The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1879-12-11
Historical.

Hon. James F. Legate, oftbe Leavenworth Press,
is publishing series of interesting personal re-
miniscences Of public men whom he knew in
the early days of Kansas. A recent one related
to Gov. Robinson. Is he not slightly ont of his
reckoning, in saying that the "Eng glish Bill' was
the foundation of the Lecompton Constitution
Our recollection is substantially as follows The
Democratic Legislature, in the winter of 1857,
passed an act providing for Constitutional
Convention, TO be held at Lecompton. The del
egates were based upon census taken by Pro-
slavery officers, and registry of voters made by
officers of the same party, who made it conyen-
lent to leave most of the Free State voters out.
The election was held in June, at which only
Pro-Slavery men voted, except in one or two
small Counties in Southern Kansas. The Con-
stitution was framed, with an article in favor
of Slavery. In submitting il to the people, they
were given the privilege Of voting for the Con-
stitution with slavery, or the Constitution
without slavery-but the Constitution they
must vote for, if they voted at all. And as only
Pro- Slavery men were registered, of course it
would be voted for with slavery. The election
was held in December, and nearly all the votes
were for the Constitution with slavery. The
Legislature, elected in October, untrammeled
by the Pro-Slavery registry, contained a major
ity of Free State men. 1t passed joint resolu-
tion, submitting the Constitution to vote of
the people squarely for against. The elec-
tion was held early in January, and resulted in
an overwhelming majority against the Consti-
tuition. Most of the Pro Slavery men refrained
from voting. This vote was sent up to Congress,
as protest against the admission of the State
with that Constitution, and to offset the vote Of
December. The Douglas Democrats held the
balance of power in Congress, and would not
vote to force that Constitution upon Kansas, as
things then stood. Then it was that English,
of Indiana, reported the bill that afterwards
took his name. This bill re-submitted the Con-
stitution to q vote of the people; but it was
bated with tempting bribes in the shape of im-
mense land grants to the State, if the people
would accept the Constitution. The bill passed;
but the people of Kansas regarded it as the Of
fering Of bribe. That Cen stitution was not of
their choice or making, and they would not be
forced nor bribed into accepting it. The vote
was taken in August, 1858, and resulted in an
immense majority against the Constitution.
That Free State Legislature passed the bill for
the Convention which framed the Leavenworth
Constitution, in the Summer of 1855, but it came
to naught. The Legislature of 1859 passed the
bill under which the Convention was called
that framed the Wyandotte Constitution, under
which the State was admitted. Another of Mr..
Legates errors is in stating that the Legislature
which was given to the Free State party by
Walker and Stanton throwing out the fraudulent
votes, was the one that made provision for the
Wyandotte Convention. The Legislature that
did this was elected in November, 1858, and
there was no trouble in the election.