White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1861-06-06
LEGISLATIVE SKETCHES.
4. ELLIOTT,

A1hs 6htoss kots IN sseoye" ~ AoOssSl
was q s.aunch Republican from the beginning.
But one day he was passing BY crow on the
street, when an envious individual remarked
that be was barren of brains" A spy Of Ro-
bespierre heard the remark, and that same day
Mr.. Elliott was waited upon by an officer, who
held warrant for the arrest of "E. LaOtte,
Baron Of Brains," accused of bearing a royal
title. He was placed upon trial, but his neigh
bors testified that he was so thorough Repub-
lican that he even addressed his cattle and
hogs as citizens" This acquitted him, at
which he was 50 rejoiced that he fell down and
addressed a fervent prayer to Lord Almighty;
but he had not finished before he was again ar
rested, tried upon the spot, and condemned to
be executed on the following morning. His
oftense was, that after escaping the penalty of
q royal title, he was SO regardless as to address
Lord Almighty Instead of "Citizen" Almighty.
He was thrown into prison, to await the hour
of execution; but happening to have flask of
sod-corn whiskey in his pocket, be made his
keeper drunk, and escaped. He claims that
whiskey is more potent than all law, and keeps
some in his house constantly, for medicine.
He has likewise made the beverage the subject
of number of songs, from which circumstance
he has been dubbed the :" Corn Law Rhymer" I"
MARTIN p. CONWAY.
Since the adjournment of Congress, Mr.. Con-
way, our Representative in that body, has spent
large portion of his time at Topeka. He is
native Of South Carolina, having been born
in the fort on Sullivan's Island, during the at
tack upon il by the British feet under command
of Sin Peter Parker. He is a son of Martin
Farquhar Upper, and grandson of John A.
Martin. He is six feet in height, and heavy in
proportion, with coal black hair Give coal) and
black bushy whiskers, and very coarse. strong
voice. Mr.. Conway was at an early age thrown
upon his own resources, and earned a livelihood
by selling peanuts in the streets of Charleston.
His voice was heard ringing out from early
morn until late at night; and those who heard
him, declare that, in crying his peanuts, he al
ways used the choicest and most sublime Ian
guage. 1t was from this fact that he received
the appellation of the young Man Eloquent -
The celebrated William Writ, happening in
Charleston, saw young Conway vending pea
nuts, perceived that he possessed native talent
Of a high order. and determined to take him
under his pupilage and care. He accordingly
approached the boy on the subject, but the
youngster pointedly refused to 60, unless Writ
would first purchase his entire stock of pea
nuts. Writ readily complied, and with young
Conway proceeded to Baltimore, where the lat
ter made rapid grogress in the study of law,
and was admitted to the bar in few years.
He afterwards came to Kansas, and was elect
ed to Congress. His mind often rererts with
pleasure to his carly life, and he says there is
nothing that seems to approach in dignity the
profession of selling peanuts, so much as being
a member of Congress!
S. D. HOUSTON,
Senator from Riley, is one of the most distin-
guished members of that body. Born in the
backwoods of Tennessee, he was early Injured
to hardships; and he went through the Creek
war with honor to himself and profit to the
country After the close of the war, he mar
ried an estimable young lady; but they parted,
BY mutual agreement, short time afterwards.
The public has ever been kept in the dark as
to the cause of their separation, and We now,
for the first time, reveal the true reason. They
quarrelled, upon the first night of their marri-
age, as to which should occupy the back part
of the bed. Houston soon left Tennessee for
Texas, where he dressed in skins of wild ami
mails, and married an Indian squaw, with whom
he has lived happily. He took the lead in the
struggle for Texan independence, and won her
freedom. The decisive battle was at San ia
cinto, where he engaged Santa Anna in a per
sonal combat, cut off his leg, and carried il
away in triumph. Upon the independence o.
Texas, he was chosen her first President; wher
she was annexed to this country, he was sen'
to the United States Senate; and was after
wards elected Governor of the State. Houston
is said to be we'll qualified to discharge the du
ties of State Senator. We will remark that
according to the Constitution, the Senate ha!
nothing to do.
ABNER ALLEN,
Is one Of the Representatives from the Wa
baunsee District, and is one of the best looking
men in the House. He was born on his faith
er's estate, "Allendale," in New Foundland
His healthy and blooming appearance, in youth
gave him the name of the Crosse of Allendale.
His father died from the effects of eating hart
boiled eggs, and Abner, at the age Of fifteen
entered upon the study of the military profes
sion. The part he enacted in the Revolution
will never be forgotten. The reader will re
collect that at the siege of yorktown, Aller
stealthily made his wny 70 Corvallis resi-
dence, eluded the vigilance of the sentinels
crept into the house through an upper window
ierked CORVALLIS out of bed and out of hi
shirt. and demanded his surrender in the name
of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Con
gress. CORVALLIS was completely taken b,
surprise, and straightway surrendered, thus en-
ding the war.
E.J. LINES,
| Representative from Wabaunsce, is o gentle
man of fine sentiment. and Of . poetical turn
mind. His forte is love poetry. So numerous
are the stanzas which he has addressed to hi