The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-24

Letter from George 8. Park, Editor Of the Park
vile Luminary,

Vile Luminary.
The following letter was printed in the The
81. Louis Democrat of the 10th Instant
ST.. LOUIS, May 10, 1855.
Believing ID. r. Atchison a dangerous man,
The Ltm,nd,.y steadily opposed his reelection
to the United States Senate, and supported Col.
Benton.
The consequences were, he let loose his hire
ling presses upon that paper, but they got bat
tie to their hearts content, and retired discom-
fitted from the field. About this time, the self.
defensive association was formed at Weston,
but the masses put it down. d. r. Atchison,
b. +. Stringfellow, j. I. V. Thompson, and
others, then organized secret association. /
am informed Its members are sworn to secrecy
to turn out and fight when called on from head
quarters-to contribute money to carry out the
objects of the association-to share equally the
damages that may accrue from the overt acts
OF any OF its members, and to carry these points
even at the price of disunion. They are bound
never to divulge the names of members Thus
their clan can act In concert everywhere at
once, and lead the uninitiated to suppose that
it Is the spontaneous uprising of the whole peo-
pie, when they number only corporal's guard.
When man is prescribed, they act in concert
to destroy his business and character and the
poor man is ruined without knowing the cause.
All Northern men are prescribed and ruined
in their business and character, or driven out
of the country, who do not subscribe to their
most ultra doctrines. In this manner whole
communities are overawed. One man said to
me in Parkville "Times areaworse here now
than they were in France in the DAYS of Robes
pierce" others said that this was the first time
they were afraid to avow their real sentiments.
No one knew when his business would be de-
stroyed, or he be ordered out of the country. In
this way citizens are paralyzed and subdued.
They call upon other counties and St. Louis to
cooperate and carry on the work. Unscrupu-
lous, they use any means to accomplish their
purposes. Thus this secret engine of hell is at
work, undermining the foundations of all social
order, of confidence, and public honor.
Emissaries have been sent through the South
to organize these associations. One Harvey
was sent into Texas the last winter, endorsed
and recommended by twenty-three members of
the Missouri Legislature. From what / could
learn, his mission proved failure. heard of
but nine members in the State. He was anx-
ious to return to Jefferson City when last heard
from. MCGEE, of Jackson county, was travel
ing in Arkansas On the same mission. Lycur-
gus Shepherd, of Platte county, said to me a
few days since, that the whole South was or
ganized that they had decreed the destruction
of every Benton press in the State, and por-
ton of the Wing presses that they could COM
mand any amount of men at moments warn
| ing, and millions of money; that 100000
were subscribed in Missouri that the destruc-
ton of the hotel at Kansas and presses at
| Lawrence, had been decreed that they had
taken cannon along to demolish them from
distance, so as not to be blown up by the kegs
of powder said to be under the building they
ukA, Sa,1 oaA
Abolitionist was driven out of Missouri and
Kansas; they were prepared for disunion or
| anything" He was then just out of secret
meeting. These secret meetings are generally
held once week, or at the call of their leaders.
| There is no doubt but some good men are in
duced to join this association, and get involved
in its meshes, before they understand its OBJ
jects. So by some overt act, or by bloodshed
and murder, they hope gradually to get the
North and South to take sides, and bring on
civil war and disunion.
The nomination of D. r. Atchison for the
Presidency is ominous. Public meetings are
called at all the prominent points, where B. f.
Stringfellow, j. 7. V. Thompson, or other
speakers, are generally present to make excl
ting speeches, and lash to fury the passions of
the multitude. Even the Rev. Mr.. Kere, chap
lain to the army at Fort Leavenworth, left his
post and came over into Platte county, and, in
| a public speech urged the citizens to extreme
measures Bible in hand {" he secuted the
| idea of using honorable means in this war"
| Ii. Rich, suttler at Fort Leavenworth, was
ready to mob the man if he did not sanction
extreme measures He that is not for us is
against US, is their motto; there can be no
middle ground and they are now busy dra-
| gooning the whole community into duty. Envy,
prejudice, and interest, seemed mixed up and
foremost in everything. The spirit of honor, so
highly Landed in the days of chivalry, is discard
ed by these leaders, selfishness, desire to en-
Joy and appropriate the labor of others without
an equivalent, falsehood and detraction, blind
ness of intellect, and an Infatuated passion that
thirsts for bloodshed and all the horrors of civil
war, now govern in that devoted region. May
the Almighty God make bare his arm to save
our country from ruin. The day left Park
vile, Captain Wallace was busy notifying citi-
zens to leave. | understand one lady, who was
teaching school, was ordered to close doors and
be off. Some were going, some talked of defend
ing their homes; but they were threatened with
thousands of armed men which this secret as
ISOLATION could collect at the shortest notice.
Mr.. Patterson telegraphed Governor Sterling
Price at Jefferson City, "that the danger was
imminent" and asked protection for our lives
and property. None was given US. We then
telegraphed to the President, but had received
no answer when we left. Had one company of
troops been ordered from Fort Leavenworth,
nine-tenths of our citizens would have rallied to
sustain the laws of the country. 1t is libel on
the fair fame of our citizens to class them all
as mobocrats and rufians. The great masses
are right. They are paralyzed by the crisis so
suddenly precipitated upon them. They are
not prepared to hang their neighbors and de-
stroy their property, or for bloodshed, disunion,
or civil strife. But when the constituted au.
torities of our country call, they will quickly
step forth to sustain its laws and its honor.
The whole force of this secret association
was brought to bear against The LuDstndry
They acknowledge that they could get no hold
of it, and nothing left but brute force, which
they were not unwilling to use, especially when
they numbered more than one hundred to one.
DIR. Liebe, of Leavenworth, informed me, some
time ago, that VIM. w. Miller was placed down
at Parkville to drive me Off Stringfellow and
he were so counselling in his presence.
From certain indications, we are led to be-
lieve that the destruction of The L,,minary
press was determined on months before it was
put in execution. Letters were received, asking
the price of our press. We offered to sell at a
reasonable price, but no trade was consumma.
ted. j. T. V. Thompson was heard to declare
that the press should be thrown into the Mis-.
souri, river, and its editors hung. By the way,
we had opposed the appointment of that cor
rupt man to the Office of Governor of Kansas
and thereby enki4dled his wrath. About the
first of March last, after Atokison bad left his
seat in Congress and returned to Missouri, let;
tiers were said to have been received in Park
vile, signed by d. R. Atchison, stating that the
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