The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1855-06-23
Kaqsas Nattess.
Shall Kansas be Free.

There are two very different ways OF
stating this question. A man may ask
it in faint, timid voice, with his hands
IN his pockets, and his eyes fixed on va
cancy, "Will Kansas,-be a.free state,
do you think But the cause of free
dom will not be aided by such questions
The right way for us of the North, is to
ask with strong voice, kindling eye,
and a determined countenance, Shall
Kansas be made Free State? Let the
farmer ask it, as he follows the plow over
his well-tilled field, and as he steps along
the furrow with a frmer tread, under the
emotion it awakens let it be asked as
men sit together in the rail-car, with a
voice little louder than is needful to rise
above the din of the rafting wheels let
the '.solid men" of our cities repeat it,
as they open their purses to help on the
work of emigration let the editor speak
it out to himself, starting up from his
chair under the spur of the exciting
words let our legislators ask it, or rath-
er give answer to it as the words ''be it
resolved" &C., are read from the speak
er's desk, and answer with an '.aye"
that shall ring, as the same word rang in
the Legislative halls of ''Seventy-Six :"
let our young men. and middle aged men,
ask it, as they bringing together their
baggage to join the tide of emigration to
that far off land, and as their pulse beats
stronger in anticipation of the impending
struggle -" Shall Kansas be made a
Free State 2 AS to ourselves, come
what will, we are ready to do our part to-
wards it,
1t is in vain for us to stand and utter
indignant exclamations against the Goths
and Vandals of Missouri, if we do moth
ing more just as it is in vain for man
to put forth curses against thieves, while
he continues to leave his street door open.
1t is indeed outrageous, this focking of
Missouri whiskey drinkers into Kansas,
to take into their own hands, at the point
of the bowie knife, the popular sove-
reignty" of its citizens. 1t is enough to
stir the blood of every man who loves
freedom, and respects justice. 1t should
make hs hate slavery with little warmer
hatred, as we see with what bullying en-
croachment, what overbearing injustice
it seeks to carry its point. Thousands
of the offscouring of neighboring slave
State, at the beck of few slaveholding
demagogues, drive over into the terrific
ry, in most rioteus fashion, "with gun,
drum, trumpet, blunderbuss, and thun-
DER and using, in mockery, the forms
of suffrage. dictate to its citizens who
shall be their rulers, and to what sort of
government and laws they shall be sub
jected. And the outrage is not only upon
the few thousands who inhabit Kansas,
but it is upon the millions that inhabit
these United States for the design is to
give slavery an absolute and eternal pre-
ponderance over this glorious domain of
liberty. These assailants of Kansas are
determined to make there another slave
state, to gain by it a stronger foothold for
slavery in the national government, and
open channel for the peculiar institu-
ton" to the Rocky mountains and the
Pacific. As the Car is striving to plant
himself on the shores of the Mediterra-
mean, so. they would fain spread them
selves out On the shores of the great
western ocean, and the greater part Of
the southern press and southern states
men applaud the endeavor. Let the plan
succeed, and where viii be the liberties
of the North? where the hopes enter
tanned by philanthropists and christians,
that this nation will be distinguished over
all the world for its advancement in right
eousness, improvement, and happiness ?
And where is to be the end of this in
iquity? The hordes of Missouri have,
once and again gone over into the terri
tory, seized upon the ballot boxes, put
into Office whom they pleased, and shot
at those of the inhabitants who dared to
demur at the procedure. And will they
not do til third time? The Legislature
just elected viii be pro-slavery. Doubt
less 1t will dc all It can for the introduc-
ton of slavery into the territory. When
the time comes for another election that
shall have more direct bearing upon
the formation of slave constitution,
viii not Atchison and his myrmidons be
at hand, as heretofore +? Undoubtedly.
They viii not giyeover till Kansas knocks
at the door of the union, with slave con-
stitution In her hand.
What now viii the North do? Can
we consent to such catastrophe as this,
if we have the power to prevent it If
we can or shall so consent, the word cra-
ven ought to be written on the great seal
of every northern State. We must not
consent, and We have power to prevent 1t.
What Do you say that the free States,
with a population. compared to that of
the slave States, as three to two, and
with representation IN Congress, COM
nared with the South as Eve to three, have