The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-05-26
The Kansas outr.res


The Kansas cutrages.
In the address of Governor Reeder, at
Easton, ON the Goth, NE have the fullest
official confirmation of the awless rio-
lence with which the legal rights of the
free citizens of this Territory hare been
tranlpled in the dust Here we have
witness OF the most uninpeachable We
racity-such an one as even the Boston
Post or the Concord Patriot must admit
to be authority of the very highest and
most indisputable character. An Adj
ministration Democrat of the straitest
sect, appointed by the President to the
post of governor of this Territory
believer, even now, in that hollow mock
cry miscaIIed popular sovereignty p and
an advocate of this principle in the Ne
braska bill. Against such witness
what whisper of doubt can these jour-
mails urge None whatever. They can
not but receive his testimony. And
what is that testimony ? Is it that these
outrages have been provoked by the ca
gerness of the advocates of free territory,
and are therefore to some extent excusa-
bic, as the Post would have its readers
infer Does he cast, even by imputa-
ton, the smallest blame upon the out
ragged citizens of Kansas? Noi He is
open, explicit. dignified and manly. He
plainly and boldly puts the whole wrong
just where It belongs He tells the citi-
zens of Easton thas the people of the
border eou lties of North Missouri have
filed him with amazement "by their
reckless disregard of ali laws, compacts
and constitutions, that 1.-The Territory
of Kansas has been invaded by an organ
lied army, armed to the teeth, who took
possession of her ballot boxes, and made
legislature to suit themselves pa
He testified to the already established
fact that on that occasion "Kansas was
subdued, subjugsted and conquered by
armed men from Missouri" He told his
hearers that the solemn duty devolyed
upon the North ''to vindicate and sustain
1.-THE rights of her sons who had settled in
Kansas on the faith of solemn contract"
He also declared .'that the accounts of
the fierce outrage and wild violence, per-
petrated at the election, and published in
the Northern papers, were in no wise ex-
aggerated. He concluded by saying
that Kansas was now conquered coun-
try-eonquered by force of arms, but
that the citizens were resolved never to
yield their rights, and relied upon the
North.to aid them by demonstrations of
public sentiment, and all other legal
means, until they shall be fully and tri-
umphantly yindicated.''
The address of Governor Reeder comes
in good time; nothing could well be more
timely than this revelation. The great
question now is what spirit viii all these
aggressions in Kansas upon its borders
be met by the powers at Washington ?
Will Governor Reeder be sustained in
his attempt to vindicate the insulted ma
jesty of law, or will lawless disorder con-
tinue to usurp the contol of that Terrific
~, and set at defiance the constituted au-
thorities The most abandoned set of
yagabonds that ever polluted' the soil of
free country now lord it, as the Execu-
/ tive of that Territory declares, without
even the semblance of check or control,
over the rightful inhabitants. The orig
inal violation of the Compromise of 1920
is made comparatively an innocent mat
ter by the side of the abuses to which
this pledge breaking has given rise
There was some pretence of principle
in that outrage-what was called the
principle of popular sovereignty. But
here there is none, not even the show OF
a pretence. Violence, outrage, force
and fraud are the open, unhesitating in
struments of these border forays. Arm
ed rufians and DULLES silence and sup
press the freedom of the ballot, drive
from the polls the legal voters, destroy
the press and with it all independence Of
thought; and have even the temerity to
| defy the national government, by threat
ening to depose its officers and to elect
substitutes The President, in all this,
has but one line of duty plain before him
But will he follow it? Will he make
the federal laws respected? Will he
protect the territorial rights of the set
tiers of Kansas? Will he provide Gov
ernor Reeder with an armed force suffic-
ient to protect the polls, and thus give to
Kansas government in reality as well
as in name? Instead of turning the
bayonets of the soldiery of the United
j States against wroRged and suffering In
dams, he had far better employ them to
assert the supremacy of law, and to sus-
tain his appointed executive from lawless
usurpers. He must undo this great
: wrong. or share in its guilt. Which will
he do?. This question must be met, oil
all law and all government are. at an end
Outrage already follows outrage in rapid
succession. The ballot-box is violated
and private gIts are trampled on. Their
follows the lawless destruction of private
property, and the suppression of the lib
ierty of the press. The next blow il
threatened against the executive govern
tment itself, and private life will be the
next sacrifice, if the strong arm of the
national, government is not interposed t.
arrest these revolutionary proceedings
, Will the President be blind and deaf t.
+ these great outrages, or viii he do hi!
duty Eleven months ago the militar'
, force of this neighborhood was callet
upon to enforce law. of doubtful con
Lstitutionality. VIII the government nov
manifest equal alaerity in sustaining it
! own officers. whose authority is plainl,
trampled on ?-Bostoa Aaas.
Il H The Surveyor General has give
; notice through the Leavenworth Herald
saying the "proprietors of all towns
: situated on the lands coded to the Unite,
States, by the Iowa, Delaware, Kaskas
kia, Peoria, Piankeshaws, and Wea tribe
i of Indians, which have been surveyed
b or which may be surveyed prior to estab
1 fishing the lines of the United States Sun
] veys, are requested to file in his Office q
Leavenworth, assoonas practicable, plat