KANSAS. 



KENTUCKY. 



000, which was 30 por cent, of the taxable prop- 

 erty of tlio county and 40 per cent, of that of 

 ity respectively. The interest remained 

 unpaid so long that the creditors became wea- 

 ried with \\ .tiling, and brought suit on tlu-ir 

 bonds. The United States Court gave judg- 

 ment in tbeir favor, and ordered the County 

 Commissioners to levy a tax to pay the judg- 

 ments. This order the Commissioners declined 

 to obey, and they were cited before the Court 

 to answer why they should not be punished for 

 contempt. Popular meetings were then held 

 both at Leavenworth and Lawrence, at which 

 the Commissioners were exhorted to persist in 

 their refusal, even if they had to go to prison. 

 The resolutions declare that they were elected 

 on this very issue, with the understanding that 

 under no circumstances would they levy a tax 

 to pay the interest, and it was expected that 

 they would keep their pledge. Some of them 

 publicly declared that they would not obey 

 " the order of the Court. The following resolu- 

 tion manifests the defiant attitude of the peo- 

 ple: 



Resolved. That the tax-payers of Leavenworth 

 County will stand by the Board of County Commis- 

 sioners in its efforts to compromise the railroad in- 

 debtedness as long as they are governed by the wish 

 of the tax-payers as expressed in this motion, and will 

 protect them from personal loss and pay all expenses 

 that are necessary to bo incurred in an effort to bring 

 about a compromise of this indebtedness ; and in fight- 

 ing it to the end, if the members have to be sent 

 to jail, the county will compensate them for their time 

 while detained from their business, and if they are 

 compelled to pay any fines, the county will fully in- 

 demnify them. 



These proceedings, as in all other cases, led 

 to an arrangement. 



The decline in the amount of life-insurance 

 policies in the State during the year was $1,- 

 180,584, although there was an increase in the 

 number of policies. 



The movement, or " exodus " as it was called, 

 of colored families from the States on the lower 

 part of the Mississippi River to Kansas is treat- 

 ed elsewhere in these pages. It is sufficient to 

 show here the manner in which they were re- 

 ceived by the people and their condition on 

 arrival. This is briefly done in the following 

 appeal to the friends of the colored people : 



TOPFJC A, KANSAS, Jun* 26, 1879. 



To THE FRIENDS or THE COLORED PEOPLE : The 

 directors of the Kansas Froedman's Relief Association, 

 in view of the present situation, deem it proper to 

 make public thia address, and ask the friends of the 

 colored people for further aid in caring for the helpless 

 and destitute refugees. 



This is a matter not local to our State, but is one of 

 national concern. It involves the solution of a great 

 question, important alike to the people of the whole 

 country, and if properly met will go very far to work 

 a cure of the ills of tho'freedinen of the South. If wo 

 prove equal to the occasion, and can assist these peo- 

 ple who are seeking homes in the North and utilize 

 their labor, those who remain behind will discover a 

 kindlier feeling and better treatment in the South. 



In organizing this association we were moved by 

 two controlling motives. The first was one of human- 

 ity. Many of them were old and decrepit, and many 

 young and helpless, and with few exceptions were 



destitute. They were landed on the river banks by 

 hundreds, in the chilly days of early spring, after 

 long and tedious journey, fraught with i 

 privations. Many were nick uii'l !% m.' n-nii exposure, 

 and many were Buffering for food, awning, unu medi- 

 cal assistance. The simplest dictate* of Immunity de- 

 mand immediate and organized effort for their relief. 



Another incentive to meet this emergency was to 

 maintain the honored traditions of our Bute, which 

 had its conception and birth in a struggle for freedom 

 and equal rights for the colored man. She has shed 

 too much blood for this cause to now turn back from 

 her soil those defenseless people fleeing from the land 

 of oppression. 



We have not sought to stimulate or encourage their 

 migration hither. We have always endeavored to 

 pluee before the colored people of the S >uth the plain 

 facts, hoping thus to projicrly restrain an improvident 

 hegiru, based upon delusive hopes and expectations. 

 We have also sought to impress upon them that other 

 Western and Northern States possess equal advantages 

 for homes for the laboring man. In brief, we have 

 undertaken, so far as lies in our power, to provide for 

 the destitute of these pcople ( wno come voluntarily 

 among us, the common necessities of life, and to assist 

 them in obtaining situations where they con earn a 

 livelihood. 



We have made an effort to establish a colony about 

 fifty miles west of this city in Wabaunsee County. 

 Finding that good land could be bought for $'J.65 per 

 acre, we are locating about thirty families on forty 

 acres each. This is university land, one tenth to be 

 paid down and the balance in nineteen years at 7 per 

 cent, interest. We have furnished for their use teams 

 and some agricultural implements, built barracks to be 

 used in common, and furnished rations. We also 

 agreed to make the first payment for them. Some 

 ground has been broken and planting done, but it was 

 too late to realize much this season. This is an ex- 

 periment, and so far seems successful, but it requires 

 more money than we anticipated. The ultimate suc- 

 cess of this colony must depend on future contribu- 

 tions. The refugees have established three other 

 colonies, one in Graham, one in Hodgcinun, and one in 

 Morris County. The association is not responsible for 

 these, but they will need assistance. 



Tins association has taken charge of, and aided moro 

 or less, about three thousand of these people, and 

 there are still hero and on the way from St. Louis 

 about four hundred more. We have received money 

 from all sources, $5,819.7^. We have expended and 

 incurred obligations for the whole of this fund. A 

 large quantity of clothing and blankets have been re- 

 ceived, and we have a large lot of clothing now on 

 hand. What we need is money with which to obtain 

 shelter, medical assistance, ana furnish transportation 

 to such places as will give them employment. This 

 we must have or else relinquish all further efforts at 

 organized assistance to these refugees. 



The good people who have already so generously 

 contributed to the cause have our sincere thanks. 



All contributions should bo sent to Governor John 

 P. St. John. 



JOHN P. ST. JOHN, President 



JNO. FRANCIS, Treasurer. 



P. I. BONEBRAKE, Auditor. 



ALBERT H. IIORTON, Chief Justice, 



C. G. FOSTER, U. 8. District Judge. 



JAMES SMITH, Secretary of State. 



J. C. HEBBARD, Secretary. 



WILLARD DAMS, Attorney-General. 

 Board of Directors N. C. McFarland, T. W. Hen- 

 derson, and J. B. Jetinorc. 



KENTUCKY. The question of a 

 of the Constitution of Kentucky was submitted 

 by the Legislature to the voters at the election 

 in August, 1879. A majority vote against re- 

 vision determines the question until it may 

 be again submitted by the Legislature. It is 



