Kansas

In my last letter I took the liberty of anticipating, so far as I could, the formal returns of the votes throughout the different counties of the Territory for Delegates to the Constitutional Convention. I stated, I believe, that the probabilities were in favor of the election of the regular Democratic tickets. The event has justified my predictions, though the vote has been much smaller than I had supposed possible. With scarcely a single exception, the Republicans have abstained from voting, leaving the contest exclusively between the Pro-Slavery Democrats, who have generally voted, and the Free-State Democrats, who have but partially voted. In this County, as I have already informed you, there were two tickets, one the regular Democratic and the other an independent Democratic, the former of which has been successful by a considerable majority. This regular ticket was opposed, I am informed, from an apprehension that it would not submit the Constitution to vote of the people; that was an error, however, as you may have seen from the printed circular which I have forwarded to you recently, in which the regular nominees unequivocally pledge themselves, totidem verbis, to the policy of extending to every citizen the right of a voice in determining the laws and Constitution under which he is to live. Hence, probably, their success. In Shawnee County five delegates have been elected, partly Pro-Slavery and partly Free-State. In Leavenworth, which sends a dozen of delegates, the regular Democratic ticket has been elected bodily/. There, too, an Independent ticket was run, but beaten hollow, because, as it is supposed, the regular nominees pledged themselves, like those of Lecompton, to sustain the principle of submitting the Constitution to the people.

We have already heard, therefore, of the election of 25 delegates to the Convention, all pledged to submit the Constitution to a popular vote. Indeed, the people of all parties in the Territory are well nigh unanimous on that question, and it is believed that the vote on the subject in the Convention will be virtually unanimous. The plan of presenting the subject which seems to meet the most general favor, is this: to make a Constitution ignoring the Slavery question toto caelo, and the best possible in other respects , and submit that to a vote of the people; simultaneously with that to submit a separate clause prohibiting Slavery from Kansas, to be voted on separately by the people, and thus put the matter finally, definitely, and, please God, eternally at rest.

From conversations I have had with gentlemen, elected to take part in the formation of the Constitution or likely to influence its action, I think it pretty certain that it will contain clauses providing for complete cooperation with the General Government, for the execution of the Fugitive Slave law, and for carrying into effect that section of the Judiciary act of ’89 securing appeals in the Constitutional cases to the Supreme Court of the United States.

As one of the most singular indications of the recent change in popular feeling in regard to Kansas, I may state the fact that nearly every Missouri newspaper which I have seen-(and I believe I have seen most of them)-and, what is stranger still, every one of those from the Kansas border, has strongly endorsed Governor WALKER’S inaugural, and expressed its determination to lend all its influence to support his policy and promote his views. From this fact, as well as from the knowledge I have been able to gather from this considerable personal intercourse with the Missourians themselves, I am left no room to doubt that henceforward a Missouri vote will never be cast in Kansas.

The proposition contained in the Governor’s Inaugural to make a State out of the magnificent Indian Territory south of Kansas, seems to meet with the general approbation. The ground of this approval is the belief that to render extensive railroad connections with Kansas practicable, it is indispensably necessary to have that Territory made a State. It is probable, therefore, that the Convention, if it does not actually adopt a substantive provision of the subject, will at least make a strong recommendation to the people and the Government.

The Constitution, I hope will be a good one, and if so, I believe it will be adopted. If all the people vote, of which I entertain little doubt, Kansas will be made a Free State by an overwhelming majority, and that result will be reached not by Northern votes along, but, strange to say, by the votes of numerous Southern settlers, whose experience and observation have shown them that the idea of making Kansas a Slave State is an absurdity. The Governor has been severely censured by the ultras on both sides because of his declining to express an opinion in his Inaugural as to whether Kansas should be a Free or a Slave State. He defends himself by saying, that as Governor of the Territory, he ought to stand perfectly impartial and withhold all exercise of official influences in favor of either party. He declares, however, that when the question is submitted next Fall to the people he will, at the close of the polls, vote an open ticket, so as to leave no room for charging him with skulking the responsibility of expressing his individual opinion on the subject.

Whilst speaking on the matter of Slavery in Kansas allow me to say that since I came into the Territory I have not seen half-a-dozen slaves. I am informed, on good authority, that there are not more than 200 in the Territory, and that of these not five per cent are engaged in agricultural pursuits. It is asserted here that the policy adopted by the last administration has immensely contributed to making Kansas a Free State, and in this way. The lands were kept back from market, leaving them open in meantime to preemption claims, which are confined to 169 acres only, an area obviously inadequate for a plantation large enough to require the labor of the slave. Hence Gen. PIERCE and his administration have, aided by the weather, been the prime causes of shutting Slavery out of Kansas. Ought not our Virginia friends to look well to it before presenting him with that plantation in the Old Dominion? I should certainly recommend caution to them, for if he changed the weather there, the consequences might be awful.

Gen .STRINGFELLOW and his brother, Dr. STRINGFELLOW, have been here for the last two days. The Doctor is working hard for the rumination to Congress, but his chances are said to be very doubtful. Neither of them in appearance justifies the raw-head-and-bloody-bones notion we eastern people have been led to form of them. Both are rather petit, suave, sprightly, good-natured, gentlemanly persons, not half so violent in their opinions as you might suppose, and quite prepossessing in their manners. Personally, they seem to enjoy much popularity among all parties.

Several cases of homicide have occurred in the Territory recently, growing out of disputes about claims. Two murders of this character have been perpetrated within the last fortnight. The particulars of a very affecting incident relating to a murder committed last Fall were related to me today. A young and interesting lady, whose married name is GEEATHOUSE, has just arrived in the Territory for the purpose of recovering the remains of her husband, who was murdered near Franklin in September last, and, if possible, bringing the perpetrator to punishment. She brought letters of introduction to Hon. F.P. STANTON, the Territorial Secretary, from her uncle, Hon. JAS. L. CONGEE, of Belvidere, Michigan, and has handed to authorities an affidavit sworn to in Missouri by one W.W. ALLISION, setting forth the fact of her husband’s murder, imputing the crime to a man named MCKEE and charging the accused and his abettors with having robbed the deceased of some $3,000 in money. Her case excites much commiseration and sympathy.

The business in the courts, as well as in the Land Office , will suffer a temporary suspension, owing to the great land sales which commence on Monday at Paoli, about 60 miles hence, where an exciting time of it is generally expected. I hope to be able to give you some account of it.