The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-03
Ross ard Pomeroy-A Sketch OF Two
Kansas Politicians.

Topeka Correspondence st. Louis Republican,
Poneroy, in his boyhood, sat at the feet of
the Senatorial Gamaliel in the New England
Sunday school. When he had arrived at
Young manhood he shoudered Sbarpe's
rifle, Ills mother blessed him, and gave him
q volume of "Uncle Toms Cabin" and a
Bible, and bid him 60 and join John Brown.
$50, my son." said tile matron, "be good
boy, and never show any quarter to Mis-
souEian." This was in 1850. 1t was after
tie war had swept Lecompton and Palmyra,
and Black jack and Ussawatomie, all into
the dust-pan Of history, and covered up
their memory with mass of bloody debris
that hid and snothered it, that made the
acquaintance ftbc Senator's whilom Sunday
school scholar. He was then little turned
past forty, and was a fine type of the ORR
giual fighting Free State man. He had some
scars to show for his devotion to the teach
ings of his youth, but they were all on his
culicle, and had not cicatriced bis memory
with hatred. He was a pleasant, genial fel-
low, ready at repartee either from the end of
his tongue or the muzzle Of his revolver, as
OCCASION might be; generous alike of bis
hospitality and his denunciation Of political
opponents; retained of his New England re-
ligious training only that lesson beginning
"Keep what you get, and get all you can,"
and turned Il jack from the bottom when
he had only one point to so with ease and
grace.
In 1866, ] think it was, the future senator
crossed the Missouri with the party which
staked the old Free State trail from Iowa and
Lawrence, and which had in its ranks the
Robinsons, Eldridges, Roses, and many
others who subsequently figured in the early
campaigns of Mr. Stewards irrepressible con-
fiict. Pomeroy was good deal of leader
in these early times That is to say, he led
in agitation and in heading memorials to the
Massachusetts Legislature and TO the con-
gregations of churches, asking for appro-
pliations to buy Bibles and dragon pistols
and seed-corn; also, beans. When these
prayers were answered, Pomeroy took
charge of the Bibles, beans, and seed.
corn, and John Brown, Jennisop,
Jim Lane, and the Eldridges superintendent
the distribution and employment of the dra-
COON pistols. 1t WASH proper division Of re-
sponsibility, in view Of the relative fitness OF
the trustees. Pomeroy was eminentiy fitted
tor the duly that fell to his share, and, ac-
coriing to all accounts, would have made a
miserable failure 10 the pistol business. The
net result was that PomeIoy got very rich
and became the Christian statesman, accord.
ing to Howard, Harlan, and Brother New
man, while the others reaped good deal OF
glory while there was any jayhawking to be
done, and then relapsed into all manner 81
ungodliness and obscurity. go
When Kansas got politically fitted to be-
come loyal sister, and was admitted with
out reference to the census returns, 1t was
found Flint abe yas made ND of two elements
of LOYALTY. One was the psalm-singing
crowd, and the other embraced those fellows
whose prime accomplishment was to DO able
to ride at gallop alongside a rail fence and
knock corn-cobs out Of the crotches with
Colts dragon, pattern Of 1s4s. Each ele.
ment claimed senatorship. Pomeroy Wss
selected to represent the psaln.singing and
Jim Lane the pistoEpractiee. This was IN
1851, Lane died rs he had liyed-by hls
skill with the pistol; and Pomeroy still