THE GOVERNORS OF KANSAS.
Second Inaugural Address, delivered in Representative Hall, Jan. 9th, 1887.
Ladies and Gentlemen: I heard a gentleman say recently: “I have known all the Governors of Kansas.” I asked: “How many Governors has Kansas had?” He thought a moment, and replied: “Nine.” I presume a very large majority, even of those best informed in the political history of the State, would make the same wrong reply. For Kansas has had sixteen real and four acting Governors, and since its admission into the Union the State has had ten. I am glad the committee having charge of the ceremonies to-day did not forget this fact, and so did not omit to invite the Hon. Nehemiah Green, who was Governor of Kansas from November 4, 1868, to January 11, 1869.
It is not inappropriate, I think, on an occasion of this character, to briefly recall some facts connected with the incumbents of the Executive office of Kansas. I have known all of our Governors, Territorial and State, except two, Reeder and Geary; and all of the acting Governors except one, Woodson. The Territorial period extended from June, 1854, to January, 1861, and during these six years and a half, seven Governors, and five Secretaries who at times acted as Governor, were appointed by the President. Kansas had a small population then; but then, as now, the voice of Kansas was heard in the land, and it was no puling infant’s cry! So the President sent out, to govern this lusty young giant of the American desert, strong men, distinguished men, men who had had a large and valuable training in civil affairs, and they were, one and all, glad to come and to link their names and fames with that of Kansas.
The Territorial Governors appointed were, in succession: Andrew H. Reeder, John L. Dawson, Wilson Shannon, John W. Geary, Robert J. Walker, James W. Denver, and Samuel Medary; and the Secretaries were Daniel Woodson, Frederick P. Stanton, James W. Denver, Hugh S. Walsh, and George M. Beebe. All came to Kansas and served in the positions to which they were appointed, except one, Mr. Dawson, who declined. Of these seven Governors, all were lawyers except two—Geary, who was a merchant, and Medary, who was a printer by trade. Five were born in Pennsylvania; one, Shannon, in Ohio, and one, Denver, in Virginia.
As I have stated, these Territorial Governors were generally distinguished men.
Governor Reeder, previous to his appointment as Governor, had never held an office, but he had been for many years one of the most eminent lawyers of Pennsylvania.
Wilson Shannon had been twice elected Governor of Ohio, and had also served as Minister to Mexico, before coming to Kansas.
Robert J. Walker had been a United States Senator from Mississippi, and Secretary of the Treasury during President Polk’s administration.
James W. Denver had represented California in Congress, and served as Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
Samuel Medary was an editor of national reputation, and had been Governor of Minnesota.
All except Geary were over forty years of age when appointed, and he, the youngest of them all, had been a soldier in the Mexican war. After leaving Kansas he rose to the rank of Major General in the Union army, and was later elected Governor of Pennsylvania.
Thus three of our Territorial Governors have been the Chief Executives of three other States.
All of the Territorial Governors appointed except one, Denver, are dead; but the Secretaries of the Territory, all of whom acted as Governor during their terms of office, are all living except one, Hugh S. Walsh.
Kansas has also elected three Governors who never served, viz.: Charles Robinson, elected under the Topeka Constitution; George W. Smith, chosen under the Lecompton Constitution; and Henry J. Adams, elected under the Leavenworth Constitution. My honored predecessor, Charles Robinson, thus enjoys the distinction of having been elected under two Constitutions. He is the first Governor of Kansas in a double sense—he was chosen to that office under the first and last Constitution framed for the State.
Of the Governors of the State, four were under 35 when elected; all except two are now past 50; and the oldest was first chosen. All have been residents of Kansas for more than twenty years; two, the first and the present Governor, for over twenty-nine years; and all except one, Governor Harvey, are still citizens of the State. Eight of the ten served in the Legislature previous to their election to the Executive office, and the other two, Governors Robinson and Anthony, have since served as members of the law-making branch of the State government. One, Governor Robinson, is a native of Massachusetts; three, Carney, Green, and Glick, are natives of Ohio; two, Osborn and Martin, of Pennsylvania; one, Harvey, of Virginia; one, Anthony, of New York; and two, Crawford and St. John, of Indiana. Governor Robinson was a physician; three, Crawford, St. John, and Glick, were lawyers; one, Carney, a merchant; two, Osborn and Martin, were printers; Green was a clergyman, Harvey a surveyor, and Anthony a tinsmith. All except four, Robinson, Carney, Osborn, and Glick, served in the Union army during the war. Only one of our Governors, Green, graduated at a college or university. One, Governor Harvey, was elected to the United States Senate after the expiration of his term as Governor, and Governor Osborn represented the country as United States Minister to Chili and Brazil.
Twenty-six years have come and gone since the first Governor of the State took the oath of office, and he and all of his successors are with us yet. Here are the Executives who organized the splendid regiments young Kansas sent out to battle for the honor of the flag. Here are those who saw the dawn and morning of that marvelous development which began with the close of the civil war, and has since spread over four hundred miles of fair and fertile country. Here are those who were called upon to protect our frontiers against repeated invasions by merciless savages. Here are those who witnessed the still more dreadful desolation wrought by insects whose baleful flight darkened the light of the sun at midday. Here are those who have occupied the Executive chair during the later years of peaceful prosperity and unexampled growth.
We greet them, one and all, cordially and gratefully. We salute them as citizens whom the people of Kansas have deemed worthy of their highest trusts. We honor them as men who have guided the State through difficulties and dangers, onward and upward to the shining stars. We testify, willingly and thankfully, our appreciation of the courage and fidelity with which they discharged their always laborious and often difficult and perplexing duties. We receive and welcome them as honored guests of this occasion. And, speaking in the name of the people of Kansas, and expressing, as I am sure I do, the sentiment which fills all hearts, I fervently pray that their days may be long and peaceful, and that prosperity may abide with and bless them to the end.