A State University is in operation at Lawrence, and is gradually becoming an excellent institution. It is endowed with a fund of $10,000, and 46,080 acres of land, besides the grounds occupied by it.

The State also possesses and Agricultural College, to which a military department has been added, and a flourishing normal school, at the town of Emporia.

The educational system is under the control of a Superintendent of Public Schools, the counties have each a separate Superintendent, and the school dictricts are each in charge of a Board of Trustees. There is a permanent school fund, which is to be increased by sales of public lands, and taxes are levied for the support of the schools. In 1870, there were 2068 school districts in the State. The number of pupils was 63,218, and the average daily attendance, 39,401.

A number of fine private schools are in operation in Kansas, but we have no returns from them.

There are about 97 newspapers and magazines published in the State.

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

The Penitentiary is located near Leavenworth, and when completed will be one of the finest institutions of its kind in the West. In November, 1870, it contained 209 convicts.

The Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb is at Olathe. It is in a flourishing condition, and contains about 41 pupils.

The Insane Asylum is at Ossawatomie.

It is not provided with sufficient accommodations, but is conducted upon an excellent and successful plan. In 1870, the number of inmates was 41.

The Institution for the Blind, at Wyandotte, contained 23 pupils in 1868, the year of its opening.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

In 1870, there were 301 churches in Kansas. The value of church property was about $1,722,700.

FINANCES.

In 1870, the total State debt was $1,593,306. The receipts of the Treasury, for the fiscal year ending November 30th, 1870, were $1,426, 696, and the expenditures, $1,367,611.

In the same year there were 5 National banks, with a capital of $400,000, doing business in the State.

GOVERNMENT.

Every male citizen of the United States, and every foreigner who has lawfully declared his intention to become a citizen, who is 21 years old, and has resided in the State six months, and in the township thirty days, is entitled to vote at the elections. Idiots, insane persons, convicts, persons in the military or naval service of the Union, and participants in the Rebellion, are excluded from the ballot.

The Government is vested in a Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Attorney-General, and a Legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives, all chosen by the people. The State officers and Senators are elected for two years, and the Representatives for one year. The general election is held in November, and the Legislature meets annually in January.

The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court, District Courts, and County Courts. The Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and two Associate Justices. All judges are elected by the people, those of the Supreme Court for six years, and those of the District Courts for four years.

The seat of Government is established at Topeka.

The State is divided into 75 organized counties. More will be added when the western part is laid off.

HISTORY.

Kansas originally formed a part of the Louisiana purchase. It was first visited by M. Dutisne, a French officer, in 1719. In 1804, Lewis and Clark passed up the Missouri River on their exploring expedition, and, in 1827, Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri River, was built by the United States. Kansas was occupied mostly by Indians as late as 1854. By the terms of the Missouri Compromise, slavery was forever excluded from this region, as it lay north of 36° 30′ N. latitude.

Until the year 1850, the vast region lying between the western and northwestern borders of Missouri and the Rocky Mountains, was called by the general and somewhat indefinite name of "the Platte Country;" the name being derived from the Platte River. It was known to be a region of great fertility. Across it swept the grand trails of the overland route to the Pacific and to Utah. The people of the New England States were particularly anxious that the Indian

reservations which covered the eastern part should be bought up by the Government, and the country thrown open to emigration. Petitions to this effect were presented to the Thirty-Second Congress, but no action was taken upon them until December, 1852, when Mr. Hall, of Missouri, introduced a bill into the House to organize the "Territory of Platte." It was referred to the Territorial Committee, which, in February, 1853, reported a bill organizing the "Territory of Nebraska." The southern delegates at once endeavored to open the proposed Territory to slavery, notwithstanding the fact that that institution was forbidden by the Missouri Compromise. The free States opposed this effort, and nothing definite was accomplished until January, 1854, when Senator Douglas, of Illinois, introduced a bill dividing the district into two Territories, to be called Kansas and Nebraska. He also proposed in this bill to repeal the Missouri Compromise restriction, and leave the question of slavery or free labor to be decided by the people of the Territories themselves. This fatal measure divided the people of the States into two parties. Those in favor of slavery supported the bill, but the friends of free labor opposed it.

The bill was passed by Congress, and approved by the President, in 1854. The Indian reservations were bought up, and the Territories thrown open to emigration.

Kansas being a more fertile Territory than Nebraska, naturally attracted the greater number of settlers. The South made no attempt to settle it, but the New England States sent out emigrants in great numbers. The people living on the border of Missouri had long since resolved that Kansas should be a slave-holding State, and now set to work to prevent free soil settlers from entering it. Nevertheless, the Free State men persevered, and in a few months after the Territory was organized the town of Lawrence was founded by 100 families from New England. Other settlements were established soon after, and the population increased very fast.

A. H. Reeder was appointed Governor by President Pierce. He endeavored to execute the laws faithfully, but was no match for the determined and fierce pro-slavery leaders. He ordered an election for members of a Territorial Legislature to be held on the 30th of March, 1855, but on that day Kansas was invaded by large numbers of Missourians, who succeeded in electing a pro-slavery Legislature.

Six districts at once forwarded to the Governor protests against the elections, showing beyond all reasonable doubt that they had