St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-03
KANSAS
Gov. LewelIing Makes an Interest
ing Statement.

GOV. LeWeIl1ng Makes an Interest
ing Statement.
WICHITA, Kan, Nov. 2.-After max
ing a political speech here today, Gov.
Leweliing read the following statement
in regard to the terms of settlement of
the legislature controversy, made and
signed on the night of Feb. 16 last.
which was referred to by Speaker Doug
lass in his speech i'll this city Tuesday
night:
"The Populists always sought Tor
compromise. The situation was becom-
ing more strained every hour. but on
this particular night a truce was ar
ranged with the sheriff. 1t was under
stood that the sheriff's forces, which
numbered about 1000. should make
no attack under the cover of
darkness, and on the other
hand, no attempt should be made to
eject any person from the Douglass
house. After this truce had been en-
tered into. and for the first time in forty
eight hours, L went home to my family
1--WE were boarding at the Chesterfield
hoteD near midnight. l was about to
retire when Col. Sells, the hotel pro-
prletor, sent for me and stated that
George r. Peck desired an audience
with me, and that a carriage was wait
ing. L told Col. Sells that l was not
sufficiently acquainted with Mr.. Peck
to warrant my going out with him; that
l did. not understand the nature of his
mission, and regarded him and the in
terest he represented as hostile to
the administration. Col. Sells con-
strued my hesitation as a fear
of personal violence, and urged me to
consent to the interview. Notwith-
standing the tears and %entreaties of my
wife and daughter, who were alarmed
for my safety, L consented to go. Mr..
Peck then reminded NE there was i'm
minent danger of blOodshed and deStruc-
ton of property, and that he had called
me to this conference to see if a way
could not be devised to avert a dreadful
conclusion of the legislative controversy
L told him L had offered everything
which was reasonable; that l was still
hoping for a compromise and willing
to do all in my power to bring it
about. He asked me what l would
propose. l then stated, and he wrote
the terms proposed in the paper read by
Douglass. These terms were the same
in substance that had been repeatedly
proposed and as often rejected by the
Douglass house. Mr.. Douglass says now
IhO nan was Oil Iiloy COIll6uuGu lOr. MOI
so with the Populists, They commended
for principle. They were willing to
yield the hall, but they contended for a
chance to legislate for the people.
There was a studied attempt to deci-
mate the Populist strength by arrests
and otherwise until they should have
no quorum; then their power to leg
islate would be destroyed. BY
the terms of the conference. the pledge
was eXtorted from the Republicans that
the Dunsmore house should not be in
terfered with. This was what was
sought at all times by the Populists,
and as evidence that this is what they
contended for, l cite the proposition
which was sent to the Douglass house
by Private Secretary Close on the 10th
of February, the day before the final
agreement 1t is identical with the
proposition dictated by NE to Mr.. Pack,
and finally signed by myself and the
Douglass house committee on the fol-
lowing day, which was Feb. IT,"