The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-18
KANSAS NEWS.

e. MEMBER OF congress mas received the FOL
lowing from staid, sober citizen of Kansas
As regards political matters here, 1 think
the Free State party have taken some wrong
steps. l think they should have voted in June
last for members to the Convention, as, from
what | learn, they might have elected majori
ty of the delegates. l may be wrong, but this
is my opinion. Next, think they should have
voted for State officers in January last, for, in
case Lecompton passes, We should have had
the State organization in our own hands, and
could have altered the Constitution in a fort
night to suit US. However, under no circuna
stances WiU zoe submit to that Constitution
This is the deliberate conviction of every Free
State man here. You have no idea of the feel
ing that exists here in regard to the subject
Tongue nor pen are adequate to give it.
There are two parties here-the Fire Eaters
who are all fight, and the Conservatives, who
would rather vote than fight. belong to the
latter party, and believe in voting as long ss
we can accomplish our purposes in that way
after that, am for fighting, and if the LIE
compton Constitution passes, that time will
have arrived"
Leavenworth dates to the 25th state that the
Fort Scott difficulties continue. At the in
stance of G. w. Clark, the murderer of Bar
bour near Lawrence, and who now resides neal
Fort Scott, and is acknowledged to be one of the
most notorious villains in Kansas, a Mr.. Stew
art was recently outrageously maltreated in
prison, his property destroyed, and his horses
and cattle driven off. The rufian Clark also
gave out that all the Free State families in
Southern Kansas must leave, and every mem
Der of the Kansas militia be hung. The Free
State settlers have taken steps to right the
wrongs, and bring Clark and his gang to jus
tice. They fed, but returned with armed Mis-
souri, reinforcements. The Free State men
sent to Prairie city and Lawrance for aid, and
companies responded to the call.
The Times of the 18th says:
"Gov. Denver, on first hearing of the diff
Guilty, ordered two companies of U. 8. troops
to the scene of trouble. This order was subse-
quently countermanded and again reissued, 80
that the troops have probably ere this ar.
rived at Fort Scott"
The Pro-Slavery ticket was defeated in a
municipal election at Lecompton on the 18th
of February.
Mr.. Dennis has been removed from the Office
of United States Marshal in Kansas, and Mr.
Winston, of Virginia, appointed in his place.
The Leavenworth Times remarks:
The former gentleman was reported at
Washington to be tinctured with Free-State.
ism, which, in the eyes of Old Buck, is an
objectionable heresy. Let Mr.. Winston come.
1t won't take more than fortnight to convert
him, if he be an honest man."
The General Assembly under the Topeka
Constitution have issued an address to the
people of Kansas. We quote paragraph:
"High Executive officers under the State
Constitution have publicly declared that the
Constitution is dead. Discouraged, many mem.
bers of each body have gone home, and left US
without quorum. We are still ready to per
form our duties, should the will of the majority
desire it. Should trying hour for the people
of Kansas arrive, by the acceptance of the Le-
compton Constitution by Congress, we shall be
at our posts, should the people in Convention
decide to fall back on their old Government.
We are thus compelled, by a necessity that
leaves US no choice, to adjourn for the present,
and to refer back to the people who elected US
the question as to whether the Topeka Consti-
tuition is dead"
The Statement of the Minority Of the Kansas
Committee.
The statement which Mr.. Harris, of Illinois,
intended to submit to the House of Represent
atives, in behalf of the anti. Lecompton mem.
bers Of the committee on Kansas embraces q
complete record of its minutes and proceedings.
They say they indulge in no reflections discred.
liable to the character and integrity of the
majority, who have stripped the resolution
under which the committee was appointed of
all practical effect, and substituted their own
views and speculations alone, in great meas.
ure, for that evidence which ought to have been
collected by the committee. With the excep
ton of call upon Mr.. Calhoun, proposed by
the minority, and an inquiry as to the appoint
ment of delegates, the majority have resisted
successfully every effort at inquiry, not already
before the country. Indeed some of the most
important items of information, admitted By the
majority in the resolutions adopted by them at
the last session, to be essential to an investi
CATION" have never been obtained by the COM
mittee. They say the committee, by adjourn
ment sine die, brought its labors to close,
having, in the opinion of the minority, failed to
execute the orders of the House, and also to &C.
complish any one purpose for which the commit
tee was raised.
There has been ample time to procure all the
information sought for by the House, had the
committee taken the proper steps to obtain it.
There are scores of prominent citizens of Kan
sas, of all parties, now here, who could have
given most weighty evidence, touching oil the