Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-18

and romance Of that kind of life went with
the house. We never recovered the pieces,
either of the novelty and romance. or Of
the house. We were drenched with rain
but 1t was dry enough the balance of the
season. As | now remember it, not
another drop of rain fell after that day
| have spoken of the pioneers of the
west: The pioneers of the east
came with their New England
culture and Yankee enterprise, but with
very little idea of our rough western picn-
Ger life. They came, however, as true
friends Of freedom; ready to do and dare.
they trusted in God and Beecher's Bibles.
They came to help establish freedom in
Kansas; and were determined to have
peace even at the cost of fighting for it.
They also came to stay, and for purpose
as noble as ever animated the breast of
man. Our first state governor, Charles
Robinson, was the recognized leader of
these New England pioneers; man we'll
fitted tor the position. Born and educat-
ed in Massachusetts,, he was among the
early pioneers of California; was in the
squatters' riots at Sacramento, contending
for the rights of the settlers against lot
of land thieves; was shot through the body
and for long time at deaths door. A
man of convictions good in diplomacy and
without fear, he was just the man to lead
these New England pioneers.
The pilgrims of the Mayhower sought
the wild shores If America that they
might be free to worship God in their
own way; free to believe in religious mat
tiers whatever seemed right to their own
consciences. They sought freedom for
themselves. But thespioneers of Kansas
both western and eastern-heard the
call which in every age has thrilled the
souls of men with heroic power. At this
critical period when the hosts of slavery
and freedom were marshalling for this
great and decisive encounter, in their in
most souls, they heard the divine voice
calling for defenders of liberty; and they
obeyed the signal that pointed to Kansas
rs the great battle ground. The pioneers
who became trusted leaders among the
free state hosts were men who
could not rest in their old
comfortable homes when the demon
of human slavery was clutching at free
dom's rightful heritage. Many of them
were SONS of the old anti-slavery agitators,
and had learned from childhood to hate
slavery and to love freedom, and claim it
us the right of all men, races and condi-
tons. These men. meeting upon our
prairies for the first time, recognized each
other as kindred spirits. They spoke tre
same language. and were working for
the same grand purpose. Prominent
these. and true from the first. were
Charles Robinson. who presided this af-
ternoon. and D. r. Anthony. our chair
man this evening. might name hundreds
of others. | wish that had time to do
their memory that justice to which their
noble work so Justly entities them.
When look back over the almost thir
ty-two years of my residence in Kansas,
am astonished at the mighty changes
wrought in the moral and political, as
we'll as in the physical world. The great
desert of my school days has
been converted into very garden of Eden
and our prairies have been made to bloom
and blossom As the rose. With million
and quarter of population. we have be-
come the third corn and fourth wheat state
in the union. We are now raising more
beef and pork than all New England. Our
fruit is the marvel OF the world Whisky
is no longer sold as a beverage, but only as
a medicine, and is drug in the market.
Freedom has been established not only
in Kansas, but in the whole country. When
Kansas was admitted into the union as a
free state, twenty-five years ago, slave
state after slave state seeded and went
,ut of the union with slavery. But after
our years of bloody war, came back beg
ying admission into the sisterhood of
tates, without slavery. Freedom became
ami slavery had not even local
\ ,bitation. There is not a man or woman |
n this whole nation who now advocates |
.hattel slavery or would restore the institu- |
ions if they could How my heart swells !!
With emotion when l contemplate this |
nj yhty Oh rnge!
Some of the individual changes are no
ess marked. As have said, in our first |
truggle the government and the party in
,ower were on the side of slavery. Hon.
\. H. Reeder, our first territorial govern
II, came here prepared to do the slave
lolder's bidding. He betrayed the actual
ettlers of Kansas, by giving certificates of
lection to our first border ruffian legisla-
ure. when he knew he was
egalizing fraud of the black
st dye. Well do | remember
.oing to the Shawnee Mission, the tempo
airy seat of government, in company with
wo wagon loads of well armed men, hop
Nc to stiffen the governors backbone, but
We failed-and Kansas bound and chained.
or a short time. passed into the hands of
he slave power! Governor Reeder after
ward saw his error and became our friend.
The slave power became so incensed that
e was obliged to escape from the territory
n disguise.
Stanton, a STAKEHOLDER. afterward had
he courage to do what Reeder had failed
o accomplish. That is, to restore the ter
itorial government to the control Of the
ctual citiz-ns of Kansas.
General James H. Lane was member
f congress from Indiana when the Kan
as Nebraska bill passed. He voted to
'ull down the barriers of freedom, and
stablish slavery in Kansas. When con-
,ress adjourned, instead of returning to
lis constituents, ne came to Kansas. At
rst he was pro-slavery man, but after
ward joined the free-state party, and from
hat time, Iabored and worked as but few
theirs did. or could, to make Kansas free
tate. The Stringfellows of Atchison-
awyer and doctor-were among the most
-iolent slavery propagandists. They coun-
pou Oar1oo u ~