JULY 16.- Gov. Reeder receives notice from Mr. Marcy of the intention to remove him.

JULY 21.—Message from Gov. Reeder, in which he says:

"It seems, then, to be plain that the Legislature are now in session, so far as the place is concerned, in contravention of the act of Congress, and where they have no right to sit, and can make no valid legislation. Entertaining these views, I can give no sanction to any bill that may be passed; and if my views are not satisfactory to the Legislative Assembly, it follows that we must act independently of each other."

A resolution was passed by the Council asking the President to remove Gov. Reeder. On the 23d the House concurred in the resolution.

JULY 23.-S. D. Houston resigns his seat in the House. This left both branches unanimously Pro-Slavery.

JULY 24.-The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the Council makes a written report sanctioning the penalty of death as the punishment of persons who decoy slaves from their masters.

JULY 28.-There are four Free-State papers in the Territory — the Herald of Freedom, Free State, and Tribune, at Lawrence, and the Freeman, at Topeka. The Leavenworth Herald, the Kickapoo Pioneer and the Atchison Squatter Sovereign are the Pro-Slavery papers.

JULY 30.-First session of the Supreme Court, at the Shawnee Manual Labor School, Johnson county. Lecompte, Johnston and Elmore present, and A. J. Isacks, U. S. District Attorney. Marcus J. Parrott is appointed Reporter of the decisions of the Court.

JULY 31.- Removal of Gov. Reeder officially announced.

-The appointment of Governor was tendered to John L. Dawson, of Pennsylvania, who declined it.

JULY 31.-Mr. Donaldson, in the Council, offered the following resolution:

"Whereas, Reliable information has been received of the removal of 'Squire A. H. Reeder; and, whereas, this body wish to make suitable arrangements to celebrate the day therefore,

"Resolved, This body do adjourn."

AUGUST.-S. D. Lecompte and Rush Elmore, Judges, and A. J. Isacks, Attorney, give the Legislature a written opinion declaring that the removal of the seat of government to Shawnee is valid, and the legislation at Shawnee legal.

AUGUST 8.—The Legislature, in joint session, votes to establish the permanent seat of government at Lecompton.

AUGUST 10.--Wilson Shannon, of Ohio, commissioned as Governor. AUGUST 14-15.--First Convention in Lawrence of Free-State men, made up from the various political parties. Philip C. Schuyler presided; Chas. Robinson reported the resolutions; and Colonel James H. Lane took an active part. The Convention adopted the following resolution:

"Whereas, The people of Kansas have been, since its settlement, and now are, without any law-making power: therefore, be it

"Resolved, That we, the people of Kansas Territory, in mass meeting assembled, irrespective of party distinctions, influenced by common necessity, and greatly desirous of promoting the common good, do hereby call upon and request all bona fide citizens of Kansas Territory, of whatever political views and predilections, to consult together in their respective election districts, and, in mass conventions or otherwise, elect three delegates for each Representative to which said election district is entitled in the House

of Representatives of the Legislative Assembly, by proclamation of Governor Reeder, of date 19th of March, 1855; said delegates to assemble in convention, at the town of Topeka, on the 19th day of September, 1855, then and there to consider and determine upon all subjects of public interest, and particularly upon that having reference to the speedy formation of a State Constitution, with an intention of an immediate application to be admitted as a State into the Union of the United States of America."

A Free-State Convention was also called to meet at Big Springs, Douglas county, September 5.

The following Free-State Executive Committee was appointed: Charles Robinson, Chairman; J. K. Goodin, Secretary; George W. Smith, J. A. Wakefield, L. Macy, F. W. Giles, William Phillips (afterwards murdered), Charles A. Foster, J. P. Fox, J. D. Stockton, W. K. Vail, John Brown, jr., W. A. Ely, G. F. Warren, John Hamilton, Hamilton Smith, Lotan Smith, M. F. Conway, S. D. Houston, L. R. Adams, L. R. Palmer, J. E. Gould, Abelard Guthrie.

-The Emigrant Aid Company have four steam saw mills at Kansas City-one for Manhattan, one for Osawatomie, and one for Hampden, on the Neosho.

