The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-03
MARKS HISTORIC SPOT.
Constitution Hall, Topeka, Is
Appropriately Inscribed.

Inc TOpeka Chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution have this
week placed in the pavement on KAN
sas avenue, in front of the building
known as Constitution Hall, tablet
bearing the following inscription:
Constitution Hail.
Convention Met in 1855 and the Topeka
Legislature Was Dispersed by Col E.
V. Sumner. July 4, 1856. Used as the
State Capitol from 1864-1S69.
PLACED Here by the Daughters of the
American Revolution July 4, 1903"
The building whose memories this
tablet is intended to keep alive is a.
brick faced structure situated on the
west side of Kansas avenue in the same
block with the postoffice Here, on lots
425-427, Loring Farnsworth erected a
public hall in the summer of 1855. For
years thereafter it served as the scene
of many of the interesting and then inn
portant events of Kansas political his
tory.
Kansas had been opened to settle
ment in May, 1854. 1t was left to her
citizens to say whether she would be
slave or free. But when the vital time
came to elect a legislature which
should take the first decisive step on
this question, the pro-slavery men of
Missouri poured over our borders and
overwhelmed the free state voters by
their numbers and fraudulent methods.
The government at Washington stood
by IDlS uSu1plnS legislature anu 10
laws, scorning the appeals of the real
settlers of the territory for justice De-
prived of their rights in the territory,
the free state settlers banded together
held meetings and resolved to ignore
the bogus laws which one of the pro-
slavery sympathizers said were more
efficient to protect slave property than
those of any state in the union As a
result of the deliberations the free state
men decided that as they could not
-soI 1oerf thPV
would set about forming the machinery
of government for state. A constiti'-
ton was the first requisite Topeka was
chosen for the sitting of the conVen-
ton, and Mr.. Farnsworth's nail belng
the most commodious building the ses-
sions were held in ii during October
and November. 1855. The Topeka con-
stitution as it was called was submitted
to the people December Is, and FORWARD
ed by messengers to washington, ana
for years continued to engage the AT,
tention of both houses of congress and
To asitate the country on the question
of its ratification.
The constitutional convention had Sc
Iected Topeka as the seat of the new
government State officers and a leg
islature were elected. DR.. Charles
Robinson. the leading advisor In the
free state party. was elected governor.
Five meetings of the Topeka legislature
we're held in this hall, for very brief
neriods between March. 1856 until jan
uary. 1857 The Topeka movement
served as a rallyinS point for the free
state men of the territory. 1t was an
| incipient government. ready and walt
| ing for recognition, kept alive for any
chance which might lift it into power
President Buchanan frowned upon the
| movement; the pro-slavery government
of the territory prosecuted the members
of the Topeka legislature and state or !,
GERS. hunting them down like Wild
/ beasts.
The second meeting of the Topeka
| legislature was called for July 4, lSnn
1t met. but Gen. E V Sumner under
orders from Governor Woodson, came
with his soldiers and cannon and dls
persed both bodies. On the second day
| @ the third session. January 6. 1881 the
| United Sta ties marshal arrested large
| number of the members. including the
president of the senate and speaker o.
! the house. and took them to Tecumsen
under guard. At the last session, III
January. 1858. memorial was present
ed to the territorial legislature, then
| sitting at Lawrence, asking it to recoS-
nize the Topeka government. BY this
time the free state men of the terri
tory had succeeded in gaining control
| of the territorial legislature. AfteG
much deliberation it was decided tc
take no step the legality of which
might well be questioned, and the petit
/ ton was refused. The refusal ende1
the existence of the Topeka movement.
Kansas grew into statehood and
adopted Topeka as the capital But
now war was on in earnest. Money
was rot to be had for a capitol build
| ing The state officers and the two
bra inches of the legislature occupied this
Ritchie block and the Gale building.
the Congrega tionai church, old Bethany
college and the Methodist church serv-
ing also at times to house the legiSla-
ture from 1851 to 1868 Under an act of
the IL tier legislature, a contract wa.
entered into by which the state agreed
to rent Cor term of years a building
which should be erected for state use.
! The new edifice occupied the four lots
north of old Constitution hall and en-
bracing that historic building Here
the state officers and legislature male
1869, when the legislature held its first
session in the new east wing of The
present capitol