Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-10-27
SATURDAY, OCT. 20, 1856.

SATURDAY, OCT. 20, 1856.
The "POPULAR sovEREIGNTY~ DOCTRINE
FURTHER ILLUSTRATED.
In yesterdays paper We gave an account Of
the workings of the popular sovereignty +"
doctrine on the north shore Of Lake Superior,
in this Territory, and we now publish further
facts concerning the workings Of this same
doctrine in the Territory of Kansas. During
the late political canvass, we took occasion to
remark, that unless the strong arm Of the Fed.
eral Government was stretched out to protect
the weak and defenceless sons of Freedom in
Kansas, they would be obliged to defend
themselves at the point Of the bayonet, and it
seems, from the letter given below, that they
are determined to pursue this course, even
though the loss OF life should follow. We do not
blame them-cannot blame them, for, if ever a
people were justified in resorting to arms, it is
those in Kansas who have suffered SO long the
insults Of the drunken and lawless Missourians
who, not content with demolishins ballot boxes,
have at last committed murder. Tell US that
freemen must submit to these things without a
murmur! Tell US that they do wrong in shoot
ing down the drunken tullics who invade the
sanctity of the domestic circle-who deliber-
ately stab and murder all who express them
selves as opposed to slavery! No! no they
are right, and were We in Kansas to-day. we
would cheerfully shoulder our muskct and aid
our friends in defending the freedom Of speech
and the sacredness of the ballot box.
Shall such scenes as these be enacted in
Minnesota Shall peaccable citizens at Lake
Superior be driven from the polls and Indians
permitted to vote! Shall citizens of Wiscon-
sin be permitted to pass over the border line of
Minnesota and deposit their votes, and these
votes counted as legal Let such things pass
and next comes mob-aw, and finally re-en-
actnent Of the deeds of the Missouri cut.
throa,s. This matter is fruitful theme for
thought, and commends itself to the careful
consideration Of those who in the late election
voted for Henry NJ. Rice, the upholder and
defender of the perpetrators of the Missouri
oulrages. Read what follows:
Excitement M urder Kansas.
writer in a letter dated Leavcnworth, X. T.,
October 2, says:
Yesterday, the lst of October. was, as you are
aware, the day appointed by that bogus and fraud
ulentiv elected legislature for the election of o
Representative in Congress from this Territory.
You are also informed that the Free State Con-
venton resolved to resist and repudiate the action
of the Legislature. Yet the friends of Freedom
pledged themselves to commit no violence, unless
compelled to do so in sclf-defencc.
They resolved to maintain peace, good order
and obedience to all laws properly enacted, as far
as lay in their powcr-yet never to yield. They
accordingly stayed away from tn. polls. The
Missourians came over in armed bands. They
have carried the election of course; and, encour-
nged by the apparent resistance of the friends
of Liberty, they rushed, in a drunken and riotous
frenzy, to the last extreme of barbarty, and cap
ped the climax of their atrocities by murder!-
Yes, murder Of peaceful and innocent citizens
and for what? For asserting and exercising the
God given right of free speech.
The enactment passed BY this infamous Legis!a-
ture, prescribing the qualifications Of voters, de-
to the Fugitive Slave Law, the Kansas Nebraska
Bill, and pay the sum of one dollar Such are
the evidences of citizenship; such are the quali6-
cations of voters, such is the solf-government
which grows out of the Fugitive Slave Law, OF
1850, the Repeal Of the Missouri Compromise, and
the institution of Squatter Sovereignty
On the day of election, the motley crowd Of
voters, composed of Mssourians, recently arrived
Virginians, and drunken Indians, were addressed
by Pro-Slavery speakers, from the steps of the
hotel in this place. They were told that slavery
was right for Kansas, and that Whitfield was the
true representative Of Squatter Sovereignty
They went and voted, almost before the Missouri
mud was dry upon their boots. With rifles in
their hands, knives in their BELTS bottles in their
pockets, and whisky in their bellies, they swag-
gered around the polls, drinking, swearing and
shouting in develish glec and 6endish exultation
over their fancied mastery.
As the day advanced and night approached,
they became more noisy, turbulent and overbear-
ing. They marched through the streets bespat-
tered with mud, swearing, yelling, swinging their
hats, and asking, where are the d---d abolition
lists ?" Let's cut the G-.-dd---d white livsred
Yankees throatsl' At that time one of our
citizens James Furnam, was passing through
the streets. As he passed the hotel, one of the
Missourians, who wore white slouched hat,
grey coat and pair of greasy corduroy pants
tucked into the top Of his mud covered cow-hide
boots, hailed him and asked him to vote. Mr.. F.
declined.
The man then asked him to ''come and dri-k.'
He declined that invitation also. One of the
Mssourians then asked him, "why he did no,
vote 2" Mr.. T. said, because do not consider
the election legal" "He 10 one of tho G---d
d--.-d Free State men," esid the crowd. Mr.. F,
at this time seeing he had got into bad company,
started to go. But he was too late. The crowd
gathered around him, and began to cry out,
Hang him - Linch him 70 I" Tar and foath-
CT the d---d Yankee - One of the mob then
seized hold Of him. .-.- ..--
Mr.. Furnam being quick, powerful man, turn
ed round and knocked his assailant down. and
fled. They gave chase, but could not overtaks
him. One of the desperadcss shot at him with a
rife. The ball pierced his hat, but did not hurt
him, and striking q house went through the clap
boards and killed . child which was playing on
tho Tha fhnrr ant
der ~ help" The noighbors came to ber as.
sistance. The news spread. The Free State mer
armed themselves. -. -. Ea. .. ID. .
In the meantime another citizen had been in.
suited in the street, knocked down and stabbed
He died this morning. The marauders now be-
gan to be alarmed at their own acts. About 9
hundred Free State men, we'll armed, formed in {
body and marched towards the hotel but tht
Missourians had dscampsd. The Free State meu
pursued them 70 the river, and eas Of tds bloedy
Williams hes felt cod lesd. = -o