Pennsylvania is a great State, and no son of hers, wander wheresoever he may, is ever ashamed to acknowledge his nativity. Virginia may be the mother of States, but the “Old Keystone” is the _Pa._—especially of Kansas, as I think I have shown. And the citizens of Kansas hailing from Pennsylvania will never “go back on” their native State—nor to it, perhaps, unless on a visit. Not that they love Pennsylvania less, but Kansas more. Looking back over the records of our eventful, often stormy past, and contemplating the prosperous present and hopeful future of Kansas, it has seemed to me that one great duty this State of ours has forgotten. All nations, all States, have delighted to perpetuate, in the names they have given to their cities or counties, the memory of those who, in times of great trouble and danger, testified their devotion to the welfare of the people by a courageous, steadfast, self-sacrificing defense of their rights and liberties. It is one of the crowning glories of the Old Keystone State, that of all the Governors who wielded the executive power during the Territorial existence of Kansas there were three, and only three, who did not consort with, or assist, or excuse those who invaded our soil with armed force, murdered our people, stuffed our ballot-boxes, burned our towns, and attempted to stifle free speech and a free press, in order to blight this fair land with the curse of human slavery—and these three were Pennsylvanians. And it is a just reproach to Kansas that not one of our counties bears the name of either of these three men—Reeder, Geary, or Walker. Kansas owes them much. Their memory should be honored by every Kansan. They have all passed away from the trials and troubles of this world. This State, the rights and liberties of whose people they defended with such self-sacrificing devotion and steadfast courage, cannot now reward them with substantial gifts. But it can at least testify its respect for their memory, and its gratitude for their splendid services in behalf of its early pioneers, by perpetuating their names in the names of some of its counties. And this it ought to do. Kansas will be justly open to the reproach of having forgotten those to whom she is largely indebted until three of her counties bear the honored names of Reeder, Geary, and Walker—her only Federal Governors who held justice above partisanship, who enriched the history of a dark and troubled period with the record of official duties fairly, honestly and bravely discharged; who sternly kept faith with the people, and so doing fought a great battle, not for a single generation or a few thousand citizens of a sparsely-settled Territory, but for all time and for the whole Republic. THE FIRST KANSAS. Speech delivered at the Reunion of the Society of the First Regiment, Kansas Volunteers, at Atchison, August 10th, 1881.