The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
AT AIRS IN KAN SAS.
LEcoNProN, KANSAS, Dec. II, 1856

LEcoMproN, Kansas, Dec. II, 1856.
To the Editor oftAe National Era:
In accordance with the statutes enacted at
the Shawnee Mission, the bogus Legislature
met here at noon today. After seven ballot
ings in the morning, and another in the after
noon, Matthias was chosen Speaker of the
House. AS the Council holds over from last
year, the same officers retain their places in
that body, of which Thomas johnson is Pres
| ident.
| No business of an exciting interest came up
to-day, except the passage Of q resolution, Of
fered by General Eastin in the Council, pro-
viding for the admission of all reporters. In
mediately upon its being read, General Rich
ardson, the commander of tho late Southern
army Of invasion, arose, and objected to its pas
sage. He gave as his reason, that he saw
present, among the reporters, Mr.. Phillips, of
the New York Tribune, who, he said, while in
| Leavenworth last summer, on being asked by
Pro-Slavery gentleman of that place if he
had procured the facts concerning the ravishing
of some women in the southern part of the
| Territory, replied that he I" had not. but would
have them before night" General Richardson
inferred from this that Mr.. Phillips would man.
ulacture them himself. Of course, if Mr.. Phil
| lips could be so base-which he is far from
being-he would hardly tell it to a man he
knew to be Pro-Savery. Richardson said, if a
resolution of such general character was car
ried Mr.. Phillips could take seat under it,
which he thought would be great injury Mr..
Rees, who, / believe, processes to be Free
State man, wished to see its adoption, as it
would give the members of the Council an op-
portunity of looking upon Abolition curosities.
:" He would even be willing to admit Horace
Greeley himself, just to see what kind of hu-
man being he was" The resolution was final
T., ID Tod I-,c
l believe, also passed one similar to that of the
Council
No official communication was had between
the two Houses, nor between them and the
Governor. Consequently the latter has not
sent il his message. He has refused advance
copies to the press.
The ProSavery Law and Order Convention
called some time since by Stringfellow, in his
paper, 1.-THE Squatter ,Socereigs,) and which was
intended to finish up the business left undone
by that which sat at Lsavenworth City few
weeks ago, assembled here today. The mem.
bers at first met this morning at eight O'Clock,
in secret caucus. They again met at three this
afternoon, and organized temporarily, by elect
ing COL Coffee, Chairman pro tenn, and then
adjourned to seven o'clock this evening. In
this session came the tug of war;" between
small faction of some twenty-five conservative
Pro-Slavery men on the one side and the
St-ingfellow men, who comprised the remainder
of the delegation, on the other. The strife was
opened in this wise pending the discussion of
a resolution providing for the appointment of
Committee on Credentials, DR.. Stringfellow
moved as an amendment to the same
Whereas this is Convention of the Pro- |
Slavery men, for the purpose Of forwarding the |
interests of the institution of Slavery; and
Whereas Committee on Credentials is to |
be appointed by the Chair therefore, |
"ResoEred, That no person who is not in "a |
vor of making Kansas o slave State shall be
allowed seat in this body, or have his claims
to one considered by said committee"
StrDgfeow made a long and fiery speech in |
favor of the amendment, saying he had first is. |
sued the call for the Ccnyention, and was there
fore better qualified to judge Of its character. |
He said it was his intent ION that the call should
extend to the regular Border Rufians alone, |
and that it was generally SO understood in the
river counties. He wished no man who did not
hold the idea of introducing Slavery into Kan
sas above everything else, and who would not |
labor for such introduction at any cost and at !
any sacrifice, to have a seat or voice in the |
Convention.
Newsom, of Tecumseh, followed, in oppos- |
ton to the amendment. and in defence of the !
law and order principles of the party. He said
there were several delegates present who would |
prefer that Kansas ahould be free State that |
they had been properly chosen, and could be
objected to in no other way and for no other
reason, for they were as ready as any Pro Sla-
very man in the Territory to stand up and fight |
for the bogus code of laws. This he thought |
should be the only test.
Stringfellow made few remarks in reply,
when the previous question vas ordered, the
amendment adopted by more than third ma
jority, and the resolution as amended passed
unanimously. This result decided beyond the
possibility of a doubt the character of the Con.
vention. 1t showed that more than two thirds
Of the delegates of which it was composed were
men of Stringfelow's political school, and
ready to do his bidding that their object was
something more than the enforcement of the
Territorial laws; and that they were willing to
force Slavery upon Kansas, at any cost and at
any sacrifice. All! Kansas is still far from
being free.
On the passage of the amendment, the law
and order Free State delegates, some five or six