The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-02-04

,eep you pOsLeu THIS winner rs " Wnab
ranspires at the capital during the ses-
ion OF the legislature, have seated my
elf for the purpose Of giving you brief
history Of the organization OF the House
arrived in Topeka several days before
he constitutional term OF the legislature
began, and found that l was almost first
N the grou. d, and quietly awaited for
to turn up.
The first to put in an appearance as
candidate for speaker WIS the '-tall oak
Of the kaw," alias the Hon. ID. Z. Has
keil of Douglas county, who, by the way,
is q gentleman Of liberal education, splen-
did address, fine personal appearance.
stands six feet three inches high and has
a heart in him as large as an ordinary OK.
had the honor Of serving on the floor OF
the House with him last winter, and from
what know OF him l came TO the con-
elusion that could support him for the
Speakership. The result was, l tied to
him, and for five days stood by him
through thick and thin, and with the ex-
cepiion Of old W est. Of Republic county, |
the boys from the 2Sth Senatorial district |
worked with me.
The next candidate TO come to the front |
was the Hon. e. V. Eskridge, Of Emporia, |
who in days that are passed presided over
the Senate OF the State as lieutenant gov
ernor. When look St him my mind
goes back to childhood's happy days, to
the time when was an unsophisticated
school boy and used to read from the eX-
ercises in the old fourth reader Saunders
series) that one may smile and smile and
smile and be villain still.
Henry w. Cook was next to shle his
castor into the arena, and must say that
Henry is gentleman and man of fine
attachments. He is one of the ablest
young attorneys in the State, has had
quite large experience as legislator
and made Haskell fair and square stand
up fight. He will undoubtedly be chair
man OF the judiciary committee.
Next came John h. Wright, Of Davis
county, and when / saw him l was re-
minded Of the green country youth and
the railroad engineer. You have heard
the story, / presume, so L will not repeat
It.
Last but not least came "Kicking Bird"
otherwise known as Hon. Milton w.
Reynolds, Of Labette county. He's 4
ripper, and since 1 have seen him 1 am
constrained to believe that there may be
possibly some truth in the Darwinian the
| CRY.
For the first time in the history of the
| legislature Of Kansas it required two
days to elect q Speaker. The fight was
sonalities which generally obtain during
| such a contest and was a square stand up
tussle. 1t was, however, of no use, and
the friends of the Hon. ID. c. Haskell
| walked of with the opposition, cleaned
'em out rag-tag and bOb-tail.
l The contest for the minor offices was
very spirited and the length of time the
House occupied in completing its organ
iZaLion allowed them ample time 70 but
ton-hole each and every member about
492, OOO, 900 times. But now, happily for
US. the con test is ended. Most of the de-
feated candidates have disappeared, and
sincerely hope that the house will get to
doing something as early as next week
and if it isn't very smart Will try and
keep you posted as to what transpire:
from time to time, and hope that / shall
not forget that am representing an in
telligent constituency.
Yours truly,
CHAS. >. ALDRICH.
The Nervousness of the offense in
writing and publishing the above, con.
sisted in the fact that its author is :
member of the House. That there
was too much fuss made about it there
can be no doubt, but that the author
was justly censurable there is M
doubt.
Mr.. Eskridge said he had been char
acteIiZed as a "Villain" in that com
munication and that majority of the
House had been insulted by being stig
, matiZed as "rag-tag and bob-taif' HI
(Mr. ESkridge) had been a member o
the Kansas legislature in one hraucl
l or another, for nine years, and repre-
a sented as honorable, Virtuous and in
telligent a constituency as there was il
Kansas. He had never before met tht
l author, but he would leave 1t to all TIT
old members who knew him (Mr. Esk
e ride) to point to single act of his pub
lie career which would entitle him t,
the stigma of "villain." He wanted t.
be expelled if the charge could be sus
f tanned. He did not know but wha
D the gentleman from Smith, who hat
been hOnOred with the craftsmanship
the railroad committee, aspired to tn,
leadership of the House. 1t would b.
G the unkindest thing that could be SAT-
g of the House to say that the gentle
man from Smith was the leader.
. The excitement ran pretty high 70
some time, and it looked as though tn
, author of the article would be expell
, ed. Many speeches were mad
denOuncing him severely, and all ex
pressing confidence in Mr.. Eskridgt
among which was one by Hon. j. W
10y, of this county.
The matter was finally brought t
an amicable termination ty the fol
! lowing apology from the "gentlema
o from Smith," who had previously stat
ed, in extenuation, that the letter wa
not intended for publication, but wa
y written in a jocular way to frienC
9 and without any malice on his par
Said friend had taken the liberty {
s publishing it, and giving it the ap
pearance of having been addressed {
!, the editor. He submitted the follow
. ing apology:
: Mr.. Aldrich said he was alway
: ready to apologize for any mistake
f errors or wrongs he had done. II
was just as ready now to apologize 8
f he ever would be. He believed it Wa
n the honorable and manly way to apo
i ogize now. During this discussion b
had penned retraction, which he dc
4 sired to have read and placed upon til
q journal:
N MIR. SPEAKER:-1 desire to say to I'll
" House that L regret exceedingly the Wri
= ing OF the letter in question. That l r.
; tract it wholly and in part, and desire
make an apology TO the House and to th
: gentlemen mentioned in the commune.
ton. ask that 1t be spread upon the r
cord. CHAs. s. ALDRICH.
On motion of Mr.. Webb the apolog
was accepted and the matter indefinite
" ly postponed by an unanimous vote.
The chief clerk and sargeat-at-arn
were empowered to employ assistant
A stringent bill tor the protection ,
birds was passed.
The house proceeded to the discu!
= sion of II. B. No. ., providing for I'll
: Institution of legal proceedings to te
{ the cOnstitutionality of an act provit
e ing for the sale of public lands to al
= in the construction of certain railroad
: approved February 23d, 1866. TIL
discussion was long and somewhi
g warm. Reynolds, of Labette, made
= speech.
SATURDAY, January %, 1876.
SENATE.-The bird bill, which
= creating considerable interest, an