Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-09-19
A LEGISLATURE DAGuERREOTYpED.

A LEGISLATURE DAGUERREOTYPED
DIR. Gihon's History of Gov. Geary's Administra-
ton In Kansas has the following graphic portrait
ure OF the last Territorial Legislature Of Kansas
CHOSEN during the reign Of terror there tie first
Monday in October last, at an election which the
Free State party did not recognize, and in which
rev but the ro-Savery men of Kansas, with some
help from Missouri participated. This Legislat-
ure was claimed to be a improvement on its prede.
cessor elected by the Missourians on the 30th OF
Nlarch, 1888, and did actually, at the instance of
certain Democratic leaders at Washington, repeal
TWO or three of the worst sections of the most tyr
annicai acts passed by the latter, intended to de-
! prlVe the Free-State men of all political rights
whatever. DR.. Gihon, as private Secretary of Gov.
Geary, was in daily communion with this second
Legislature, of which he gives the following 0es-
eription, amply confirmed by facts detailed in sub.
sequent chapters of his book
1.-The Legislative Assembly met an Lecompton
on the 18th of January, and organized by appoint
ing the Rev. Thomas johnson of Shawnee Mission
president Of the Council and W. c. Matthias of
Leavenworth City, Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives.
One Of the first proceedings of this Legislative
body was to hold n secret meeting, in which it was
resolved that should any act pass both houses by a
majority Of votes, and then be vetoed by the Gov
error, there should be a mutual agreement to dis
IeShlu lhe Ve!O, ana pass the act Oy twO-tnlrQ
vote, which was strictly adherd to in all their sub.
sequent proceedings. AT the previous session they
had stripped the Governor of every vestige of pow
er or authority save tina: specially named in the or
ganic act, and this act they to be printed
as to take from him the pardoning power. They
now concluded to deprive him of the only privilege
remaining which was that of vetoing offensive
obnoxious and uni ust enactments The Governor
was apprlsed of this fact, but scarcely believing
infamous measure possible, attempted TO arrest
several bills by Offering the most tangible obec-
tions, which only served to excite the merriment of
members and call down upon his own head the
most violent anathemas. Indeed, the greater por-
ton of the time of the session taken up with
long speeches denunciatory of his Exceency for his
supposed impartiality, rather his unwlingness
to go in, heart and soul, with all his ability infu-
ence and power, to advance the interests of the
Pro-Slavery cause. So entirely were they devoted
to this peculiar obi ect that it a express
ion among the the idlers Of the town, when no bet
ter employment On hand, to say to each other Come
let us 60 over to the House to hear Jenkins or
Brown, or Anderson, or ODroscoll, or johnson, or
some other prominent orator, abuse the Governor
For hours at time would admring audiences
stand listening to these gentlemens NIuper-
atiors. 1t is great loss to the world that their
speeches were not Photographed and preserved for
furture generations. Never again will a similar
amount of that peculiar style of eOquence emanate
from any legislative body. So determined were
agreeably to outside instructions, they entered up.
on the work with 4 most cOmmendable spirit and
energy whenever they could obtain the floor, or
stand upon their feet, which not always the case
On one occasion, jenkins who the most violent
of the violent, had advocated certain measure
with great yehemence, and supposDg it would
meet the Governors disappro baton, caused vote
to be passed asking information of his Excellency
on the subject. 1t so happened that the Governor
agreed precisely with Mr.. Jenkins and sent in n
brief message to that effect Jenkins. however,
despsed listening to anything from the Governors s
pen, and, therefore, crammed his fingers into his
until the message was read when he suddenly
sprang to his feet and for the hundredth time re,
peated his trade of abuse. lie proceeding in
one OF his most eloquent strains. He stamped
violently upon the floor, struck the table with his
fist, knocking over the ink stand and pronounced
his anathemas with voice that fairly shook the
roof overhead, when he was arrested by loud and
universal burst of laughter. lie stopped and
looked around though inquiring the cause os such
an unusual interruption. when the Speaker info rm.
ed him that be had mistaken the tenor Of the Gov
ernOr's message, his Excelency having agreed
with his views in every particular. Then said
the orator striking the table another violent blow,
had known that, l would have taken the other
side of the question: Nothing could have been
more amusing than to witness the efforts of some of
these orators to preserve tteir equilibrium while
delivering themselves of their wisdom The des-
perate struggle to stand erect-the hccups which
nterspersed the most eloquent sontences-the
rocking to and fro, and graspiug at the backs of
chairs or tops of tables and most of all, the pal
pable desire to appear sober all Guns pred to furn-
sh a most admirable study for dramatic artist
There were some good men in this assembly
but their number was so small that their influence
WIS of little avail, and they were always in the
minority when any measure was proposed to which
they could not give their sanction. Some of these,
in the early part of the session, retired to their
homes in disgust at their associates while others
remained, hoping even against hope, that they
might be enabled to circumvent some evil machin-
alton, But the majority of the members were of
the most rabid of the Pro-Slavery fre-eaters, who
ha but one idea, and that-the introduction Of
Slavery as permanent institution into Kansas
And it is quite probable Judging from their uniform
behavior, they never for moment supposed that
any means to accomplish that end however desper-
ate or unlawful was deserving of apprehension
They were mostly men of limited education, rude
manners, violent character, Incorporate habits and
desperate fortune. There were those, however
always at their elbows, guiding directing and con
trolling their Legislative conduct sufficiently cum
ming, shrewd and intelligent to mold them to their
will, and them tools to effect their purposes,
Lecompton was OF that time and now is, a sort
of moral plague spot in kansas,and as such Is shun
ned by all the good peoI lie coming into the Terrific
ry. When it was first laid out for town, Sheriff
Jones declared that no FTee-State man should own
property in it, and so infamous has been its char
acted ever since that none will purchase there who
can succeed anowhere else Hence, when the
Legislature met there no suitable accomoda-
tons for tine visitors The weather was severely
cold, the thermometer being some nights thirty de-