Letter to the Editor, “Affairs in Kansas"

LECOMPTON, KANSAS, Dec. 12, 1856.

To the Editor of the National Era:

In accordance with the statues enacted at the Shawnee Mission, the bogus legislature met here at noon to-day. After seven ballotings in the morning, and another in the afternoon, Mathias was chosen Speaker of the House. As the Council holds over from last year, the same officers retain their places in that body, of which Thomas Johnson is President.

No business of an exciting interest came up to-day, except the passage of a resolution offered by General Eastin in the Council, providing for the admission of all reporters. Immediately upon its being read, General Richardson, the commander of the later Southern army of invasion, arose, and objected to its passage. He gave as his reason, that he saw present, among the reporters, Mr. Philips, of the New York Tribune, who, he said, while in Leavenworth last summer, on being asked by a Pro-Slavery gentleman of that place if he had procured the facts concerning the ravishing of some woman in the southern part of the Territory, replied that he “had not but would have them before night.” General Richardson inferred from this that Mr. Philips would manufacture them himself. Of course, if Mr. Philips could be so base—which he is far from being—he would hardly tell it to a man he knew to be Pro-Slavery. Richardson said, if a resolution of such a general character was carried, Mr. Philips could take a seat under it, which he thought would be a great injury. Mr. Rees, who, I believe professes to be a Free State man, wished to see its adoption, as it would give the members of the Council an opportunity of looking upon Abolition curiosities. “He would even be willing to admit Horace Greeley himself, just to see what kind of a human being he was.” The resolution was finally adopted, by a respectable vote. The House, I believe, also passed one similar to that of the Council.

No official communication was had between the two House, nor between them and the Governor. Consequently, the latter has not sent in his message. He has refused advance copies to the press.

The Pro-Slavery Law and Order Convention, called some time since by Stringfellow, in his paper (the Squatter Sovereign) and which was intended to finish up the business left undone by that which any at Leavenworth City a few weeks ago, assembled here to-day. The members at first met this morning at eight o’clock, in secret caucus. They again met at three this afternoon, and organized temporarily, by electing Col. Coffee, Chairman pro. tem., and then adjourned to seven o’clock this evening. In this session “came the tug of war,” between a small faction of some twenty-five conservative Pro-Slavery men on the one side, and the Stringfellow men, who comprised the remainder of the delegation, on the other. The strife was opened in this wise: pending the discussion of a resolution providing for the appointment of a Committee on Credentials, Dr. Stringfellow moved as an amendment to the same—

“Whereas this is a Convention of the Pro-Slavery men, for the purpose of forwarding the interests of the institution of Slavery; and

“Whereas a Committee on Credentials is to be appointed by the Chair; therefore,

“Resolved, That no person who is not in favor of making Kansas a slave States shall be allowed a seat in this body, or have his claims to one considered by said committee.”

Stringfellow made a long and fiery speech in favor of the amendment, saying he had first issued the call for the Convention, and was therefore better qualified to judge of its character. He said it was his intention that the call should to the regular Border Ruffians alone, and that it was generally so understood in the river counties. He wished no man who did not hold the idea of introducing Slavery into Kansas above everything else, and who would not labor for such introduction at any cost and at any sacrifice, to have a seat or voice in the Convention.

Newsom, of Tecumseh, followed, in opposition to the amendment, and in defence of the law and order and principles of the party. He said there were several delegates present who would prefer that Kansas should be a free State; that they had been properly chosen, and could be objected to in no other way and for no other reason, for they were as ready as any Pro-Slavery man in the Territory to stand up and fight for the bogus code of law. This he thought should be the only test.

Stringfellow made a few remarks in reply, when the previous question was ordered, the amendment adopted by more than a third majority, and the resolution as amended passed unanimously. This result decided beyond the possibility of a doubt the character of the Convention. It showed that more than two thirds of the delegates of which it was composed were men of Stringfellow’s political school, and ready to do his bidding; that their object was something more than the enforcement of the Territorial laws; and that they were willing to force Slavery upon Kansas, at any coast and at any sacrifice. Ah! Kansas is still far from being free.

On the passage of the amendment the law and order Free State delegates, some five or six in number immediately left the hall. Dr. Wood, however, who testified before the Congressional Investigating Committee last summer, that he was a Free State man, but in favor of supporting the existing Territorial laws, remained. He felt great anxiety about the difficulties which arose from the Stringfellow resolution; and even arose once, and gravely informed that it was necessary for the Convention to be an unit at present. He said that this was not the time to break it up in a row. Another delegate thought the same thing, and added that he had just learned that there were several abolition reporters present, taking notes, and intimated that other delegates must be more careful in their language and actions, or the reporters expelled from the hall. Considerable talk of doing the latter was heard, but a few of the more considerate succeeded in keeping down such a spirit for the present, but I do not think they will continue to do so long.

The last business of the evening was the appointment of a committee to report nominees for permanent officers of the Convention. The ticket has been concocted long ago since, and the nomination of the committee will be merely formal. There will be a regular list of ruffians.