The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-07-28
4 Letter From VIM. Phillips.

y Trend has kindly handed US, with per
mission to publish letter from VIM. Phil
lips formerly a resident Of this place, but
now residing at Lcavcnworth, in Kansas, and
in reference to whose i'll treatment by a mob
the papers had so much to say few weeks
ago Mr. p, during his residence among
us, always maintained the character Of a
peaccablc aniab.c and rgiJly honest young
man, cool in times Of excitement, and un.
Swcrying in principle. His conduct thro'.
out the brutal scenes in which hc was forced
to bear so cruel part showed him to be IA
man Of true grit. lie thus explains the
grounds Of his treatment:
Nouask the question as to my identity
with the Phillips taken to Weston, &c. /
am the same, and viii here state the ground,
Of their conduct towards me. You are wei!
aware that always advocated and upheld
the principle, contained ia the Kansas and
Nebraska bill, AMI have never vet found
cause 10 change my opinion When | first
came TO the territory, which was last fall,
there was hut little excitement on the ducs-
ton now ag0tatci in this territory. The
principles contained in the kansas-N rJraskr
bill were generally acknowledged to he cor
rect, and as the pro-slaycry party had elect.
cd delegate TO Congress. that party was
at least satisfied 10 apply the principles Of
squattcr sovereignty in all time to come TO
this territory at least their professions were
to that effect But as the election approach
cd for members. or the territorial legislature.
..r.l ga tI... 81 ,...f.t .l %.
Ivy pro slavery men, they soon found that
the emigration from the northern state. iai
exceeded HAT Of the south, and that many
OF the cmlgrautS from the southern states
were not sound uu tne lpal question 90 they
found that the larger proportion ofthc actual
settlers from Missouri and Kentucky were
poor men, who had never owned slave, and
whose position 10 those states previous 10
their emigration here was not of such ma
urc ~ to cause them 10 cherish the peculiar
institution Of their native states They also
found that men Of capital from the slave
states would not settle IN the territory until
tins question was finally adjusted and that
all the chances were in favor Of making this
territory forever free. IT was then that they
saw the policy Of shifting their course. and
instead Of advocating 'sguatter sovereignty, "
they took national grounds and declared
that III order TO dcl, out Justice aud equity
to the south, TO restore the equilibrium and
preserve the balance Of power, that the glo-
riouS Union might descend TO postrrlly, that
Kansas must and should hc made slave
state. II was then that they outgcncralcd
the north IN rcpudlatlug the Kansas Ncbras-
ha blil. They then reSortcd to force in or
10 Cilec. their object they prngcrihrl rverv
man that opposed the establishment of
slavery IN the territory as an enemy
that must be removed, and what they
have not yet effected they will cndeav.
or TO accomplish in the legislature now in
session; they have removed all free state
men but one, and will pass stringent laws
against the circulation of any written or
printci matter in the territory that tends TO
lnlurc the relation OF master and slave. But
with all their laws establishing slavery and
protecting the owner in his property, they
cannot induce men to cmigrate here with
their slaves. Even in Missouri, where the
institution has been established for wears.
emigration from the south with slave proper
ty has nearly ceased, owing to the presence
OF the so-caIled aboltionists in that state.
In this territory there are at least tive. thirds
OF It's inhabitants who are free state men,
aud they now are on the increase. As TO
my being an abo'itionist, the charge is false.
have always advocated the principles con-
tanned in the Kansas and Nebraska bill here,
and in order to carry out that principle, |
contested the election in this district, which
called FOR their past treatment to me.
WV. PHILLIPS.