The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-02-26
TOPEKA. February D. '69.

4 Topeka. February %, 90.
DEAR READERS: My communiea-
lions to you have been cut off for two
weeks, because of business. Seven or
eight hours of work per day in the
House and service on committees till
ten and eleven o'clock at night leaves
little time for writing uP-the legislative
proceedings as their Importance de-
mands.
The legislature seems to be industri-
Gus enough, but Notwithstanding this,
little has been done. Few bills have
received the Governors signature,
which are of general interest. have
never seen legislature with so large a
proportion of speecli-makerss The con-
sequence is, that the principal portion
of the time is spent in discussing the
different measures brought before the
two branches. The feeling among the
members is that there is not much to do,
and therefore they are the more ready
to listen to speeches, and less disposed
/ to apply the rules which cut off debate.
The 17th-the day formerly fixed for
adjournment-has passed, and we were
no better prepared TO adjourn than we
were on the 18th of January. IE fact,
the important measures have all been
brought forward within the past few
DAYS. Resolutions to adjourn on the
/ 10Th and also on the 22d inst. were ia
bled in short order on the 18th, and it is
now certain that the I'd of March, the
last of the fifty days allowed will find
us still in session.
One of the important measures passed
is the law providing for the payment of
the militia claims of the battalion
raised last summer to operate against
the Indians. send a copy of this law,
which will appear in THE News next
week, as there are many readers of the
paper who have claims of fhc charac-
ter which this bill provides for.
The bill for the further auditing of
Price raid claims and for their assump-
ton by the State is also law. ia
vored the proposition to audit further
claims, as there are large number of
these yet unaudited, but believing it bad
policy for the State to assume 100000
more of debt, voted against the
bill. l believe there are some of these
claims yet outstanding, in Lyon county.
AS this law will make them more val
liable than they have heretofore been, it
will probably be useless to advise all
having such claims TO see to getting
them in under the new law.
The law of last winter declaring Sec
ton lines public highways in certain
counties, has been so amended as to in
clude a large number of additional
counties-among them, Lyon and Chase
, The Lyon county delegation took the
responsibility of inserting our county
, believing the people wanted it done
; from the numerous expressions in its
favor by private individuals. After the
T bill had passed we received, through a
member of the Leavenworth delegation
a resolution from the Commissioners
asking that the provisions of the bill be
extended TO Lyon county. The mem
bers from Lyon county will take pleas
ure in attending promptly to business
for their constituents.
Several bills have been introduced to
= grant the elective franchise to persons
who served in the rebel army. So far
they have all met defeat. Hunter, o.
our county, made one of the best speech
). es of the session on bill of this char
acter, in opposition to taking this class
, of gentry into the fold until they ha6
E served a little longer probation. Hi.
, speech was well received and applaud
ed. There is a large number of mem
, bers in this House who served in thu
I Union army, and they are, to man
p opposed to restoring rebels and bush
whackers to citizenship. believe thu
D last winter, would have Jared badly a
y their hands.
y In the early part of the session reso
lutions were adopted in relation t.
the Usage Treaty, the provisions o
which l suppose you have all seen
: They went through without opposition
!. and at time when nobody knew ex
!, actly what they wanted to do in rela
Z ton to the matter. They were sent t
q Washington and were looked upon Their
s as being opposed to the treaty in an
i shape-as sustaining Mr.. Clarke in hi
: fight upon the treaty. A few days ag
II we received information that a neV
= agreement had been made in relation t
= the disposition of the lands, which re
! ceived the sanction and support of a.
: parties at Washington, except Sturgit
!. who still insists that he shall have tn
a 100000 of acres for the building c
! thirty miles of road. The new agree
= ment proposed to give the land to fiv
n roads, to-wit: Fort Scott & Santa FL
# which proposes to traverse the land a
q most its entire length; the LeaveT
IS worth, Lawrence & Galveston roaC
N together with the Emporia Branch; tn
3 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe road, an
N the Neosho Valley road securing to tn
70 State the 10Th and 36th sections fO
schools, and to the settlers on the Ian
at the time of the ratification of th
treaty, their homesteads at S1.25 Pc
s. acre. Accordingly resolutions WEI
,e introduced by Major Bowles, of OFT;
n wa, asking for the passage of the treat
M in the above shape. These resolution
G. called forth q lengthy and animate
b. discussion. They were earnestly az
h. vocated by Major Bowles, Judge Bale
ID Mr.. Hawkins, the writer, and others,an
of were as earnestly opposed by sever
IN members. The ablest speech again
an them was made by Mr.. Case of Mario
ro county There is q special reason to Il
e. people of Lyon county why the:
u resolutions should pass. Ii the Osas
fr ,..,;G.l B. th