White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1867-01-17
The Senatorial Qaestion.

The Senatorial &kuestiOm.
In few days more. this all-sbsorbing
question will be decided-whether for
good or bad, is q matter Ct considersble
doubt. As our readers we'll know. We
have advocated the claims Of Gen. A. L. |
Lee-and be is still our first preference.
Bot We have been far from satisfied with
the way in which some things were done.
but have said nothing. because we knew
that our motives would be impugned.
For example, some persons took it upon
themselves to exercise a sort of censorship
over the political actions and even opin.
ions Of the people Of the Northern Tier.
Persons who presumed to exercise little
independence of thought and expression.
somewhat out of the line prescribed by
these censors. were nothing less than rem
egades and traitors. and were politically
(almost socially } ostracised. Especially
was this the case when any one dared to
speak word in favor of Senator Pome-
roy. He was the arch-enemy of the
Northern Tier; bis success was Lees
discontinue; therefore. any one who
looked with favor upon Pomeroy. was
Lees enemy. To this rigid practice we
should have made no objection. had not
. strange and glaring Inconsistency been
tolerated and INDUCED in by these extra
strict guardians of Northern Tier inter-
.ests. The election of Thomas Carney
would be as fatal to Lees chances as
would the election of Mr.. Pomeroy yet
Osrney's claims were openly and zeal.
ously advocated, without eliciting a word
of rebuke, but seemingly elevating such
persons in favor. and stamping them as
sound and genuine. But never breath
in favor Of Pomeroy-that could not be
tolerated. What wonder that lockers.
on from q distance should charge that
Lee had combined with Carney. and that
men who started ont warmly in favor Of
Lee. should gradually cool off? Our
support of Lee was honest; yet we some
times felt that we were under suspicion,
because we insisted that Pomeroy would
be hard man to beat, and because we
would not keep up an incessant warfare
of abuse against him. We thought that
while be was at bis post standing up for
the right, abuse would be sorry encour-
agement for him to continue doing so
and that we could express our preference
for Senator, without resorting to such
means.
We are glad to learn that Lees chan
ces are considered good. As long as
they remain so, his friends in the Legis-
lature shosld stick to him alone. As
soon as they begin to say that whenever
be cannot be elected, they will go Cor
this. that or the other man. they apprise
the enemy that their lines are weak. and
reveal the pregnable points, where they
may be successfully assailed while at
che same time the weakened camp fol-
lowers will begin to desert TO o stronger
party.
But under existing circumstances, If
we were member. and Lee could not be
elected, we have no hesitsncy in saying
that we should vote for Pomeroy. We
hear great deal about Leavenworth be.
ing entitled to Senator, and of the me-
csssity of electing man who will favor
our local interests. We here emphati.
cslly assert that Leavenworth has always
been the bitterest enemy in the State to
the interests of the Northern Tier, not
even excepting Atchison and that, had
it not been for the virulent and undeserv-
ed opposition of the Leavenworth mem.
bers of the Legislature. we would to-day
be as far advanced, in the way of public
improvements, as the most favored por-
ton Of the State. Atchison has opposed
Us, because it was a matter of life or
death with her Leavenworth has done
so. from mean and mercenary motives.
We are not making random assertions
We can give the proof.
In 1868. the beginning of Gov. Car
ney's term. the Kansas Legislature bad
to decide upon what was known as the
Henderson Amendment. That Lsgisla-
ture held the fate of the Northern Tier in
its hands. Its acceptance of the Amend
ment would have secured Government
aid to build Railroad west from ST.
Joseph. through the heart of the North
ern Tier. in place of the Atchison and
Pixies Peak Road. The Leaveuw orth
members were devotedly attached to the
new State Administration. and openly
confessed that they would act as Q unit
for'ths two great purposes of advancing
Leaveuworth interests, and sustaining
and popularizing the Administration /;
and on all such questions as the Hsnder-
son Amendment, Csrney's word was un-
doubtedly law and gospel with them.
But st the outset. Kellogg. one of their