The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-02-10
FRoM THE CAPITAL.
Topeka, Jan. 3oth. ls

DEAR NZWs: The Legislature has done
nothing inahe past week Of any importance
The entire body seems to be ''locked up
in the Railroad scheme and the capital ap
preparation. Every bill seems 70 be CON
tiBgsnt on those two bills for life or death
The house is about equally divided on the
Railroad scheme-not votes enough to pass
it, and there being gentlemen enough who
are afraid to fight it to prevent It's being
killed at once. No local bill on any, in
which any member or number of members
feel particular interest are permitted to
pass, there being force enough to hold them
with the expectation of "sWapping'
When this dead lock will be broken, or this
blockade raised, cannot say, but certainly
before many days. Not over eightaor ten
bills have gone through their final passage,
Notwithstanding there is over one hundred
bills on the calendar. The Railroad scheme
seems to be losing ground, and will IN
doubtedly assume a new shape In very
few days. That the FIVE hundred thousand
acres will be ''gobbled" at this session l
have no doubt.
The negro suffrage question has occup-
ed two days of TIE past week. First we
had very able address ifGm Mr.. Langston
of Ohio. lawyer and graduate Of ODER
lin College, and also mulatto. His speech
was listened 10 for over two hours and was
one of the most mastery efforts l ever
heard. He is perhaps the best orator in
Kansas. After discussing and trying to
amend for two days, the vote was taken on
the Joint Resolution submitting the question
OF amending the Constitution by striking out
the word white to a vote of the people with
the following result:
YEAs-Messrs Arthur. Brice, Bone
brake, Carlton, Cochrane. Drake, Fox,
Graham, Harmon, Holiday, Jennison,
Kellogg, Lacock, Mix, Mcclellan, Parker.
Preston, Phillips, Rankin, Sanford, Stab
Ter, Shepherd, Stewart, Smith lFSh, Smith
18th, Stotler, Vangaasbeck, and Woodward
go.
NAYs-Messre. Allen, Bradford, Bond,
Cain, Callen, Coffin, Dow, Fletcher, Eos
ter, Green, Click, Griswold, Goss, Har-
rington, Harvey. Hollenberg, Hamber,
Jackson, knight, Martiudale, Massey, Mont
gomery, Moore. Macauley. McCabe, Nash,
O'Brieu, Pesrmsin, Pennock, Power,
Quinn, Reese, Smith 43d, Underhill. Well
house, Wilson, and Mr.. Spea ker-39.
1t is plain to be seen from this vote that
the Legislature is by large majority OPP
posed 20 submission of this subject 10
the people who ought to vote on it. 1t
would have taken So votes to have passed
this Joint Resolution, the Constitution re
curing two thirds of the members to vote
in favor Of any amendment. and this prop
sition had but few votes over half enough
to carry it through the House.
The new apPortionment is not engaging
half the attention 1 supposed it would.
The Committee are at work. have heard
of two propositions, one to leave the ap
portionment as it now stand in all the
counties except Leavenworth and Jackson,
these two to have one additional member
each; the other to give each county one
member, and one for every three thousand
inhabitants. This would cut the number
down in the State to Sc members. It would
give Lyon two members. This seems to
be the most popular plan and l am in hopes
1t will be adopted or something similar, as
l am decidedly in favor of reducing the
number Of members if it can be done in
justice 10 the rural counties.
Col. Sanford proposes to erect a new
county out of the south Of Waubadnsee aud
twelve miles of the north of Lyou He
has presented petition from about thirty
citizens of Lyon, nearly all living in the
extreme north part of the county. Char
ley Drake presented remonstrauce signed
by about 100 citizens of the county against
it, and to-day Mr.. Stotler presented re
monstrance against it signed by 90 citizens
of Waterloo township. l presume l am
safe in saying that there will be no change
made.
The bill appropriating $4,000 to the
Normal School is on It's third reading hav-
ing passed the COMMITTEES of the whole. Il
has hung there for several days, the Anti
Railroad scheme men threatening it il press
ed. but expressing willingness to support
1t If it is held back a little. Cautiousness
has saved it SO far, and presume I am
safe in saying it will pass
have been wanting TO send you some
statistics of Lyon county as shown by the
census returns, but have RETAINED from so
doing because they are not complete. Jack.
son, Elmeudaro. aud Waterloo townships
never having been returned
The weather is still iutolerably bad. The
Topeka mud is awful. Us.
W n