The Placer herald., 1858-02-06
Kansas Affairs.

the sth of December. The Message Of Gov.
Stanton was received the same day. On the
9th the various Standing Committees were
announced. On the 10th the House was
wholly occupied in considering the report of
a Special Committee appointed to investigate
the alleged fraud in Kickapoo Precinct in
Leayenworth County. The Kickapoo frauds
were exposed, it appearing that after the
Judges had made up and signed the return
Of the votes, about 200 in all some 700 had
been written on the lists after the signatures
of the Judges. Final action in the case was
deferred. One Of the Pro-Slavery Repre-
sentatves from Atchison resigned on the
lth. A bill was introduced providing for
submitting the Lecompton Constitution to
the popular vote, passed and approved by
Gov. Stanton; also bill to give Probate
Judges jurisdiction in criminal cases, passed
and approved. The House passed militia
law, repeating all others, and providing for
Major General and eight Brigadiers and
other officers. to form Military Board, or
ganize and enroll all men subject to duty.
In the Council the House resolutions were
passed with some slight amendments in which
the House concurled. On the 18th bill
was introduced for the purpose of providing
an election of delegates to Constitutional
Convention. 1t proposed to have the dele
gates elected on the 4th of January. This
proposal, after considerable discussion, was
voted down. The House had gone into
Committee Of the Whole to consider it,
when, after discussion, substitute was adopt
ed recommending that a census be taken or
rather recommending the Legislature at its
regular session in January to pass census
law. A bill was introduced providing for
an election of State officers under the Le-
compton Constitution in case that instru-
ment should become the organic law of tho
future State. 1t was referred to committee.
Secretary Stanton sent in his veto to the
Militia bill. lie opposed it on the ground
that it would virtually depose the Governor
of the Territory from the position of Com
mander-in Chief of the Militia, and would
place him in the power Of Board who
might at any time overrue his decision.
The Legislature passed the bill over the
Governors veto by a two-thirds vote On
the 10th the militia officers were appointed,
James II. Lane being unanimously elected
| Major General. On the 18th the Legislature
adjourned.
The act passed by the Legislature, for the
submission of the Lccompton Constitution
to the people on the 4th of January, and
approved by Gov. Stanton, authorized the
vote upon it to be either "For Constitution
with Slavery" "For Constitution without
Slavery" or against the Constitution"
The 4th of January was also the day upon
which State officers were to be elected under
the Lecompton Constitution.
Gen. Denver, on assuming the Governor
ship, issued an address to the people Of the
Territory in which he exhored them to ap-
peal to the baot-box for the settlement of
their difficulties.
The vote on the Lecompton Constitution
was had on the 21st of December. "Con-
stitution with Slavery carried by large
maority-the Free State men not voting.
The entire vote cast, it is believed, will not
Territory.
The Delegate Convention of free State
men assembled in Lawrence on the oath Of
December, to take into consideration the
question of participating in the election of
January 4tll, SO as to elect State officers
under the Lecompton Constitution. They
had rather exciting time. The Committee
on Resolutions presented three reports. The
majority report disapproved of voting for
State officers. The first minority report re-
commended the nomination of full State
ticket, and the second recommended par
ticipation in the election for the purpose Of
destroying the Lecompton Constitution; that
no man be nominated who would not pledge
h,,ocalf To cruch that flot Tho
Topeka Constitution be submitted to the peo-
pie, and loyalty to that instrument be made
the test Of fealty to the Free-State party;
also that the Legislature should repeal the
present code of laws. The most radical re-
voutionary speeches were made
Violence has again commenced in the Ter
ritory, but the difficulties were in no way
connected with the Convention matter. At
| Fort Scott, in Bourboun county, Southern
Kansas, indictments had been found against
some Free State men under the rebellion act;
their friends endeayoring to obtain the pa
pers from the county officers were resisted.
Subsequently parties Of Free State and Pro-
Slavery men gathered in some force, fight
ensued, and several persons were killed.
The Pro-Slavery men took position at Fort
Scott and the Free State men retired to
place called Sugar Mound, where Jim Lane
had gone to take command.
The St. Louis Democrat says that passen
gers report that on Friday, the 25th utimo,
news reached Leavenworth that an engage
ment had taken place between the troops Of
Lane, at Sugar Mound, and the Dragons.
The officers ordered Lane to surrender, which
he refused to do. The dragons then charg-
ed but were repulsed with the loss Of three
of their number. The dragons retired and
sent to Gov. Denver for reinforcements.
Denver ordered four companies of Dragons
to the seat of war, and it was expected that
there would be bloody work.
As soon as the news of the engagement