166
 

HISTOET OF KAIISAS.
 

movement. On the afternoon of the second day, a vote was taken on the
question of voting or not voting, when forty-five recorded their names in
favor and forty-f mr against tbe issue. The vote was afterward counted
by districts, by wliich arrangement one or more delegates cast the entire
vote ot his dislrict. The result by this method, was sixty-four yeas to
seventy-five nays, the convention by this result pledgi ,g itself not lo
engage in the electiou.

The result was not acquiesced in liy the conservative members of the
party. They felt that the more impetuous element had triumphed by
unfair means, and did not feel bound by its action. Immediately atterthe
adjournment of the delegate convention a mass convention was organized,
at which the decisions were reversed, and it was decided to put in nomina¬
tion a State ticket, and to vote at the coming election. The meeting was
addressed by Gov. Robinson, Judge Conway, Thomas Ewing, Jr., Robert
Jlorrow, P.'C. Schuyler, S. C. Pomeroy and many olher stanch and tried
Free-State men, all advocating the policy of voting. Tbe result of the
deliberations, which were continued on the 24tli, was the nomination of a
full State ticket, a general though not full participation in the election, at
which the ticket was elected and revolution again averted. Following is
a condensed report of the proceedings :

The Commiltee on Resolutions. Thomas Ewing. P. C. Schuyler, E.
S. Lowman. W. Y. Roberts and J. K. Goodin, reported in favor of vot¬
ing at the 4lh of January election, and nominated a Slate ticket as fol¬
lows : For Governor—George W. Smith, of Lawrence ; Lieutenant Gov¬
ernor, William Y. Rolvu'ts, of Wyandotte; Secretary of State—P. C. Schuy¬
ler, of Burlingame; Treasurer—Andrew J. Jlead, of Manhattan; Auditor
—Joel K. Goodin, of Centropolis ; for Congress—Marcus J. Parrott.

The following was the platform adopted :

W^HERE.vs, The late Constitutional Convention assembled at Lecompton framed a
Constitution and attempted to force it on the people unsubiiiitted, in violation of the rights
and known wishes of an overwhelming majorily of the inhabitants of Kansas; and,

Wher]:as, An election for Mate officers aud members of the Legislature as provided
for in the schedule of said constitution takes place on the 4th of .lanuary next; and.

Where vs, it is possible Congress may admit Kansas as a State under that constitution
so nnsubniitted for acceptance or reject ion by tbe people ; therefore.

Resolved, That we, the people of Kansas, in favor of voting for State oflicers and mem¬
bers of the Legislature on tbe -Ith of Januarj next, in convention assembled at Lawrence
on this 24th of December, IS.")?, conceive it to be the duty of tbe residents of the Territory
who are opposed to this attempted usurpation to tlirow aside for the present all party affili¬
ations, and merge all party interests in the one absorbing issue, and to unite with us in
the support of a .State ticket to be nominated by this convention.

Resolved, "rhat we call on the people of the several districts, as designated by tbat con¬
stitution, to nominate and vote for Senators and Representatives under it.

Resolved, That the candidates nomiualed by this convention, on accepting such nom¬
ination, will be considered as pledged, should tlie constitution be approved by Congress, to
adopt and execute immediate measures for enabling the people, through a new constitu¬
tional convention, to obtain such a constitution as the raajority shall approve.

Resolved, That should Congress admit Kansas as a state under that unsubmitted consti¬
tution, it will commit a gross infraction of the organic law, and of the rights of the people.''

The Central Committee appointed consisted of the following: S. N.
Wood, 6. W. Brown, E. S. Lowman, Robert Morrow, E. Heath, William
Austin, O. F. Short, Judge Passmore, A. Danford, James Davis, C. F.
Currier, Judge McKav, Dr. Gillpatrick, C. V. Eskridge, James Rodgers,
S. D. Houston, D. H.'Weir.

THE  ELECTION.

Two distinct elections occurred on .January 4, 1858: The election of
State officers, members of a State Legislature, and one member of Con¬
gress, under the provisions of the Lecompton Constitution; and the sub¬
mission of the Constitution itself to the vote of the people for acceptance
or rejection, in accordance with the act passed at the late speci.al session
of the Territorial Legislature. The State election was participated in by
the entire Pro-slaver}- party of the Territory, and thousands of its allies
from Missouri; and by such portion of the Free-State partv as were in ac¬
cord with the decisions of the Lawrence Mass meeting of December 23
and 24. A quite numerous minority of irreconcilable Free-State men took
no part. The Pro-slavery party took no part in the voting for or against
the Constitution, while the Free-State party threw a solid united vote
against it.    The returns were as follows:

STATE  ELECTION—JANUARY 4,   1858.
 

OFFICE.
 

Governor ,
 

>-ame of candidate.
 

NO, OF VOTES.
 

Free State.
 

Democratic.
 

FREE

STATE
 

Free    Bemo-[^'f'l''-
State.    cr.itic. !   "^'
 

Lieutenant Governor.......   Roberts ...

Secretary of State..........■ Schuyler .

Treasurer..................' Mead.....
 

Smith.....   Marshall ..   6875
 

Auditor...................

Representative in Congress,
 

Goodin ..
Parrott...
 

Mathias...   6947

Spicely___   6867

Cramer .. .   6885

Little.....   6813

Carr.......   7260
 

6545
6446
6566
6514
65O0
6574
 

830
501
301
311
304
696
 

A subsequent investigation by a Legislative Committee proved that,
of the above Democratic vote returned, 2,45s votes were cast illegally.
Deducting this from the vote for Governor would leave 4,097 as the total
Pro-slavery vote of the Territory at the beginning of 1S.5S.

