The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
VOL. XI.
TOPEKA, KANSAS, Jan. y, 1851.
he Ey};fo,. n ffbS National E',,1

To the Editor f'the National Era:
The bogus Legislature has at last gone TO
work, and seems, from all appearances, to think
IT has the right to make laws for the people of
! Kansas. i bill has been introduced into the
I House, TO change the boundaries Of the frat
and second judicial districts. The first, at
present, includes Leavenworih, Lawrence, and
Lecompton; the second, Topeka, Tecumseh,
and the Ossawatomie country. 1t is proposed
/ to change the boundaries so as to throw lie.
compton into the same district with Topeka,
! The object of this move is obvious to any one
who is acquainted with Kansas geography and
political history. Many Free State men, who
were lately before the court in the first district,
secured change of venue to Tecumsea, so
as to bring them out from the proslavery
influence around Lecompton, and the other
ultra ruffan settlements TO the east of Grass
! hopper Creek, which flows into the Ksw, Just
| opposite. Here at Tecumseh we find political
society quite different. In the town itself, the
Free State outnumber the Opposition more
than tourfold; our superiority around the town
Is still greater; aud Topeka, but few miles
distant, owns but three Pro.Savery men. Thus
1t was not without reason that the late prison.
ers preferred trial here among friends. to one
at Lecompton. And it is highly probable that
bat few Free State men could hereafter be pre-
vailed upon to risk their lives and liberties before
such gang of men, called Jurors, as are gen.
orally picked up In the vicinity Of Lecompton.
Some far seeing member Of that body has per.
caived this, and introduces this bill for The mr.
pose of cutting off this opportunity for something
like fair trial. If it becomes g law. the conrt
for this district will hold It's session, in all proba-
biilty, at Lecompton, just as is the case with
the first district now and even should it .be
held at Tecumseh Jurors will be chosen from
ctr hold IL.
nan settlements on the other side Of the Kaw,
together with Leavenworth, EuStis Atchisop.
and Delaware, will furnish the Jurors for the
other district. L cannot Say that the bill viii
pass. But L do not know why our enemies
would be unwilling to give the last turn to the
screw that is to crush out our last chance for
justice from the courts. | believe it will be-
come part OF that Infamous code which has
been already forced upon Us against our will.
In the Council, bill has been introduced.
" further to define the powers of the Judcia-
ry." IL proposes to grant TO :" the Courts" (by
which, suppose, is meant Courts Of Probate
and Justices of the Peacel "the power to accept
or refuse any applications for bail for any
offence" That is, under this bill, a common
justice Of the peace could admit to bail Pro.
Slavery murderer, but refuse in case of !. Free
State man, charged with stealing horse.
From this, one would not be led 10 supposs
that the suggestion of Governor Geary, with
regard TO the repeal OF certain obnoxious laws.
is to have much effect upon the p-etenGers to
whom it is addressed. Still, thew are not mar
ticularly exasperated against him, but. on tbs
contrary, quite thankful for bis laudation OF
them and their authority, and for the great
pains be has taken to inform them that there
cannot be doubt concerning their " Soceye;q4
p0,cer."
Partridge and Gushing, the two men who
were convicted at Tecunseh a few weeks since.
have escaped from Lecompton where they were
taken, soon after conviction. and turned over
TO the master of convicte. They were kept 10
the same building with the other corvicts, but
deprived of the liberty which The others pcs.
sassed, both being chained and kept at work.
when their health ard the weather would per-
nit. man was hired by the keeper 70 guard
them, who kept around, in sight, often during
the dag, and slept between them at night.
Neither would have escaped, had th.y been
allowed the same privileges their fellows DOS.
sessed. The next day, the Marshal was in
Lawrence in search Of them. with a couple of
dragons, bat soon came to the conclusion that
1t was not the proper season fo7 hunting par.
tridJes, and returned without his game.
Governor Geary, in obedience to the demands
CT Border Rniaus who surround him. has de-
tormined to arrest Captain Walker, Col. HaT-
vey, ana all other Free State men, against
whom the Marshal holds warrants He saws
be shall commence making their arrests in q
few weeks. but probably not till the weather
becomes mere comfortable, go that the hnsi
ness mag be carried on eXpeditiousiy when once
commenced. do not believe that such = nl,u
or rather the remainder of q plan which ali
the past fall has been acting out, can be CON
timed, without leading tn another rupture.
Confidence in Geary is fast vanishing; there il
but little left. All his promises which offered
hope to the Free State party are gone, not one
of them fuIGlled-while those he held out 70
our invaders have in every instance been made,
good. Until within a week or two past. | had
thought that there yet some hope in peace,
that there was yet a possibility Of securinr
our rights, and protecting ourselves from rev
prosecutions, without q resort to arms Rus
later observation has caused me to believe
otherwise. The purpose Of the enemy is no
less determined than formerly. The Convex
ton at Lecompton, which was fair repre-
sentation Of the Pro-Slavery party OF Kansa,
Territory and the adjoining counties OF Mis.
souri,, Was IS arrogant and defiant as any one
which that party has before held since the Oh
ganization Of the Territory. 1t must be re.
sisted.