The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-12-25

row morning.
The Kansas Free state Men:
Il Will Be cause Of new congratulation
with the friends Of free institutions. that the
men lately put upon their defence at Law
renee .deported themselves with so much
frmness but AZ the same time 50 tempcrately
They have never for moment declined to
submit 10 the service Of proper process upon
the persons alleged to be residing there. and
guilty Of high offence against the laws Of
the Territory, even though they considered
those laws unconstitutional and nugatory.-
The TACT that they were the only laws in ex.
istence there, their respect for order. and n
Willingness 10 endure all that was endurahle.
IN the shape Of bad laws, until existing wrongs
could be peaceably and legally rectifed. rath- |
er than that complete anarchy should prevail.
have induced them to respect those laws to q
grenter'extent and to yield them n more ready
obedience than il would hardly seem possi.
Die that any body Of American citizens
thoroughly imbued with the spirit on which
al our institutions are founded. could possi
piy nave extended to them But they did
refuse, ana they would have been despeable
eravens if they had not refused to LET ner-
= sons against whom crime was merely ALLEGED
ana whom the people we'll knew to be inno-
cent, be taken away from among them to be
disposed OIL IN any summary manner that "a
mon OF border rufhans should conclude pro-
per, without even regard for those forms of
law which they had themselves dictated to
the Kansas people. The men of Lawrence
did not refuse to let arrests be made among
them on the service Of such process as the
laws given them BY Missourians required, but
they did refuse to let Missouri mob under.
take the execution Of ruffan justice in the
absence OF all law. And they stood by their
resolution. They provided themselves with
the most effective weapons of defence which
modern ingenuity has invented; they pub
lished their determination to hold their town
and protect their people against mob violence
70 the last extremity, and the infamous brag
CARTS gathered together by leaders no less in
famous, confess their belief that they
would have used their weapons faithfully.
ano they were commanded to surrender their
arms and pledge obedience 10 the laws
They replied, touching the laws, as they had
replied before, viz that if proper process
were sent by proper authority, they would
agree that it should be served. and the midi
viduals delivered up; but as to the Surrender
of arms, they utterly refused to consider tho
demand. The leaders Of this armed foray
upon peaceable, law-abnling citizens, found
more pluck and spirit, more cool determine
ton and better means of defence aud withal
less Efficient 'army Of occupations" than
) they had anticipated, and they concluded to
cover an abatement of their demand FOR the
surrender Of arms, by the discovery that they
were pirate property and 70 take tho re-
newed expression Of willingness TO permit
the laws 10 be executed, Us meaning what
they chose TO demand IN the outset And SO
they went home, foilea in every demand,
pricked with shame and rage, that they
might become, az they surely will, the laugh
ng-stock and butt of ridicule for the whole
country.
Ca r. II. Warden takes his leave of the
Des MONIES (ouumwa) Courier, and j. W.
Norris takes his place IA editor and proprie-
tor. Mr.. Warden has been discreet. indus
trious editor, and we are glad to learn that
his reward in worldly goods for his wears of
labor, if not wholly adequate, has at least
been fair. In Mr.. Norris we expect TO find
gentleman WHO viii amply maintain the stand
ing and responsibility of the Courier. and
we wish hun abundant success in the vocation.
in which he is no novice.
r. The Times confesses, at last. that we
did ofapproye or disapprose Of the remarks
concerning Col. Richardson, but saws that we
carefully left hole to creep out Of, though
it smaller one than II would attemnt
TO pass, with due regard for its hide Wheth-
or this is tacit confession that its hide has
been so severely excoriated that il is in TOO
tender q condition for the process, or that