The District Court for the Second District organized at Tecumseh; Rush Elmore, Judge; John A. Halderman appointed U. S. Attorney pro tem., and Ben. I. Newsom Clerk.

-The Herald of Freedom says a drought prevailed from June '54 to May '55, "with scarcely any rain or snow to cool the atmosphere or moisten the earth."

RETURNS OF THE ELECTION OF MAY 22, 1855, TO FILL VACANCIES
CALLED BY GOV. REEDER.

MAY.-The steamers Emma Harmon, Financier No. 2, and the Hartford, arrived at Lawrence. A Government boat, the Excel, was the only one to ascend the river before the Harmon. The Harmon was six days in reaching Topeka, from Lawrence. On the return trip, she went from Lawrence to Kansas City in six hours.

MAY 11.-The Leavenworth Herald publishes, with editorial approval, a communication which says: "Suffer not an avowed Abolitionist to remain within your borders. You [the Pro-Slavery party] have got the start; keep it."

MAY 17.-Lynching of William Phillips. The following account is copied from Gladstone's History:

"A Vigilance Committee was appointed in the spring of 1855, having for its object 'to observe and report all such persons as shall, by the expression of Abolition sentiments, produce disturbance to the quiet of the citizens or danger to their domestic relations; and all such persons so offending shall be notified and made to leave the Territory.' On this committee were several members of the Legislature. The first person 'observed and reported' by the committee as acting so as to endanger 'their domestic relations' (by which delicate expression is meant the institution of slavery) was Mr. William Phillips, a lawyer residing in Leavenworth, whose offence was that he had sworn to a protest against the validity of the election in his district, in consequence of which protest Governor Reeder had ordered a new election. Mr. Phillips was 'notified' to leave the Territory. He refused to do so, whereupon he was seized by a party of Missouri men to the number of fourteen, taken across the river, and carried several miles into Missouri. [To Weston.] They then proceeded to shave one side of his head, next stripped off his clothes, and put him through the horrible ordeal of tarring and feathering. This being completed, they rode him on a rail for a mile and a half, and finally put him up at auction, a negro acting as auctioneer, and went through the mockery of selling him, not at the price of a slave, but for the sum of one dollar. Eight days after this outrage a public meeting was held, at which the following resolution was unanimously adopted:

"That we heartily endorse the action of the committee of citizens that shaved, tarred and feathered, rode on a rail, and had sold by a negro, Wm. Phillips, the moral perjurer.' "The meeting was presided over by Mr. Rees, a member of Council in the Kansas Legislature, and the resolution was offered by Mr. Payne, a Judge, and also member of the House of Representatives. The outrage committed against Mr. Phillips was not, therefore, the hasty act of a few murderous ruffians, but one advisedly carried out and

afterwards deliberately endorsed by a number of citizens and by members of both houses of the Legislature. Mr. Phillips returned to Leavenworth, but has since, according to accounts received in the autumn of 1856, been shot.”

MAY 20.-The Leavenworth Herald devotes a column to the description of the tarring, feathering and riding on a rail of Wm. Phillips. The crime of Phillips was, that he protested against a fraudulent election. The Herald

says:

"Our action in the whole affair is emphatically endorsed by the Pro-Slavery party in this district. The joy, exultation and glorification produced by it in our community are unparalleled."

-A public meeting was held to approve of this dastardly outrage. The Herald says:

แ

"On motion of Jarret Todd, R. R. Rees was called to the chair, and C. C. Harrison chosen Secretary. On motion of Judge Payne, five resolutions were unanimously adopted, one of which reads as follows:

"Resolved, That we heartily endorse the action of the citizens that shaved; tarred and feathered, rode on a rail, and had sold by a negro, Wm. Phillips, the moral perjurer.'"

-About this time M. W. Delahay begins the publication of the Territorial Register. His paper does not meet the approbation of the violently ProSlavery Herald; hence Delahay is denounced as a “traitor.”

JUNE 8.-Free-State Convention at Lawrence. Committee on Organization: Wm. Partridge, S. F. Shore, Wm. Jessee. Committee on Resolutions: S. N. Wood, John Brown, jr., Jas. P. Fox, Aug. Wattles, A. F. Powell. Officers: John A. Wakefield, President; John Brown, jr., J. E. Curtis, and Joseph L. Speer, Vice Presidents; R. G. Elliott and Chas. A. Foster, Secretaries.

Resolutions were adopted in favor of making Kansas a Free State, and against the illegal voting by citizens of Missouri. Also, the following: "Resolved, That in reply to the threats of war so frequently made in our neighboring State, our answer is, We Are Ready."

Speeches were made by Wood, Robinson, Elliott, Foster, Speer, Stockton, and others.

JUNE 11.-W. L. Marcy, Secretary of State, writes a letter to Gov. Reeder, charging him with irregularities in the purchase of Indian lands. JUNE 25.—Gov. Reeder, having returned to Kansas, denies Mr. Marcy's charges.

JUNE 25.—The Governor declares duly elected John Hutchinson, Erastus D. Ladd and Philip P. Fowler, Representatives from the Second District; John A. Wakefield, to be duly elected, from the Second District, and Augustus Wattles and Wm. Jessee, also Representatives from the same district; Jesse D. Wood, a member of the Council from the Third District; Wm. G. Mathias, A. Payne and H. D. McMeekin, members of the House from the Fourteenth District, and C. K. Holliday, a member of the House from the Fourth District.

JUNE 27.-Executive office removed from Shawnee Manual Labor School. -Convention of the "National Democracy" at Lawrence; James H. Lane, Chairman; J. N. O. P. Wood, Secretary. They resolved that "the best interests of Kansas require an early organization of the Democratic party upon truly national ground;" fully endorse the Democratic platform of 1852; kindly request citizens of adjoining States to let them alone, and that they cannot permit "the purity of the ballot-box to be polluted by outsiders, or illegal voting from any quarter." E. Chapman, C. W. Babcock, James

Garvin, James S. Emery and Hugh Cameron, were the committee on resolutions.

JULY 2.-The Legislature meets at Pawnee, near Fort Riley, as ordered by the Governor. The executive office established at Pawnee.

-Congress appropriates $25,000 for public buildings in Kansas. -The Third Judicial District organized at Pawnee, Saunders W. Johnston presiding. A. J. Isacks, U. S. Attorney, present. R. H. Higgins appointed Clerk.

July 3.-M. F. Conway resigns his seat in the Council.-Gov. Reeder's Message is read.— John A. Wakefield and Jesse D. Wood, elected from the Second and Third Council Districts on the 22d of May to fill vacancies, enter their solemn protest against being denied seats.

JULY 4.- Donaldson, McDonald and Strickler admitted to seats in the Council..

S. D. Houston, in the House, protests against the action of the House in refusing seats to John Hutchinson, Erastus D. Ladd, Philip P. Fowler, Augustus Wattles and William Jessee, who have received certificates of election from the Governor. The seats are given to the Pro-Slavery candidates voted for on the 30th of March. The ousted members also protest.

-The Kansas Freeman appears, published by Edward C. K. Garvey & Co., at Topeka. The first paper in Topeka.

-A daily paper published in Lawrence one week, by John Speer. The first daily attempted in the Territory.

JULY 6.—John T. Brady elected Public Printer.- An act to remove the seat of Government to the Shawnee Manual Labor School passes both branches over the Governor's veto. Adjourned to meet at Shawnee July 16th. JULY 10.-Surveyor General's office removed to Leavenworth City. JULY 16.-Legislature reassembles at Shawnee.

The following are copies of tables printed at the time:

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