418 



KANSAS. 



deported remained wrapped in mystery. In 

 January, 1870, the remainder of the grown 

 males of the colony, about seven hundred in 

 number, were embarked on several govern- 

 ment steamers, to be conveyed to various 

 parts of Japan, principally to the north. The 

 foreign consuls held several meetings with a 

 view to prevent the execution of this measure. 

 The English ambassador, Sir Harry Parkes, 

 requested a delay of fourteen days, in order 

 that he might confer with the government at 

 Yeddo, but the respite was not granted. Ac- 

 cording to Japanese official reports the aggre- 

 gate number of native Christians in the country 

 was 3,600, of which 2,000 were at Urakami near 

 Nagasaki, 100 at Omura, and 1,500 at Fubahori. 

 Besides, there were Christians in Shimabara, 

 Amakusa, Hirado, and' other places, but their 

 number could not be accurately stated. 



The Buddhist priests were compelled to pay 



to the Mikado the sum of 8,000,000 rios, or 

 $10,000,000, for the privilege of remaining in 

 possession of their temples, monuments, and 

 idols, and of observing their religious rites and 

 customs without restriction. 



An interview was granted by the Mikado 

 to William H. Seward, ex-Secretary of State 

 of the United States, during his presence 

 in Japan, in October, 1870. The interview 

 took place at the imperial palace at Tokei near 

 Yeddo, and caused a considerable sensation 

 among the Japanese officials and the diplomatic 

 corps, the invitation to such an interview to a 

 private individual being altogether without 

 precedent. At the meeting all the rigid for- 

 malities which have hitherto obstructed free 

 intercourse with strangers were for the first 

 time laid aside, the reception of Mr. Seward 

 being very cordial and free from all court 

 etiquette. 



K 



KANSAS. The Legislature of Kansas meets 

 annually, on the second Tuesday of January, at 

 Topeka. The last session continued nearly to 

 the 1st of March, but little legislation took 

 place which has any interest for the general 

 reader. An act was passed to enable husband 

 and wife, or either of them, to be a witness for 

 or against the other, or on behalf of any party, 

 in cases where the other is interested in the 

 result. A memorial to Congress, asking for 

 the submission to the people of a sixteenth 

 amendment to the Federal Constitution, allow- 

 ing the right of suffrage to women, was adopted 

 by a vote of G6 to 9 in the House of Kepresen- 

 tatives, but was laid on the table in the Senate 

 by the casting vote of theLieutenant-Governor. 

 The Governor had occasion to exercise the 

 veto power once during the session. A joint 

 resolution had been adopted to appropriate a 

 portion of the sinking fund to the payment of 

 "current legislative expenses and the salaries 

 of Supreme and District Court judges for the 

 year 1870." This the Governor pronounced 

 an unwarranted assumption of authority, as it 

 created a "favored class of creditors of the 

 State to the detriment of those with whom the 

 people in their sovereign capacity have made a 

 sacred contract." He proceeded to show where- 

 in this action was in violation of the provisions 

 of the constitution, which declared that "the 

 Legislature shall provide each year for raising 

 revenue sufficient to defray the current ex- 

 penses of the State," and that the proceeds of 

 no tax shall be applied to any other purpose 

 than that for which the tax was levied. Such 

 tampering with the sinking fund as was pro- 

 posed by this resolution he thought would 

 not be very "cheering to public creditors or 

 satisfactory to a tax-paying people who had 

 authoritatively and expressly prohibited any 



such transactions." Notwithstanding this veto 

 and the reasons given for it, the resolution was 

 again adopted by a two-thirds majority in 

 each House. The alternative of the members 

 was to take their pay in the depreciated scrip 

 of the State, or make an "unwarranted attack 

 on the sinking fund," and they chose the latter 

 course. An injunction against the payment of 

 the members from this fund was afterward 

 sued out, and a revenue bill passed to provide 

 for the fiscal year 1870-'7l, based on the fol- 

 lowing estimates : 



Outstanding scrip (about) $ 78,000 



Legislative appropriations 275,000 



Interest to be paid on scrip 16,000 



Legislative expenses, 1871 30,000 



Commission and mileage of County Treasurers. . 30,000 

 Probable deficiency in collection of taxes 100,000 



Total $528,000 



Deduct from this probable amouiii, to be paid by 

 County Treasurers in July 60,000 



Leaves to be provided for. $478,000 



Provision was thus made for redeeming the 

 scrip of the State, which had depreciated in 

 value and become an injury to the public 

 credit. To raise the sum of money provided 

 for in this bill, a tax of six mills on a dollar is 

 required, the taxable property of the State 

 being estimated at $85,000,000. 



A subject of great importance to the settlers 

 in Kansas and one which not only occupied 

 a large share of attention at the last session of 

 the Legislature, but occasioned a good deal of 

 discussion in Congress, was that of a disposi- 

 tion of lands heretofore occupied by Indians. 

 Large tracts of territory have remained un- 

 disposed of by the Government, some of which 

 have been reserved for the use of the Indians 

 by treaty stipulations. On these white men 

 have in many cases formed settlements, either 

 with or without the consent of the Indian oc- 



