The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-01-27
pquic Neetiqg.
Western Eioquence.

were read at the late territorial indigns-
ton meeting held in this city. They
were presented to the meeting by Mr..
Chapman, who has, unfortunately, lost a
palate. and, in. consequence thereof, it is
very difficult matter for him to read
anything audibly. The report of the
committee was not understood by ten
persons present, and the chairman refused
to have them read again to the meeting.
by one who could make himself under
stood, although loudly called for :; and
without allowing free discussion, they
were declared adopted. Its presumed
that it was part of the game that the
proceedings should not be understood
But to the report, which we copy ver6a-
tias, as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS The assemblage
of the Sovereign people on this day, by
spontaneous impulse and for common
purpose, is most glorious spectacle
And we, too, friends and neighbors, are
here together The tolls and cares of
our daily ayoca.ions are laid aside; the
disquietudes and strifes that yex our poor
humanity, shall be lost in the mutual
recognition of one grand sentiment. And
the turbulent selfish interests here mani
tested for period-under the overshad-
owing spell of sectional influences, which
gloom pervades the hearts of men, whose
actors upon the grand rostrum of the fu-
ture, choose as their talisman the Sover-
eign ear whose compunction some slight
afectionate caress of every victim of the
oppressor triumph as the idol of their
vain madness, and of their midnight
orgies, which forever crush the rights OF
this people.
We have been weak-now in Justice
we are strong; more imposing than that
of forty centuries from the old pyramids
the intellectual and progressive years
of self-government of free people. The
fraternal infuences-what are they p
And why are We here this day
A handful of men on the western bank
of the remotest tributary, whose waters
pay homage to the Father of Waters, and
yet only in the centre of this immense
confederacy, whose shade is refuge fol
all nations of the earth, and the FREE
breezes that Increasingly sweep through
its branches, over the silent sepulchre.
of those who fought the good fight, and
proclaimed to the world to be free, In
dependent and sovereign people The
seed which they planted with tremulous
apprehension, are here this day, com.
mingling their patriotic rebukes against
that mercenary morbidness which char
acterizes the Lawrence Association as
stock -jobbers and money -getters-men
of exchanges, and coteries, and self-inter-
est-coyered from head to foot with the
leprosy of materialism, until it shall sub
merge all opposition, by secret and unjust
inyasions, which, from their first advent
in Kansas Territory, up to the present, is
opulence, title, and despotism, with civil
feuds, discovering all fraternal affections.
We, the Sovereign Squatters, proclaim
the manifesto of our absolute authority,
and an inexorable interdiet to every des-
potic invader upon our rights, secured
and sanctitied by the Congress of the
United States. Thus far shalt thou
go, and no further" We, the Sovereign
Squatters, stand forth boldly, upon our
commanding eminence-the highest law
of the land.
Compromising the plighted faith of the
government, that the land we now occupy
shall be our future homes, upon which
eminence we this day invite for the last
time the false Belshazzar, who, with rest
less gaze, views the dauntless energy,
which guides us to this grand consum-
nation. If wrong in statements here
made this day, of your unjust invasions,
nerve the lost, mutilated and tattered
honor-dishonored and blackened with
treason, incapable of sincere demonstra-
ton against our rights as Sovereign
Squatters that these lands should be our
homes; on which occasion we proclaim
to the world the wrongs which, by for
eign intrigue and hypocrisy, which you,
this day, are called to deny the immutable
facts, whose design is imperishabIe ty-
ranny TO take from the poor man his
home to enrich those that now in luxury
dwell, are as follows:
| On the 26sh day of May last, Mr.. C.
Stearns and John Baldwin came to this
place, and took two of the claims upon
which our town is built. Upon the same
day, one Mr.. Lykins came on and took
the same claim which Mr.. S. was on,
they not knowing that either were or had
been upon the claim that day. They,
Mr.. L. and S., commenced their improve
ments Immediately, or very soon there
after, both eontending that they were first.
On the 9Th day of June, Mr.. 4. B. Wade
took the third claim, and at that time
commenced living upon and improving
the land. The next day after, Mr.. j.
Wilson ncommeneed living upon the fourth,
and very soon afterward, Mr.. w. H. Oil
yer commenced his improvements upon
the fifth. At the same time there were
other claims marked, but the claimants
did not commence living upon them al
that time.
On or about the Goth of July. one Mr.
Branscome came to this place, and rep.
resented himself as an agent for the Mas
saehusetts Emigrans Aid Company, and
made known to these claimants that he
was desirous of purchasing their claims
for the Company, for the purpose of loca-
ting a town at this point. After stopping
a few days, Mr.. B. succeeded in getting
Mr. S;earns to sign a bond obIigating
himself to sell his interest in the disputed
claim disputed by Mr.. S. and L., to
the Company, upon the payment of $500
within sixty days. He also induced Mr..
Wade to sign a like bond obligating him
self to sell his claim to the Company upon
the payment of 500 upon the expiration
of sixty days. On or about the first Of
September Company came on, headed
By one DR.. C. Robinson who was also
represented asan agent for said Company.
This Company took possession of the dis
iputed claim before the payment of the
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