New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-13
THE WAR IN KtNSAS.


Last night was an exciting one in Lawrence.
HumOrs of q startling character had been coming
in all day, and although th.re was reason to be-
lieve that they were exaggerated by the fears Of
some and the love of the marvellous in others, it
was still certain that armed inv ders from Missouri
were approaching Lawrence from several direc-
tons. and it WAS believed that an attack would be
made durirg the night. Yesterday the sham Sher.
if Jones wAs in Lawrence. believe be had some
business but it was the general impression that he
was here to spy out the land. 1t was well known
that he and his friends were making great exer.
tiors to bring Missouri mob upon the citizens
here yet such is the peacelovip character Of the
intelligent people of much abused Lawrence, that
be AMI the others went and came unmoleseei, aud
were even treated with cisility. The instructions
of those who have the management of the defense
of the place are that there must be no aggressive
warfare, and that until violence is used there must
coLcurred in BY all, so far as ! have seen. This
may place the defenders of this place at a disad-
var ts,e, but it is better that it should be so.
1t now appears thai two houses were burned on
the night that BransOn was rescued, on the Wauks-
rusa-the houses of c. leman and Buckley, the
murderer and bis accomplish. 1t is now charged
that these burniDgs were done By the Free State
men, and uie is made of this, together with other
things, to excite the Mss)uIans to come up.
There is but little doubt tina. these shanties
were burned by the men who had endeavored to
arrest Bronson, or some OF them, and was deep
Ibid part of the same scheme which was evidently
de,isned to precipitate the quarrel have not
.een Free State man who does not deprecAte the
transaction; few of these believe that any Free
State man did it; and when it was supposed at
first tbst some foolish FTee-State nan had done 80
In the excitement, there general wish to fer
ret it out and have him punished. An ex ANNA
ton of the facts shows that the guilt 10 oil probs
blsy lies at the d .Ors of those who wish to make
capital out of it, At the meeting held at Hickory
Point to investigate the murder Of Dow, resold-
ton was introduced and unaI imously sustained,
which deprecates reprsals Of that kind as likely
10 bring reprOach upon the Prostate men, no
matter what the provocation. Ii is ALDO known
that all the Free.State en- in the immediate vi
entity were engaged in the rescue Of Branson, aud
came on with him to Lawrence. Buckley had
been seen in the direction of his own house by
some women about the time IL was burned. TIE
houses destroyed were only shsnties worth little,
and had nothing 10 them, as the owners had lefs
them day or two before. However, from the
noise some ProSlavery men have been making
about IT, there is little doubt bat they intend to
accuse the Free-state Ten of tho burning.
went out in the streets of Lawrence last night,
sDd though all was quiet enough, found here and
there guard pacing the streets with Snarps
rife On his arm aud few other silent indica-
tioIs noted told that those who had assumed
the responsibility Of defense "slumbered not, nor
slept" The moon was no. up, and the stars
burned but dimly through haze of smoky air.
the prairie gra,s being in a fame in two or three
directions Some teams that had coma 10 from
We,tport at dusk reported having met armed
hor,emen and men in wagons, with arms, am NUM-
ton, and provisions, coming up f,on Missouri.
One man said there was a company drilling at
Franz lin in the afternoon. / also learned that q
meeting had been convened st Westport the day
after the rescue Of BransOp and that runners were
sent 10 seven counties 10 raise men-later still, that
they we're enrolling men at Independence, aud
muictirg those who would not go IN 50, to defrAy
e1pepses Under these circumstances 1t 10 not
surprising that there should be good deal OF un-
.a,ipess indeed, was only surprised that there
should not have been more. Groups were assem-
bled here and there Hearty bursts of laughter
occasionally told that some few discredlted the
danger, or despised it; but serious whisperlng'
here and the re, and talk about the seven hum
d,ed men at Franklin" showed that others were
not 20 easy. Indeed, oil knew that ii Lawrence
x,s not attacked that night it was only because
II. enemies could not raise force enough to ven
tnre Aboat 9 O'Clock started for FraLhlin, in
company with Leading Free state mau. IL is
sonT miles distant, and after q sharp walk we
,e,rhed H. but saw no indications Of any large
force
We went short distance bey ond, ard two mea,
WI ON ge bad seen in Franklin, who were doubt
less q watch fired q couple OF shSts after we
passed. Had we gone Oh . mile and & ball fartaer,
into the Wsuksrusa Betts N, We wCald have seen
the camp, where there was party sf Missourians
We returned to Lawrence about midnight satis.
sed that DO attempt would be made that night.
saw sCme geatle ms who csn,e up from Kansas
CITY last evening. They told NE that their car
,isge had been stopped by part Of band of MIS-
sonIisns, who were eamped 90 thu Waukarusa. The
horses brides were seized and threats were made
me man bee al TO raise his gun but the tra7eier'
succeeded in escaping from them, and drove On.
From these gentlemen l learned that tue geoP,e
| dowa about WestpOrt and the Shawnee a, saiS
expected that fifteen hundred MissouriAhs W. G.
assenbla TO march sQainst La grence. Cuo ~ ~