Territorial Delegates in the Convention, May 15, 1860

Editors Press & Tribune:

A portion of the Nebraska delegation to the Chicago Convention arrived here this evening. They were much surprised to be informed by persons at the Tremont House that the Kansas Delegation would be admitted to the Convention with the privilege of voting, but that the Nebraska delegation would be invited to the seats in the pit, without any voice in determining nominations or platform. By what showing of logic, I ask, is it proposed to admit the one and exclude the other? If I am correctly informed there is no possible chance for the admission of Kansas into the Union before the November election. The Senate is understood to be directly hostile to it. If then, it is proposed to admit one Territory which cannot possibly give an electoral vote to any candidate, why exclude another? It is argued that the Convention of 1856 established a precedent in favor of Kansas by admitting her to the National Republican Convention. But does not this precedent apply equally to Nebraska. Was Kansas then admitted because she was supposed to be soon to come into the Union? Not at all. She was admitted because she had sent delegates! We feel that we have done a glorious work in Nebraska during the past three years. We have wrested the territory from the Sham Democracy fairly and squarely. We appeal to the Convention to accord us our rights in the premises. We are fairly entitled, under the call, to seats in the convention as Kansas. The call of the committee constitutes the “ruling powers” of the Convention, and if there is to be any deviation from that instrument we demand that we be awarded the same privileges which are extended to others in like circumstances.

NEBRASKA.

CHICAGO, May 15, 1860.

SOURCE: “Territorial Delegates in the Convention,” The Press and Tribune, Chicago, Illinois, Wednesday, May 16, 1860, p. 4, col. 2

James M. Winchell

JAMES M. WINCHELL was born at Avon, Livingston county, New York, in 1823, and died at Hyde Park, N.Y., February 2, 1877. In 1848 he graduated from the State Normal School, at Albany, and began teaching in the public schools of Syracuse, giving some attention to journalism. In 1853 he removed to New York city, and in 1854 to Council City, now Burlingame, Kan. He was delegate to the first national republican convention, at Philadelphia, a member of the Leavenworth and president of the Wyandotte constitutional conventions. He was a member of the territorial house of representatives in 1860 and 1861. He was correspondent of the New York Times during the Kansas troubles, and war correspondent during the rebellion, having charge of the Times bureau in Washington in 1862 and 1863. He was then connected with the management of the Kansas Pacific railroad for a short time, and in 1864 was secretary of the national committee organized to urge the nomination of Salmon P. Chase for the presidency. He then engaged in mining, until, in 1867, he retired from active pursuits, and purchased the estate at Hyde Park, on the Hudson. He was connected editorially with the New York Times at his death. His wife has given the Society many of his Kansas manuscripts.

SOURCE: Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society, Volume 7, p. 408