The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-30
STRUGGLE 10 BE FREE.
An Interesting Story Of the
TribulatiOns of Kansas.
The Long Fight Brought Final
Prosperity.
Senator Long, Governor HOch
and Senator Benson Present.

ana senator BENSON IosoHts
Osswatomie. kan. Aug. s0.-Here to-
day on the battlefield where half a cen
trrg ago the first armed conflict over
slavery took place. Vice President
Charles w Fairbanks delivered a stir
ring address to 5000 persons. The oe-
casion was the celebration of the if
tieth anniversary Of the battle of Osa-
watomie in which John Brown was
central figure.
Mr.. Fairbanks was given rousing
reception at the train upon his arrival
this morning from the east he was
escorted to the Masonic temple. where
q reception was held and later an ex-
cursion was made to the state insane
asylum and that Institution inspected.
After luncheon he was escorted by two
companies OF cavalry to the famous bat
tie ground. There a military salute
was fired in his honor and he was
cheered by the crowds. On the stand
with Mr.. Fairbanks were United States
Senators Long and Benson, Governor
Hoch and several other prominent kan
sans.
Mr.. Fairbanks left late in the day for
Dodge City, kan, where tomorrow he
is to speak at a G. A r. reunion. From
Dodge City he viii go to Boise, Idaho,
as the guest OF the National Irrigation
congress,
Mr. Fairbanks spoke as follows:
Fellow Citizens: The occasion takes
our minds back to a period of dramatic
interest in American history; TO a time
when the passions among the people
were deeply stirred. The times then
we're Oulinous- The people could see
the fast gathering clouds of an lmpend-
ing CONTEST contest between the
friends of freedom and slavery for ulti-
mate supremacy It was day Of ac-
crimony, OF bitterness of the sharp i'm
parchment Of the motives. the purposes
and the patriotism of men.
-Four years the debate went on in
the forum, in the press and at the fire
side Of the Republic. The American peO-
pie hoped and prayed that a just con-
ClusiOn might be reached without the
shedding of blood and without the i'm
pairment of the institutions for Which
their fathers had wrought so we'll in
the long ago
I'VE would not recall the differences
and the heart-burnings of so years ago
with the purpose of awakening them to
life, for they are dead and buried be
yond resurrection. We nov. rejoice in
the fact that they are dead and buried,
together with the institution which en-
gendered them and that where there
was discord, there is now unity; where
there was turbulence there is now or
der; where there was hate there is now
love. where there was hope of national
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. there is now pride in
national solidarity; that where there
was sectional spirit, now there is but
one hope and aspiration among the
millions of American people, Who span
the continent from sea to Sea-a people
who In their unity and in their strength.
ia their devotion to liberty and their
nationality, have become the mightiest
people on the face of the earth
We have not come hither to awaken
In any ungenerOus sense the visions
which made this spot historic, bat rath-
to recall the heroic service Of men in the
interest Of home and country. to kindls
anew our patriotic zeal and to glory in
the triumphs Of freedom in America.
THE Kansas-Nebrask act. which APP
pealed the Missouri compromise of 1850,
deeply stirred the moral elemeENs of the
country and encouraged the elements
favOring slavery. Kansas instantly be-
came the great prize for which the two
struggled. The contest between them
for the mastery here, constitutes a tragic
page in American history If the slaV-
cry forces had triumphed in what has
become the great state Of Kansas, their
cause would have been materially
strengthened but their ultimate down
fail could not have been averted. If
they had established dominion here, il
would merely have prolonged the strug-
gle and increased the sacrifice Of lives
and the loss of property, but final ex-
tinction was inevitable IT may be truly
African slavery in America was the
enactment Of the KanEas-Ne braska bill.
Tt was deemed by it's authors a wise and
benehcent measure, but their vision
was grossly perverted. They proceeded
upon a false principle. The basis upon
which the act rested was fundamental
" wrong 1t was the eliminating act
in a series Of juggleries upon the slav-
cry question. The various compromises
which were put upon the Statute books
as the fruit Of the effort of the Foremost
statesmen. were but temporary make
shifts. Compromise was made; com
promise was repealed. But the public
conscience would not sleep. We see in
the history Of legislation touching slav-
cry in America a sharp Illustration of
the fact that moral or humanitarian
questions cannot be settled except they
are settled right. There cannot be and
there should not be national repose
where questions Of sound morality and
human freedom are to be determined.
When the Kansas-Nenrnsk measure
became the law of the land, IL was al
ready written in the book of fate that
nothing would suffice short of the abso-
lutte extinction of slavery upon the
American soil. The blemfsh which rest
ed upon our fair land and which was
mockeTy. Of liberty must be complete
Is wiped away. The anti-slavery lead
ers, brave and splendid men they were
saw with precision. the logical sequence
of the new measure concerning the in