The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1855-12-29
The St, Louis ress.


The following article from the St.
Louis Intelligencer of the 9th inst, is
decidedly the best article we have yet
seen on the 'Kansas War;" The Mis-
souri, De mocrat's statement is also reli-
able, but it seems to us the editor d id not
give the subject that full consideration
bestowed upon it by the Inteiligencer:-
| THE KANSAS FLURRY-A COMPROMISE
PRoposED-We give itas our unquali-
fed opinion that there will be no war in
Kansas. The public mind in Missouri
is unmoved, and the late eruption of ex-
citing rumors sent trembling along the
telegraph wires, have only betrayed the
nervousness ofthe Observation-Disclosures
the clans of Missouri
In fact, the people begin to smell an
arrant humbug in the whole ''fre and
fury" dispatches from Kansas. They
suspect it to be the last card of Atchison
played through Shannon, to move the
Missouri Legislature in his behalf-or
the dying effort of the borderers to ''sub-
Ijugate the people of Kansas" got up for
its excitement and abandoned for its alb
surdity.
Review the history of the late panic,
and see if there are not glazing evidences
of humbug in the whole affair. First, it
was announced that the free State men
of Kansas were in rebellion against the
laws of the Territory. There had been
an affray-one man killed. riot ensued
and the people of Kansas refused to
recognize the Sheriff, (put over them for
six years by the Legislature, against
their will, } as the proper custodian of the
alleged offenders.
Here is the basis of the rebellion
Here is the head and front of the civil
war so historically proclaimed. Shan
non calls out the militia, secret letters are
written, rifle companies are summoned
| (from Missouri, artillery rolled out, and
other extraordinary and war-like demon
STATIONS made. The whole nation is
excited to believe that war is raging and
blood flowing in Kansas, in consequence
of this rebellion Just broke out.
What are the facts? Simply, as the
truth now appears, that the free State
men have raised no sudden flag of rebel
lion at all. They have only appealed
unto Caesar" They refuse to acknowl-
edge Sheriff put over them arbitrarily
by the Territorial Legislature. They
have, all along, done the same thing
They long ago proclaimed to the world
that they did not recognize these Terri
torial officials at all but, by virtue of
popular sovereignty, which had been dis
regarded by that Legislature, they meant
to choose their own officers. They were
as much in rebellion six months ago
against those Legislative sheriffs as they
are now, or have been. Even in lately
re-asserting their opposition to the officers
and laws of that Territorial Legislature,
the free State men expressed their readi-
ness to submit themselves to the officers
of the United States Government. They
appealed unto Cesar
For this reason-for thus appealing to
true law-and seeking to avoid, lawfully
and peaceably. the operation oflaws they
regarded tyrannical and unjust, fire and
slaughter have been invoked, land cohorts
of excited Missourians assembled on the
border, to be led in bloody foray against
them. We do not utter one palliatlng
word in regard to the alleged free State
outrages on pro-slaVery citizens, that
brought on the late disturbance. We
will grant that members of that party
may have behaved very badly. Weknow
not Yet we assert that their position as
reported is now law-abiding one; and
that Gov. Shannon, in calling out the
militia. and by his Secretary (Woodson)
rallying citizens of an adjoining State to
his assistance, has acted most indiscretly
and unlawfully, and has threatened Kan
sas with terribly calamity, as the result
of his passion, or of his indiscretion.
Did not Gov. Shannon know that with
the party lines, drawn so strictly between
free State men and pro-slaverv men in
Kansas, it was utter madness to summon
one party to put down the other? Was
not his act like bringing powder TO fight
fire? How could man be SO simple
and so reckless Why didn't Gov.
Shannon appeal, at first. 10 the President
for aid of the Government troops to en-
force the laws? Simply because that
would be appealing to the same power
that the free State men appealed to; and
to do so would be at once 10 confess that
the free State men had been in the right,
in first proposing to appeal unto Cea-
lsar"
| But Gov. Shannon lacked good sense
or good purpose; and so he appealed
to the militia:o of Kansas alias the pro-
slavery men of Kansas, to help him
s'subjugate," or enforce odioas laws en-
the free State people The result might
easily have been anticipated. The free
State men prepared to resist to the death,
and then came the cry of rebellion, "
revolution, " and s.cisil war and the
most desperate efforts were made, by Sc
cret appeals, by agitating rumors, by ex-
aggerated stories, and by hurried dis
patches, to throw over into Kansas an