The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-03
THE WAR AGAINST FREEDOM.

The Shareholders in Western Missouri, uader
the lead of Atchison, continue to wage war
against Freedom. They are as rank rebels
against the Constitution and Laws of the coun-
try, as if they had openly proclaimed their.pur-
pose to subvert its authority. They recognise
no law, no interest, but Slavery. Kansas they
have resolved to ensave, in defiance of the will
of its inhabitants, and they trample upoi all
authority that stands in their way. After hay.
ing taken possession of the polls in that Terri
tory, selected judges of their own, overawea the
legal voters, and elected creatures of their own,
they required the Governor to issue the requi-
site certificates of election, on pain of being
hung or having his throat cut. In some cases,
it seems, he has granted certificates. The Her
aid Of Freedom, published at Lawrence, says
that he has given certificates of election to nine
Councilmen and sixteen Representatives, among
the former, M. T. Conway, a Free State can
didate. The same paper states that he has>sub-
mitted the contested cases to the consideration
of the Attorney General of the United States.
There is probably some mistake in the State.
ments of the Herald Of Freedom, as thu ST..
Louis Iate11igencer, after having noticed tn ar.
rival of Governor Reeder in st. Louis, OF his
way to the East, to remove his family to the
issued proclamation for an election to be held
in six or eight districts, on the 22d of May, to
fill vacancies in the Legislative Council also
another proclamation converting the Leeisla-
ture the first Monday in July.
In view of both accounts, we infer thai the
Governor has not pronounced the election soid,
but has recognised in majority of cases its
validity; so that, after ALL Kansas is to be clrsed
with a Pro-Slavery Legislature. His decision
in the contested cases, and his order for an eec-
ton to gil the resulting vacancies, have greatly
infamed the barbarians. The Squatter Sorer-
eign, their organ, threatens assassination, 1t
says:
"If the feeling against the Governor il not
soon lulled, the storm will raise to such pitch
that a vacancy in the Gubernatorial chair of
Kansas will be the result"
In another article it says:
"There is such feeling rising in the gerri-
tory against the Governor, that only his absence
will prevent general outbreak. Revolution is
in every mouth and if the President still per-
sists in forcing Reeder upon US, God only kaows
what the consequences will be. We hope, We
pray, that we will be spared the necessity OF
such desperate measures; but, if we are left
the alternative of living under despotic Gov
ernment or of choosing more honorable mode
of freeing ourselves, we are plain to admit that
we shall choose the latter course. In the Ian
guage of Patrick Henry, Give us liberty, or
| give US death -"
Beautiful talk for gang of wild barbasians,
whose homes, if they have any, are in Missouri.
The Herald Of Freedom, of the 10th infant,
says:
at is represented that the candidates q the
Missourians, whose election to the Legislative
Assembly of Kansas was contested, convened
at the Shawnee Methodist Mission last ,reek,
and organized by electing Mr.. johnson Speak
er. They located the capital temporarily st the
Shawnee Mission, and transacted some other
business, which they have not seen proper to
make public, as they sat with closed DOORS"
Probably it was this meeting that issued the
following handbill, dated April 9th, copy of
which was sent to ST. Louis by telegraph:
Whereas Governor Reeder has shown him.
self incompetent and unfit for the duties Of his
| position; and, whereas the appointment of a
man to the Governorship, without consulting the
choice OF those to be governed, is an arbitrary
exercise OF power, the citizens of Kansas have
| therefore 81 4
Resotred To hold an election at Leaven-
worth, on the 28th inst, to elect person to
succeed Governor Reeder, whose removal will
be solicited.n 80
1 It is added: 60
Calls have been made for delegates from
each district, to meet at Leavenworth ca the
2sth to select suitable person to Gil the Sfiee