C. W. Babcock. President of the Council, and G. AV, Deitzler, Speaker
of the House, who witnessed the counting of the votes, in re))orting there-
suit said: "This triumph was accomplished by a party greatly distracted
on the subject of voting under a Constitution that they hate, and loathe,
and alihor, to the centre of tlieir hearts; with a short and imperfect notice
that failed to reach many of the more distant districts."

'^Serio IS troll 111 i-s arising tirg 'ly from disputed land claims and the contiguity uf Missouri
occurred in the soiith'««-sto'-ii counties during o,.ri,jiili.r, IS'iG.-iii'I Jiniiary Is.'jX Ghii Lane
visited the sceu'i of disturliiince, and small bode-s of hotli Tfrritorial iiiid United stutes troops
were brought into reriutsition at various tunes vliile tbe troiibb-s continued. Having no imme¬
diate conne;tion with the general history, they are detailed in the histories of the coiinlies in-
rolved.
 

By proclamation issued January 14, signed by J. W. Denver, Acting
Governor; C. W. Babcock, President of the Council, and George W. Deitz¬
ler, Speaker of the House, the result of the election on the Lecompton
Constitution was announced as follows;
 

"a

o o
 

COUNTIES.
 

Leavenworth

Atchison.....

Doniphan ....
Brown.......
 

Nemaha.
^Marshall.
Ril
 

tliey.
 

1997
536
561
187
238
66
287
207
249
377
292
358
510

Bourbon............................................ 268

Douglas............................................I 1647

Franklin............................................j    304

Anderson...........................................    177

Allen...............................................■    191
 

Pottav^atomie.

Calhoun......

Jefferson......

.Johnson......

Lykins.......

Linn.
 

Shawnee............................................    832

463
 

Coffey.,
Woodson ....
Richardson...
Breckinridge.

Madison.....

Davis........
 

50

177

191

40

21
 

Total...........................................110226    138
 

O   iH

"5 IU
 

23
 

By comparison'of the Free-State vote for Governor (6,875), with that
cast against the Constitution (10,226), it is apparent that 3,351 Free-State
men who visited the polls took no part in the State election; how many
refrained from voting entirely is not capable of proof; the number was
variously estimated at from 3,000 to 5,000.

It is probable that there were of resident voters in the Territory on
January 1, 1858, not far from 17,000riaf wfiieh- number 4,000 were Pro-
slavery and 13.000 Free-State.    The population-was not far from 55,000.

The Free-State officers elected immediately prepared a memorial to
Congress, disavowing all intention or desire to serve under the Constitu¬
tion through the provisions of which they had been chosen, and urging
that body not to admit Kansas into the Union under it.

THIRD  REGULAR SESSION   QP   THE  TERRITORIAL   LEGISLATtJBE,   AND  LAST
SESSION  OP THE  TOPEKA LEGISLATURE.

The Third Territorial Legislature met at Lecompton January 4, 1858,
and organized by the election of the following officers:

Council—Carmi W. Babcock, President; Cyrus K. Holliday, Presi¬
dent pro tem.; Joel K. Goodin, Secretary; GustavusA. Colton, Assistant
Secretary; Abram Culler, Sergeant-at-Arms; Jacob Branson, Doorkeeper;
D. H. Weir, Engrossing Clerk; Benj. T. Hutchings, Enrolling Clerk; S.
Y' Lum, Chaplain.

House—George W. Deitzler, Speaker; Cyrus F. Currier, Chief Clerk;
Wm. B. Parsons, Assistant Clerk; Geo. F. Warren, Sergeant-at-Arms; T. A.
Blake, Door-keeper; Robert Speer, Messenger; C. H. Lovejoy, Chaplain.

On the Gth the Legislature adjourned to Lawrence.

On January 5, the Topeka Legislature convened at Topeka, and or-

fanized by the election of J. P. Root, President of the Senate, and Harry
tratton. Speaker of the House. Gov. Robinson delivered his message,
urging the importance of still keeping up the Free-State organization
pending the uncertain action of Congress, but in no manner countenanc¬
ing the idea of putting the government in motion or otherwise obstructing
the course of events, so long as they should tend to the ultiuiate triumph
of the principles in defense of which the Topeka Constitution had been
framed and the Free-State government organized.

January 7, the Legislature adjourned to Lawrence, and there pre¬
sented to the Territorial Legislature the following concurrent resolutions:

Whereas, The people of Kansas, in the absence of any legitimate government, origi¬
nated at Topeka, on the 23d day of October, 185-5, a State government, and subsequently
elected officers under the same; and

Whereas, the people have, on certain occasions, affirmed and re-affirmed said constitu¬
tion and government, and have elected the present State officers and Legislature, in order to
maintain said State organization as the government for the State of Kansas; therefore.

Resolved, By the House of Itepreseufatives ofthe State of Kansas (the Seuate concur¬
ring), that we at once proceed to complete the organization of the State Government under
the Constitution, and enact such laws as the necessities of tbe people seem to demand.   And,

Resolved, Now, as heretofore, the Federal authority represented in the 'Territorial laws
and Territorial Legislature, is an obstacle to the successful execution of the will of the peo¬
ple through the State CJoverninent, under the Stale Constitution; therefore,

Rest)leed, That we respectfully urge the (ieneral Assembly of the Territory of Kansas,
now in session at Lawrence, to take immediate steps to remove the forms of a Territorial
government, so that it shall not obstruct and embarrass the State Government.

Resolveil, That tbe Speaker of the House cause a copy of this preamble and resolutions,
properly authenticated, to be laid before the Council aud House of Representatives of the
General Assembly of the Territory of Kansas, and we respectfully request them to give it
their earliest consideration, and that they send a reply to the respective officers of tne two
branches of the State Legislature.