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

grees below zero Beds bedding well as shelter
were scarce and wholesome provisions could not be
obtained in sufficient quantities to supply the de-
mand at any price. There was consequently much
suffering and several deaths occurred from eNuos'
ure.
A few Of the most respectable Members Of the
Legislature obtained boarding at several private
houses, some of them being compelled to sleep at
night on the floors of the legislative halls. The
great portion of the body boarded and lodged at
what was called Jack Thompson's Restaurant
the proprietor being himself Member OF the
House of Representatives. This was onc-story
frame building, the ground floor Which was the
only one, being divided into three rooms, ln the
principa. Of which the bar was kept, while In the
others faro, draw-poker and other gambling games
were played every night and on every Sunday, tor
the entertainment if not the profit Of the law
makers. There an extensive cellar underneath
this slight building, where cooking and eating was
done. The dining tables furnished lodging for a
number of boarders, who spread their blankets
upon them when the dishes were removed. The
bar room also provided a number with lodging
This was generally crowded, and immense guam
titles were here drunk of q most infamous compound
of vile drugs, the qualities and character OF which
were only known to the manufacturer, but which
he could have safely warranted to destroy the con.
stitution of the strongest man in q very limited
time, and which Jack Thompson" and his bar
keepers sold for whiskey, at dime glass The
stuff seemed TO produce q very peculiar effect, and
to its influence must be ascrbed very many Of the
ferociOus and insane deeds which might have black
ened the history of Kansas. Late at night this
bar-room covered with few inches OF saw
dust. upon which as the outsiders withdrew, board
ers, mostly legislators, would stretch themselves
out and fall asleep One night stage driver hap.
pened to drink some Of that whiSkey, which, If 1t
was not sure to kill was certain to make drunk
and he rolled over on the floor among the members
In the morning while engaged in shaking Oft the
sawdust, he was accosted by one of the thousand
borers for bank charters, railroad bills or town
company corporations to obtain his influence to
get an act through the Legislature. This threw
the stage driver into violent passion, and the Dor
er came near getting hogging i. is bad enough,
SAID the stagedriver TO get drunk and make fool
myself and get into bad company, but no man
shall insult me by mistaking me tor member OF
the Kansas legislature.
The principal business of the assembly, after
that OF abusing the Governor, was to incorporate
an almost endless number of road, railroad ferry,
bridge and town associations. The latter were so
numerous as to elict the suggestion from a wag,
that 1t was highly important to offer u bill with
hold few acres of the land in the Territory for
farming purposes. In passing these acts, the leg
lslature exhibited forethought for themselves
that would have done credit to the uni ust steward
so highly commended for his prudence in of
the gospel parallels The charters were closely
examined and wherever it seemed probable that
the scheme would prove profitable to the corpoTat-
ors the names of those contained in the bills, es-
pecially if suspected Of Free Soism were erased,
and an equal number or more Of those OF the
members we're substituted, in which form the bill
would become law. A gentleman from Missouri
with the strongest Pro Slavery proclitves who had
business transactions with the legislature, remark
ed This is the most corrupt body ever assem-
bled III the world. Had the Savior come down
from heaven and offered bill that would have
saved the country from irretrievable run unless it
could have been made clear that it would be