der ruffians sacked Lawrence in 1856.

In March, 1857, I again returned to Kansas, and with my daughter and
youngest son, made a permanent home in Wyandotte County.

The Constitution was adopted in November, 1859, by popular vote. In
January, 1860, Kansas having been admitted to the Union, the first
State Legislature met at Topeka, the capital of the new State. I
attended its sessions, as I had those of the Convention, and addressed
both in behalf of justice for the women of the State, as delegate of
the Kansas Woman's Rights Association. This Association was formed in
the spring of 1859 with special reference to the Convention which had
already been called to meet in the July following, in the city of
Wyandotte.

The Association--if I recollect aright--numbered some twenty-five
earnest men and women of the John Brown type, living in Moneka, Linn
County; John O. Wattles, President; Susan Wattles, Secretary. Wendell
Phillips, treasurer of the Francis Jackson Woman's Rights Fund,
guaranteed payment of expenses, and the Association sent me, with
limited hopes and unstinted blessings, to canvass the principal
settlements in the Territory, obtain names to petitions and represent
them--if allowed by courtesy of the Convention--in behalf of equal
civil and political rights for the women of the State to be organized.
I was appealed to as the only woman in the Territory who had
experience and could take the field, which was I believe true.

We had no material for Conventions, and the population was so sparse,
distances so great, and means of conveyance and communication so slow
and uncertain, that I felt sure an attempt at Conventions would be
disastrous, only betraying the weakness of our reserves, for I must
have done most, if not all the speaking.

It was the policy of the Republicans to "keep shady," as a party. John
Wattles came to Wyandotte before I addressed the Convention, counseled
with members, and reported to me that "I didn't need him, that it was
better that no man appear in it."

After spending some four weeks in the field, I went to the Convention,
and with a very dear friend, Mrs. Lucy B. Armstrong, of Wyandotte, was
given a permanent seat beside the chaplain, Rev. Mr. Davis, Presiding
Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the District, which I
occupied till the adjournment of the Convention, laboring to develop
an active and corresponding interest in outsiders as well as members,
until my petitions h