People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-07-04

had placed his life in his hands
with his camp in sound of his
voice day and night in the east
room Of the presidential mansion.
No man in the union was given
such powers, except Grant and
Others absolutely in command Of
the whole armies of the country.
He gave him the appointing pow
er Of Kansas, military and civil,
even overriding the government
OF the state to do it. Gen. Wild
er well expressed it: "He made
friends who focked around, fol-
lowed and obeyed him, and Ell
joyed doing it." That expresses
it all. He took command of the
troops who were proud to be call
ed Lanes Brigade, and, although
ne had no commission, they
would have no other commander.
President Lincoln authorized him
to raise and organize FIVE regi-
ments of volunteers-three white
and two colored-fll all the off,
ces and take complete control.
SO far as the colored troops were
concerned, he had no written or
der; but the personal promise of
President Lincoln that he would
see that they were subsisted until
colored troops were recognized
as soldiers in the armies of the
nation; and they were so subsist-
ed, and were the first colored SOL
diers that ever wore the blue.
No such power was ever given to
any other man in any state Of the
union. His word was law in the
military, and almost in the civil,
administration Of United States
officers apportioned to Kansas.
1t is as unnecessary to discuss
reasons as it is to apologize for
Abraham Lincoln. The world
will be satisfied he knew enough
of them to warrant him in the
trust he con6ded. The worlds
faith in the combined honesty
and ability Of the president and
war secretary, are not subjects
requiring proof of their wisdom.
Their acts and the acts of Lane
have passed into history. If in
politics he was king, it is as true
that he was a king who never be-
trayed his trust.
Lane entered the arena of poll
tics and war-the two went to-
gether=the Big Springs conven-
ton and the Wakarusa war were
but two months apart. The first
was political, but it uttered the
first shout of war when it declar-
ed that the people would resist
to a bloody issue" when hope in
peace was lost. Lane advocated
the resolution in his committee,
and Governor Reeder in speaking
to it, announced that we would
Sustain it with the steady arm
and the sure eye" In the ele-
ments Of war we were as children
inexperienced. The people came
for peace-their enemies for war.
No military organizer was among
US. Half our territory was an i'm
aginary line the other half the
Missouri river. In sight Of our
shores were more men who fought
under Col. Doniphan in the Mex
lean war than all Kansas had that
had ever seen a hostile gun.
Never had dozen of our men
stood in ranks of bate here till
Lane gave the word to Gall in"
Twice had We been trampled on
at the polls and tamely submitted.
He leaped into the breach at as
important an epoch to Kansas as
was the appearance Of Butcher to
Wellington when he emerged
from the woods at Trichemont in
the battle Of Waterloo. There
was more at stake-the freedom
of mantle perpetuation Of re-
publican government and the ad-
vancement of the worlds civiliza-
ton. The Big Springs resolutions
and Lane and his men in the
Wakarusa war were to the Anne =
lean conflict what the Mecklen-
burg resolution and Marion and
his men were to the revolution.
The enemy came with 1900 men,
end the 600 free state men organ
lied and disciplined by him con-
frented them, cowed them, COM
promised and settled, through
Governor Shannon, and finally
was terminated by Lane follow
ing the remnant of them that
wanted to fight until they retreat
ed into Missouri; and he contin-
ued the terror of all the hostile