AUGUST 16.—Gov. Reeder informs the Legislature that he has received official notice of his removal.

-Acting Governor Woodson continues G. P. Lowry in the office of Executive Clerk.

AUGUST 16.-Rev. Pardee Butler sent from Atchison by the Pro-Slavery men. The Squatter Sovereign gives this account of the affair:

"On Thursday last, one Pardee Butler arrived in town with a view of starting for the East, probably for the purpose of getting a fresh supply of Free-Soilers from the penitentiaries and pest-holes of the Northern States. Finding it inconvenient to depart before morning, he took lodgings at the hotel, and proceeded to visit numerous portions of our town, everywhere avowing himself a Free-Soiler, and preaching the foulest of Abolition heresies. He declared the recent action of our citizens in regard to J. W. B. Kelley, the infamous and unlawful proceedings of a mob; at the same time stating that many persons in Atchison, who were Free-Soilers at heart, had been intimidated thereby, and feared to avow their true sentiments; but that he (Butler) would express his views in defiance of the whole community. On the ensuing morning our townsmen assembled en masse, and, deeming the presence of such persons highly detrimental to the safety of our slave property, appointed a committee of two to wait on Mr. Butler and request his signature to the resolutions passed at the late Pro-Slavery meeting in Atchison. After perusing the said resolutions, Mr. B. positively declined signing them, and was instantly arrested by the committee. After the various plans for his disposal had been considered, it was finally decided to place him on a raft composed of two logs firmly lashed together; that his baggage and a loaf of bread be given him; and, having attached a flag to his primitive bark, emblazoned with mottoes indicative of our contempt for such characters, Mr. Butler was set adrift on the great Missouri, with the letter R legibly painted on his forehead.

"He was escorted some distance down the river by several of our citizens, who, seeing him pass several rock-heaps in quite a skilful manner, bade him adieu, and returned to Atchison. Such treatment may be expected by all scoundrels visiting our town for the purpose of interfering with our time-honored institutions, and the same punishment we will be happy to award all Free-Soilers, Abolitionists, and their emissaries."

The mottoes on the flag were these: "Eastern Emigrant Aid Express. The Rev. Mr. Butler, Agent for the Underground Railroad;" "The way they are served in Kansas;" "For Boston;" "Cargo insured-unavoidable danger of the Missourians and the Missouri River excepted." "Let future

emissaries from the North beware. Our hemp crop is sufficient to reward all such scoundrels."

AUGUST 25.-The Legislature, in joint session, elects Probate Judges, Commissioners, and Sheriffs for all the counties, and District Attorneys for the three Judicial Districts. The appointment of Justices of the Peace and Constables is given to Commissioners chosen by the Legislature.

AUGUST 30.-The following appears in the proceedings of the Legislature:

"Mr. Speaker J. H. Stringfellow, Mr. Anderson in the chair, offered the following concurrent resolution:

"Whereas, The signs of the times indicate that a measure is now on foot fraught with more danger to the interests of the Pro-Slavery party, and to the Union, than any which has yet been agitated, to wit, the proposition to organize a National Democratic Party; and

"Whereas, Some of our friends have already been misled by it; and

"Whereas, The result will be to divide Pro-Slavery Whigs from Democrats, thus weakening our party one-half; and

"Whereas, We believe that on the success of our party depends the perpetuity of the Union: therefore

"Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Council concurring therein, That it is the duty of the Pro-Slavery party, the Union-loving men of Kansas Territory, to know but one issue, Slavery; and that any party making or attempting to make any other, is, and should be held, as an ally of Abolitionism and Disunionism."

The resolution was adopted.

AUGUST 30.-The Council confirms Acting Gov. Woodson's appointments of Major Generals, Brigadier Generals, and Colonels; and the appointment of Thos. J. B. Cramer as Auditor of Public Accounts, and John Donaldson as Treasurer. Legislature adjourns.

The private laws fill 212 pages of the statute book. The cities incorporated are Leavenworth, Lawrence, Kickapoo, Pawnee and Lecompton. Among the town companies incorporated are Marysville, Iola, Atchison, Fort Scott and Paola.

