,ion bv tbo icting Governor of Kansas from
Acting Governor woodson and Col. Sumner.
Having read this to the Convention, the
Marshal asked if they had any message to
carry back to Col. Sumner. The President
of the Convention told him that this was not
the Legislature, but public Convention and
that they had no reply to make. The Mar
II WAS ncnrlv noon. ri. Convention was
stiil busilv at work. The hour for the meet.
inc or tho legislature annroached. and sever
al of tho ,nemhers of the Legislature had
ortered the hall Tho two military comnan-
ios of ronakn which had been on drill were
drawn mn in front of the Legislative hall To
raco;re a hammer from the Ladies A hand or
mns;c was stationed at the end of the line.
and r,ol,;,r tLo ,,Ioco oobo Nth martial
s,ra;ns whom nnwards of two hundred dra.
,,nor's ,,dorC ri sumner callonad nm and on.
ssor;r,, tbo c;t,, :, tb-ca srnadrons Win drawn
s,i,ro9 and ,nnrti,l orray dnshrd nm toward
.;.s. I,,;l1;,,' rlora A. ,t,.o ,,,,
'"c esle'''''o uu'iui,6' 'r NV WV .O'+
/ I'",eS "tie Gi""" ~. i"o W. wa" l':''-s
hoo'y kel! NelI 'uu"N anu '''o H'u'I'ltN'
were paying IN tnc nuya' Sty'e; as ''IG ui'i
So2"s ""S"e" upon "o sIi ~ 'o'.e "
CoI' sumner was Hcalu OIlInS' liIs' s,luSu
ron 'orln lhto NM anu a' tnt 'roolIS unuuL
'la' anu o'IeI "'uci7 IUi in'N i''o p'''!0 "a!
Hfuu"u inc n"'' a,'' "io"E '"o s'ieoV Ia'.nS
~ 'he crowns ID '"e street. an" '"oSe az tI'G
OohTehtlh' 81" d COUPE VI cannon IYs.ei
up the street on a rise apou. one hu'ulto
yaruS on, "nere 'Hey hau JUST oeen P'anVou'
WIN thelr muzlse Polhtlns oo"h tne s'lGeV'
the Gunners at thelr s,ati'hs' anu 'ho $40"
matches hghVeu ana burning an army eur
Seon also came win mem nls casS VI lus'Iu-
menus open anu leauy ioI use Iutee o'ne'
comPahies Oh ura9oons a' 'ne same :',le all
Pro'c"ei 'he Vo"n lion .ne I'"o' 'luo' auu
were VhIy conceH'eu Whhe 'ne iciVe 'ual
entered came up, pV tne sFiP oi tlhoer
aiong the Vdiley VI Vhe haus",
oolohel sumner was e'luen'ly lnucn asi,
ta'eu' 'ut STERN anu ms so'u'els all iooAou
as II they expected 'errloie uolnss. having
eo' Ms iorce u'Sl,oseu as ne "au'eu' Oo'ouet
sumner seeing 'ntre was no apPearauIe u
n's"' " leei'''"Co' cIslou'i'.t .'Jin
us "oIse' ne was u' ouoe nv '"'1 I'II
,,ard 'u,es ,hes uam rou roino ,u Tanr frnr1
,Lo ioHaa IL ;d 10. ho a;d un, ,,;,h tn
intarCara With tba;r assembling IN the Fourth
nr I,lr Thraa oLoors ,rora 10, ror CoIorai
Sumner Mr.. Redpath shouted, Three
cheers for Gov Robinson which were given
with will and some one else cried. urhree
obears-for ibnrtv" " rbich ,y,s alao boartilv
tI - - - .,,d .ILu r.
cnceIeu' vi "ullu'i eu'eieu 'He nan Va
the Legislature, ana the CROWD rushed IN
behind him and soon hlled 1t. The speaker
was absent, and Mr.. 5. f. Tappan first Clerk,
rose and allied order hy striking with thepayel
or tho dnsk II wes scarcelv 10 o'clocF and
II l -
Slo LesiS'a'u's "II i.o' !e. Co"' T ~ "ue''
and they offered him chair, which he pull
ed to one side, saying, "Do you want to make
speaker OF me uteat laughter ana SHOUTS
from the crowd'I MT lappah' IN a strong
sonorOus voice, proceeded to call the roll (;
as there was not quorum, he called the
Sergeant.at-Armst to bring in absentees. lie
again called the roll, and Mr.. pratt, ecord-
ing CLERK, then called 1t and marked aosen-
tees Only seventeen answered to the call al
though there were some thlrty-three, more
thana quorum,in or about the house sum
ner, who is doubtless better Versed in mill
tary than parliamentary tactics thus permit
ed the Legislature to be convened under his
nose, while donaldson, who had squeezed IN
to the crowded hall, looked on several
ladies were present
Colonel Sumner rose and SAID
Gys1Lrvyy. am calIed unon TODAY to perform
the most painful duty of nv whole life Under the
authority Of the Presidents proclamation, am here
to dsPeFsO this Legislature, and therefore inform
yoI 'nat you canhTt meet l. thereiore' oIter you
Nj. anJ yI I'S bnyc r,r nv pI nS
b"7d nv " present position in Kansas.
have Just returned from the borders, where |
have been sending home companies of Mi.sourians,
and now am ordered here to dispersc you Such
are my ofoeIs' ana you must ul'perse, ! repeat
'''' 'N'' 'N0 n''' uu'y VI my "Ho'0 nc
Judge Schuyler, who was in the hall asked
oc., s,n,a.- ,.a,.,...a,h,
10 .y I.V "e ,bn ,uI r ,bo , b
onet1p
Col sumner laid al shall use all the force in my
command to carry out my orders
The IagisIatrre vas Tins disnarsad and tho
Colonel left the hall and got on his horse but
dsmounted and returned proceeding up stairs
to the Senate Chamber, on learning that it
] was a distinct hOdv