White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1866-02-08
WHITE CLOUD, KANSAS:
Thursday, : :: February s, 1866.
Editorial Correspondence..
the Capital.
TOPEKA, February l, 1866.

the Capital.
TOPEKA. Fsbrusry l, 1866.
The question of the SOC. 600 acres Of
land is still in the hands of the House.
where it remains statu quo. 1t is cur.
rently reported that several members from
the Northern Tier, who were at first ar
IDENTIFY 10 favor of it, have, through some
system Of hocus- poems. been concerted to
the other side. If SO, the measure is
probably dead; for it was looked upon IS
. tight squeeze, when those who should
have been its friends were united. When
those Immediately interested "go back"
on it, it is presumed that others, not in-
tsrested, but who had intended to support
it out of friendship, viii absudon it like
wise. We hear it said than one member
from Doniphan, one from Brown. one
from Nemshs, end the member from
Marshall, are against it. Had they been
so in the beginning, they might have re-
csivsd credit for possessing conscientious
scruplss; but to fly off suddeuly at the
critical moment, after having previously
advocated the measure, does them no
honor in the eyes Of either party. We
do think that the people Of Marshall and
of the Southern District of Nemaha owe
Il to their own interests to occasionally
elect men to represent them, instead Of
Atchison. We leave it to the people to
settle the matter with their Representa-
tivss. when they go home.
The Negro Suffrage question has been
up, this week. In the House, after much
debate, the proposed amendment of the
Constitution was defeated. by vote of
80 to %. In the face of this, the Senate
took up the matter. on Wednesday. and
adopted the amendment. by vote of II
to-. So that the House will have an.
other "crack" at it; but we hardly think
it will receive the necessary two-tbirds
vote to pass it. Some earnest friends OF
negro suffrage opposed the proposition.
from the fact that the testimony from sll
parts of the State agrees that the amend
ment would be badly beaten, and the
cause materially retarded; while many
opponents Of negro suffrage voted in the
Affirmative, because they want the matter
to be killed. Those who most strenuous.
ly advocated the submission of the
amendment, were persons who are left
without O party, and hope to spring
measure which shall divide the Repub-
lican party.
A Joint Resolution is now before the
Legislature, memorislizing Congress to
refund to the people of Kansas. the
amounts expended by them to obtain re-
cruits and substitutes under tho Draft,
last Winter /; and also to pay to persons
who we're drafted and forced into tho ar
cay, the same bounty as was paid to vol.
unteers under the call in pursuance of
which the Draft was made. This request
is perfectly reasonable. 1t has been &C.
knowledged by the War Department, that
Kansas was in excess of all calls; there.
fore, the Draft was unjust. and the money
expended in consequence of it should be
refunded, and drafted men should receive
bouutiss.
Some difficulty having arisen from the
sale Of school lands, by which doubt was
thrown upon the constitrtionality Of the
law for their sale, the matter was brought
before the Supreme Court, which this
week rendered q decision sustaining the
Law.
Nothing has as yet been done in re.
apportioning the State. although the
Committees have bsen at work on bill
for some time. The probabilities are,
that il the spportionmsnt is changed at
eli, it win be BY increasing the number
of Representatives to eighty. BY giving |
an additional member to several of tho
Counties.
There is 8 project on foot to re-arrange
the Judicial Districts, and create new
District. A number Of gentlemen. pos
sessing high opinion Of their own legal
ability, and ambitious to have q Judge
handle attached to their names, confident
ly expect to be thrown into the new Dis
trict. and are shifting their course to land
In the extra Judgeship. It would all 60
very smoothly with them. if they and
their fellow schemers could make ss we'll
~ devise Legislative acts; but We fear that
some of them will live to venerable age
before they enjoy the honors and smolu.
ments of the coveted position.
The best tsstimony to the sobriety Of
the present Legislature. was given by
saloon keeper. who complained that the
present Legislature was mot worth .
i-n;" that he was almost starved out,
while last Winter he made piles Of
money. Other public institutions be.
,ides saloons were patronised last Win.
Ter. i