AUGUST 31.-Commissions issued by Gov. Woodson to A. M. Coffey, Major General; Wm. A. Heiskell, Brigadier General; Wm. Barbee, Brigadier General; Wm. C. Yager, Colonel; Geo. W. Johnson, Colonel; S. A. Williams, Colonel; Skilman Fleming, Colonel; Wm. P. Richardson, Major General; F. J. Marshall, Brigadier General; Lucien J. Eastin, Brigadier General; Robt. Clark, Colonel; Jas. E. Thompson, Colonel; David M. Johnson, Colonel; Archibald Payne, Colonel; Hiram J. Strickler, Adjutant General; and Thomas J. B. Cramer, Inspector General. Commissions were also issued to the county officers appointed by the Legislature, for the following counties: Doniphan, Atchison, Jefferson, Calhoun, Leavenworth, Douglas, Johnson, Lykins, Bourbon, Allen, Anderson, Franklin, Shawnee, Nemaha, Marshall, Riley, and Madison. Commissions were issued to Chas. H. Grover, H. A. Hutchinson and John T. Brady, as District Attorneys for the First, Second and Third Judicial Districts.

SEPTEMBER 1.—Nearly all the acts of the first Legislature, commonly called the "Bogus Laws," took effect as soon as they were passed. The volume of laws, 1058 pages, was published in October. General Stringfellow, in a letter to the Montgomery (Alabama) Advertiser, uses this language as to the character of the laws of the Territory in reference to slavery:

"They have now laws more efficient to protect slave property than any State in the

Union. These laws have just taken effect, and have already silenced Abolitionists; for, in spite of their heretofore boasting, they know they will be enforced to the very letter, and with the utmost rigor. Not only is it profitable for slaveholders to go to Kansas, but politically it is all-important."

The following is a copy of the "Act to punish offences against slave property:"

"Be it enacted by the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Kansas, as follows: "SECTION 1. That every person, bond or free, who shall be convicted of actually raising a rebellion or insurrection of slaves, free negroes, or mulattoes, in this Territory, shall suffer death.

"SEC. 2. Every free person who shall aid or assist in any rebellion or insurrection of slaves, free negroes, or mulattoes, or shall furnish arms, or do any overt act in furtherance of such rebellion or insurrection, shall suffer death.

"SEC. 3. If any free person shall, by speaking, writing, or printing, advise, persuade, or induce any slaves to rebel, conspire against or murder any citizen of this Territory, or shall bring into, print, write publish or circulate, or cause to be brought into, printed, written, published, or circulated, or shall knowingly aid or assist in the bringing into, printing, writing, publishing or circulating, in this Territory, any book, paper, magazine, pamphlet, or circular, for the purpose of exciting insurrection, rebellion, revolt, or conspiracy on the part of the slaves, free negroes, or mulattoes, against the citizens of the Territory, or any part of them, such person shall be guilty of felony, and suffer death.

"SEC. 4. If any person shall entice, decoy, or carry away out of this Territory any slave belonging to another, with intent to deprive the owner thereof of the services of such slave, or with intent to effect or procure the freedom of such slave, he shall be adjudged guilty of grand larceny, and on conviction thereof, shall suffer death, or be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than ten years.

"SEC. 5. If any person shall aid or assist in enticing, decoying, or persuading, or carrying away, or sending out of this Territory, any slave belonging to another, with intent to procure or effect the freedom of such slave, or with intent to deprive the owner thereof of the services of such slave, he shall be adjudged guilty of grand larceny, and, on conviction thereof, shall suffer death, or be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than ten years.

"SEC. 6. If any person shall entice, decoy, or carry away out of any State or other Territory of the United States any slave belonging to another, with intent to procure or effect the freedom of such slave, or to deprive the owners thereof of the services of such slave, and shall bring such slave into this Territory, he shall be adjudged guilty of grand larceny, in the same manner as if such slave had been enticed, decoyed, or carried away out of this Territory; and in such case the larceny may be charged to have been committed in any county of this Territory into or through which such slave shall have been brought by such person; and on conviction thereof, the person offending shall suffer death, or be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than ten years.

