The Goodland republic., 1893-11-10
THE LEGISLATURE COMPROMISE.


last house, in joint debate with J. NJ.
Dunsmore, speaker Of the Populist
house, at Wichita, Oct 81, closed his
speech with the declaration that the
treaty of peace between the two rival
houses last winter was written by
George r. Peck, the famous railroad
attorney, and signed by Governor
Lewel1ing in the dead hour Of night.
AS he made the declaration, he waved
over his head bit of paper which he
stated was the original document.
Mr. Douglass told the truth when he
made this statement, but he violated
campact entered into on that night
that the names Of the persons who ne
gotiated the treaty and the circumstan-
ces under which it was written should
never be revealed.
The treaty was entered into between
the hours of 1 and o'clock in the
morning of Feb. II and the following
day the story of it's negotiations be-
came known to newspaper men and
politicians, but it was received under
pledge of confidence and could not in
honor be published.
About 10 o'clock on the night of Feb.
16, j. C. Wilson met Mr.. Peck in the
Copeland hotel and resolved to effect
solution of the house troubles, if posi-
BILE. Peck said he could fix it with the
governor all right if he could meet him
away from his Populist advisers, and
they agreed to seek the assistance Of
III
commissioners. After driving some
time they found Sells and they agreed
to get Governor Lewelling out of bed
and bring him to Wilson's Office in the
Federal building. About midnight
Sells and the governor arrived at the
rendezvous, entering the building
through the alley and ascending the
back stairway. Mr.. Peck introduced
the subject of the conference and
warned the governor that there was
danger ahead unless the house war was
settled. He spoke fully an hour and
at its conclusion the governor was in
perspiration and tears we're streaming
from his eyes. He said he was anxious
for the trouble to be settled and want
ed to know how it was to be done.
They talked over terms a while
and finally Peck suggested that the
governor draft a treaty of peace. The
governor made an attempt but was so
nervous that he could not write con-
nectedly.
Wilson retained the sheet of paper
which the governor used and exhibited
it to a reporter It reads: at being
my understanding that" then follows
the words a am informed whereas,''--
scratched out. "The Populists of the
house provided" aFeb. 16, 1893.
Then Mr. Peck took the pen at the
suggestion of the governor and wrote
the treaty by which the Douglass house
was to retain undisturbed possession
of the hall. This was satisfactory to
the governor, who signed it and it was
attested by the other gentlemen pres
ent.
At2 o'clock they separated, Governor
Lewelling and Sells retiring to the
Chesterfield and Peck and Wilson pro-
ceeding to the Copeland. Soon they
were called by the governor over the
telephone. He asked if they still had
possession of the agreement, and be-
ing answered in the affirmative he said
he would stand by the agreement but
he wanted his name taken off. This
request, however, was refused and the
agreement was delivered to Speaker
Douglass as originally written by Mr..
Peck
The governor makes the following
statement which we gladly lay before
our readers:
The Populists always sought for
compromise Repeated overtures had
been made to the Douglass house
which were as often rejected The sit
uation was becoming more strained
every hour, but on this particular
night truce was arranged with the
sheriff providing that matters should
remain in statue quo until morning. 1t
was understood that the sheriff's for
ces, which numbered about ], 30 should
make no attack under the cover of
darkness, and on the other hand no at
tempt should be made to eject any
person from the Douglass house.
While it was the design of the COVER
nor to keep faith with the sheriff as
with all others, no other course was
open in this instance, as it was under
stood that in case an order of eject
ment was given, the forces of Colonel
Hughes would Immediately go over to
the Republicans After this truce had
been entered into, and for the first
time in 4s hours, went home to my
family, 1--WE were boarding at the Ches-
terfield hotel.) Near midnight was
about to retire, when Colonel Sells. the
hotel proprietor, sent for me, and
stated that George R. Peck desired an
audience with me, and that carriage
WAS in waiting.
Prior to this time I had seen Mr.:
Peck twice-once being introduced to
him in my own Office, and the second