Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-01-18
Late and Importaut from Kau1a..
Organization Of the Topeka Legislature, and its
Adton1lnent 70 Latere1ace
MESSAGE OF GOV. ROBINSON.
CANNON TAKEN FROM THE K1cKAroo RANeBT


The Ksnzas correspondent of the Boston Jour-
nal, writing from Lawrence, Jan. s, says the To.
| Peka Legislature met on Wednesday afternoon,
Jan. 6, and organized by electng the following
officers
! Speaker OF the House-Harris Stratton Of Dom
| iphan.
Clerks-S. F. Tappan and C. s. Pratt, both of
| Lawrence.
President Of the Senate-Dr. ]. P. Root of
WyAndott.
CleIks-Asaph Allen of Doniphan, L. N Tap
pan Of Lawrence.
Immediately after the organization, Gov. Rob-
inson sent in his message, which is rather long.
reviewing the whole question, from which we
make the following extracts:
THE convention which framed the Constitution
at Topeka originated with the people Of Kanzas
Territory. They have adopted and ratified the
same twice by direct vote, and also indirectly
through two elections of State officers and mem
6ers Of the State Legislature. Yet it has pleased
the Administration TO regard the whole proceed
ing as revolutionary and reasonable.
This constitution in the main is in accordance
with the views of large majority of the people
OF hanzas. 1t is prevented from becoming the
active law of the land because of an earnest de.
sire on the.part of the people to avoid collision
with the federal authorities, while there is pros
PSSt Shet Coil III dH4 OtuPI way OOIaln peace
fully their natural, organic, and constitutional
rights.
We have had numerous promises and pledges
that our just rights should be speedily secured to
US, but every pledge and promise has been broken
Force and fraud endorsed by the Admnistra.
ton, have been the rule in Kanzas from the be-
ginning. The history of the several Governors
VINO nave been sent to kanzas is highly illustrat
i've OF the policy which the Administration has
attempted to carry out in this Territory.
ic A. -.
than the throne; the slave power governs this as
1t did the last Administration; no conduct, how
ever Judlclous, nor doctrine of popular rights,
however well establishes no principle of a re-
publican government, however important, is of
any avail before the insatiate demands of this des
pohc power. Democracy, with such an exposi.
ton OF its cardinal principles as the present Ad
mnlstratlon is making, becomes a by-word-a
kissing and reproach with all honest man. No
wonder that men who could not bear the consol
ldation Of federalism should resist the despotism
OF democracy. The course of such men Stan
ton, Walker, and Douglas, as to the policy at
tempted to be pursued by the Administration in
tins Territory, In regard to the Lecompton Con-
sttution, is of cheering and encouraging char
acter. Our principle in action, however, must be
selt-protectlon. The work OF making Kanzas a
Tree State devolves especially upon her citizens.
The present attempt on the part of the General
Government, with all its executive power and pat
ronage, is to force upon the people constitution
framed by minority of the voters of one half of
the counties of the Territory and that too with
out giving the people an opportunity to express
their dissent from any of its provisions.
The pretended submission of the question Of
slavery-the pet institution of the Administration,
and for the protection and spread of which the
General government seems to exists, in fact,
no submission at all. 1t Is simply the establish
ing OF slavery in the Territory and in the State,
let the people vote as they may.
The people OF Kanzas. repudatng the Lee
compton constitution fraud from its origin to
It's completion, refused in convention to partici-
pate IN an election under it, for State govern
ment; thus leaving the friends of the fraud and
the oppressors of the people to secure that gov
eminent without a contest.
Should kanzas be admitted into the Union un.
DER that constitution and government, there can
beSno radical change in it for four vearsthe State
senators being elected for that term.
The people Of Kanzas are nearly unanimous in
opposition to this fraudulent government, and
have sternly resolved and protested against it in
various ways, but there is to fear that the
administration will override the sovereignty Of
the people and entirely disregard their wishes.
In such an event, question of grave import
ance arises for your consideration. What shall
be done to relieve the people of Kanzas from this
despotism of the federal administration? This
question, IN your wisdom. you may be called upon
to decide"
Five thousand copies of the message were or
dered to be printed.
The Legislature then adjourned, to meet in
Lawrence, Thursday afternoon, Jan. 7th, at 8
O'Clock. The object of the movement was to hold
the sessions of the territorial and the Topeka
legislatures in the same vicinity to produce con-
cert of action between them, and to agree upon
line of policy. What that line is to be- will be
developed in few days
Both the Topeka and the territorial legislatures
will be in session today. The presence of these
two bodies has drawn many outsiders here and
re tn
peRrance.
large company Of free State men left Leaven-
worth early Wednesday morning, with the view
of securing the election judges who permitted six
or seven hundred bogus votes to be polled there
on Monday. The judges heard they were COM
ing, and fed to Missouri about halt an hour be-
fore their arrival. The Leavenworth boys how
ever, took possession of valuable cannon--a
-pounder-belonging to the Kickapoo Ran
gers. They labeled it ELECTION Returns from,
hickdpoo, "-decked it with flags and steamers
attached six horses to it-and in that manner
took 1T TO LeaVenworth, amidst the curses "not
loud, but deep" of the KckapOos. Early Thurs.
day morning, Jan. 9TH. hearing that legal pro.
cess was out for the return OF the cannon, and be.
leving that for the present it is polite to keep
possession of all such articles, they sent it into
the interior. where the United States Marshal will
hardly be likely to find it.
1t is stated that in Linn county, during the
election on Monday, Capt. Montgomery we'll
KNOWN Tree State man-0r0ke up the ballot boxes
and destroyed the ballots. He had Just returned
from fighting the Missourians at Fort Scott, and
was indignant that the free State men should in
any sense recognize the Lecompton swindle by
voting under it.
Warrants are out for the judges who received
the bogus votes in Oxford and some other pre-
cints. Should they be found, in the present ex.
cited state of the public mind their lives would
be in danger.
Sheriff Sam Walker and Gen. "Jim" Lane had
gone to Leavenworth, with process for John
Calhoun, whose presence as a witness in the case
OF the probate judge of Johnson county, is requir-
ed here.
There is great deal Of indignation in Lecomp-
| ton because Denver signed the resolution of the
territorial Legislature, adjourniEg it here. The
hre-eaters exclaim that he is already pandering to
the Lawrence abolitionists," and that his head
| ought to come off
There was a grand legislative ball here last
| night, at which fUe goyerors and ex.governors,
| and large numbers Of "the masses" were present,
| A. d. II.
| Eli Thayer, of Worcester, has made one of