"SEC. 7. If any person shall entice, persuade or induce any slave to escape from the service of his master or owner in this Territory, or shall aid or assist any slave in escap ing from the service of his master or owner, or shall aid, assist, harbor or conceal any slave who may have escaped from the service of his master or owner, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and punished by imprisonment at hard labor for a term of not less than five years.

"SEC. 8. If any person in this Territory shall aid or assist, harbor or conceal any slave who has escaped from the service of his master or owner in another State or Territory, such person shall be punished in like manner as if such slave had escaped from the service of his master or owner in this Territory.

"SEC. 9. If any person shall resist any officer while attempting to arrest any slave that may have escaped from the service of his master or owner, or shall rescue such slave when in custody of any officer or other person, or shall entice, persuade, aid or assist such slave to escape from the custody of any officer or other person who may have such slave in custody, whether such slave have escaped from the service of his master or owner in this Territory or in any other State or Territory, the person so

offending shall be guilty of felony, and punished by imprisonment at hard labor for a term of not less than two years.

"SEC. 10. If any marshal, sheriff, or constable, or the deputy of any such officer, shall, when required by any person, refuse to aid or assist in the arrest and capture of any slave that may have escaped from the service of his master or owner, whether such slave shall have escaped from his master or owner in this Territory or any State or other Territory, such officer shall be fined in a sum of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars.

"SEC. 11. If any person print, write, introduce into, publish or circulate, or cause to be brought into, printed, written, published or circulated, or shall knowingly aid or assist in bringing into, printing, publishing or circulating within this Territory, any book, paper, pamphlet, magazine, handbill or circular, containing any statements, arguments, opinions, sentiment, doctrine, advice or innuendo, calculated to produce a disorderly, dangerous or rebellious disaffection among the slaves in this Territory, or to induce such slaves to escape from the service of their masters, or resist their authority, he shall be guilty of felony, and be punished by imprisonment and hard labor for a term not less than five years.

"SEC. 12. If any free person, by speaking or by writing, assert or maintain that persons have not the right to hold slaves in this Territory, or shall introduce into this Territory, print, publish, write, circulate, or cause to be introduced into this Territory, written, printed, published or circulated in this Territory, any book, paper, magazine, pamphlet or circular containing any denial of the right of persons to hold slaves in this Territory, such person shall be deemed guilty of felony, and punished by imprisonment at hard labor for a term of not less than two years.

"SEC. 13. No person who is conscientiously opposed to holding slaves, or who does not admit the right to hold slaves in this Territory, shall sit as a juror on the trial of any prosecution for any violation of any of the sections of this act.

"This act to take effect and be in force from and after the fifteenth day of September, A. D. 1855."

By these laws only a Pro-Slavery man could hold office. Every officer, whether elected or appointed, was compelled to take an oath to support the Organic Act and the Fugitive Slave Law. (Page 516.)

The following is section 13, chapter 92, page 445:

"No person who is conscientiously opposed to the holding of slaves, or who does not admit the right to hold slaves in this Territory, shall be a juror in any cause in which the right to hold any person in slavery is involved, nor in any cause in which any injury done to or committed by any slave is in issue, nor in any criminal proceeding for the violation of any law enacted for the protection of slave property, and for the punishment of crimes committed against the right to such property."

Chapter 22, page 165, defines the terms "hard labor" and "convicts." A person found with a copy of the New York Tribune in his pocket, or who uttered a word against slavery, would probably remember his punishment. Section 2 of this law provides that the keeper "having charge of such convict, shall cause such convict, while engaged at such labor, to be securely confined by a chain six feet in length, of not less than four-sixteenths nor more than three-eighths of an inch links, with a round ball of iron, of not less than four nor more than six inches in diameter, attached, which chain shall be securely fastened to the ankle of such convict with a strong lock and key; and such keeper or other person having charge of such convict, may, if necessary, confine such convict, while so engaged at hard labor, by other chains or other means in his discretion, so as to keep such convict secure and prevent his escape; and when there shall be two or more convicts under the charge of such keeper, or other person, such convicts shall be fastened together by strong chains, with strong locks and keys, during