Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-02-06

the Legislative branch ls immortal 1t is
well, perhaps, to add here in justice to the
absent members of the Wyandotte constitu-
tional convention that the present spasmodic
session of the Legislature Is not the fault of
the members of that body, but is attributa-
BILE to some of those carefully prepared and
studiously worded amendments that destroy
the harmony and defeat the wisdom of orr
ginal provisions. Another incident of that
last legislature must not be forgotten, some
of its members conceived the idea, that by
the admission of the state while the terri
torial legislature was in session, that body
became the first state legislature and had
the right to elect United States senators, and
a resolution passed both houses to
90 into joint convention on the
first day of February for that purpose. There
was no election however because the friends
of the various candidates become somewhat
suspicious that the movement was intended
as a slaughter pen for fond hopes and bright
ambitions, and when the time came, there
were no victims. When we come to review
the history and proceedings of the Wyan-
dotte Constitutional convention after it has
been the subject of legal Interpretation and
supplementary legislation for twenty-five
Years. two important considerations first
claim notice and comment and these are
the circumstances of its origin, and the class
of men that composed it. How can describe
tbe five yegrs of organized usurpation in the
interests of slavery that hung over the Terri
tory like O pail. Organized bands from
neiphboring slave states raided through the
Territory: they shot down unarlned men In
cold blood: they burnt and sacked towns;
they burned the cabins of the first settlers:
they committed the most outrageol and un-
| blushinr frauds on the ballot-box; they in
timioated voters and drove them from the
polls: they haunted free state leaders like
bloodhoupds; they imprisoned men
for opinions sake; they filled both
branches of the territorial legislature
with ruffians, who we're residents of Missou-
ri: and in all this were protected and encour-
,red by q national administration as devoted
% the propagation of slavery, as was the vile
instruments they employed to drive the free
state settlers from the territory. During
bese cruel years several attempts were made
Nv the free state men to relieve their condi-
ion. and relief could only come by admis-
son as a state, or a change of national ad-
ninistration' The Topeka and the Leaven-
worth constitutional conventions were at
empts in that direction, but the time for
| }eliyerance was not now ripe yet through all
| ;hese cruel years, angels of hope sat upon
| he hearthstone of the Kansas cabins, sing
Ng:
For freedoms battle once begun,
| Beaueathed by bleeding sire to son,
Though batlied oft, is ever won."
the free state settlers; immigration was COM
| ing in from the north; the legislature and
local Offices were now controlled by the bona
fide residents, and the friends of Kansas
we're about to control the lower house of
congress, and were gaining III the
senate Encouraged by these good
Indications, the legislature of 1859 on the
18th day of February, passed an act author
ling a vote of the people to be taken on the
question of the formation of constitution
and state government. The vote was taken
on the 2Sth day of March, and resulted four
to one in its favor. An election for delegates
was then ordered on the 4th day of June.
At that election there were more than four
teen thousand votes cast. The convention
met on the 9Th day of July. 1t was bravely
right that it should meet at Wyandotte with
in sight and hearing of slave soil. The
personal composition of this body of men
was peculiar. and it may be that it was this
regularity that made their work a success.
For causes that are unnecessary and I'M
profitable to here discuss. not a single one
of the numerous and worthy men who wer=
by common consent regarded as leaders IN
free state movemant, had seat in the con
vention. 1t was composed of that great
middle class, who are the strength and wis
dom of a political organization. 1t was a
class of men who acted from conviction
with sense of their responsibilities, and not
from any hope of their personal advance
nent. These members had more or less
local prominence, or they would not have
been selected as delegates, but not one OF
them, with the possible exception of Winch
ell. were possessed of that influence. standing
and general acquaintance through the terri
tory, that would entitle them to be consider
ed in any sense as leaders. They were
strangers to each other and
when they assembled in Wyandotte on the
IL. I,,< 60,
of them, and many members were more I'M
fortunate in that respect than was. They
had no personal ambition to crafty, no an
imosities to resent, no friends to favor. Their
sole aim and object seemed TO be(and in this
connection speak of them as individuals
and as an organized body to frame funda-
mental law that embodied every safeguard
to the citizen, that was abreast with the pro-
gressive sentiment of the nation in favor OF
human freedom and human rights, and was
adapted to the wants and conditions OF the
people of Kansas. They worked conscien-
tiously and with great industry, and COM
pleted their labors in twenty-one working
days. OF course there were schemes and jobs
and old claims and special provisions that
were sought to be engrafted on that lnstru-
ment, but there is not a paragraph or sec
ton of that constitution within which
lurked any suspicion of scheme or job.
That convention was Slngularly free from
political manipulation and figuring, as to
state officers and other positions that was sc
soon to follow if the work was ratified by
the people. On the 4th day of October il
was ratified by the people. There was about
10000 votes polled at the election, and more
than two-thirC,s of them we're for the con sti-
tuition. On the 9Th day of December an
election for state officers, a member of con-
gress and member of the legislature was held.
On the l4th day of February. 1850, it was
presented to the senate of the United States.
On the 18th of February Senator W. h.
Seward makes strong speech in favor OF
the admission of the state. On the 18th day
of March, Mr.. Grow, of Pennsylvania. from
the committee Oh territories i'll the house of
representatives, makes q report rec
ommendiny admission. On the 1lth
day OF april, the house votes
to admit Kansas. One hundred and thirty
four for and seventy three against. On the
moves to take up the house bill admitting
Kansas, but was beaten by vote of twenty
six for and thirty-two against. On the 4th
day of June Charles Sumner makes speech
in favor of admission, after a silence of four
years, caused by the brutal assault of Pres
ton S. Brooks. After the discussion Hunter,
of Virginia, moved a postponement of the
Kansas bill, and it carried by a vote of thirty
three for and twenty seven against. On the
21st day of January, 1861, the bill for the ad-
mission of Kansas passes the senate by
vote of thirty-six for and sixteen against.
Tn the 29th President Buchanan signs the
bill, Kansas becomes state, the struggle is
over, the battle is won, and the good people
of Kansas are to-day enjoying the fruits of
victory. l have on another occasion given
personal sketches of the members of that
convention, but the subject is not exhausted.
Columns might be written about Thacher,
Kingman, Stinson, Mcdowell, Ingalls,,
Winchell, Blunt. and others. Two members
of that convention have represented the
state in the limited States sonata John