The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-07-21
General 1ateIIiaeaee.
pro-slavery Convention in Missouri

PTo-Siavery Convention In Missouri
The Shareholders IN western Missouri
are taking measures TO get up State
Convention for the purpose of express
ing their sentiments In regard to their
interests at this time. The st. Louis In
telligencer fayors the project. Butt de-
sires that the convention should be com
posed exclusively of Shareholders. 1t
SAYS it viii in that case '.be eonserya-
tive"
"After lifetime residence in the
South, Eremarks the editor, we can say
this with truth, that We never yet knew a
mob composed of Shareholders. Public
outrages have been committed in the
south-mobs have been raised-presses
dcstroyed-persons outraged and life
taken, and all in the name of slavery, but
we have never known an instance In
which shareholders themselves have been
the members of the mob. The actors
have always been 'lewd fellows of the
baser sort'-panderers to position and
wealth that they could never aspire to-
who thought that by thus acting they
might gain favor from shareholders, men
of wealth whom they were willing to
serve as masters. But we have never
known Shareholders who did not spurn
and despise the trucking rowdies and
law breakers thus acting in their nameA
The above we clipped from an ex-
change, carelessly neglectingto note the
name aud date of the paper. The quo
tation from the Intelligencer struck US as
something pre-eminently true, in the
main, though not often so definitely. ex-
pressed in print. One exception, of Kan
sas City fame, has recently come to our
knowledge. One individual of wealth
and standing, certain kind of standing,
andwe suppose per necessity a slave
holder, has participated in more than one
mob of late; ; not only was he instigator,
but an actual leader in a carousal that
next day he would have given much of
his wealth to have blotted from the pub
lie memory. And after confessing to
feelings of humiliation, which we would
hardly expect him capable of cherishing
the same man was ready ere long to-
find cause where none existed, for repeat
ing in the same town similar exhibitions
of boasted southern chivalry. But we
record this as an exception, and repeat
that we credit the testimony of our CO.
temporary. Shareholders are not wont
to mingle personally in such scenes.
But do they not, as class, rule the
public sentiment in their own communi
ty? If the actors are "panderers to po-
-sition and wealth that they can never as
pire to-" it becomes grave question how
far that position and wealth" element
is responsible for the outrages perpetrated
on its behalf and in Its name. We never
doubted for a moment that the ''cats
paw persona in the drama were ''lewd
fellows of the baser Sort" but where is
the shrewd monkey whose rapacity seizes
upon such instruments for the grati6ea
ton of theivish appetite ? And upon
whose head should the vengeance of the
plundered fall ? rather which should es
cape? 1t is our private opinion that in
the "roast potato" case, the notable
housewife, if she caught the culprits at
their depredations, in dispensing even
handed justice with her broom-stiek, did
not overlook the position and wealth,
representative.
But We have no desire to trifle with
questions involving the peace and safety
of all that is sacred in the precious
names, country, liberty, home! That
their sanctity las been repeatedly inva-
ded of late, call in the name of slavery"
and human life threatened, and law -resis-
ted, in the same great name, is freely ad-
mitted on all sides; nor are there want
ing presses, protesting to, represent the
public sentimentof their region, which
sanction to the last degree these "public
outrages." Nay, they more than sane
ton, they call upon their fellow-tools
loud. and long. aud Justify, to aid them
in the work for which they get such eu-
logies as the Intelligencer gives, besides
the pocket-money distributed by the
agency of that firm, so popular in the
border State just now.
I'VE have never known shareholders
who did not spurn and despise the truck
ling rowdies aud law-breakers, thus act
ing in their name." We do not doubt
this. And even were this same "wE"
base enough-a probability we do not
for moment admlt-to employ such in
struments, he would spurn them yet the
more cordially for theirreadiness toserye
him. But. would this horror of their
meanness repair the mischief of their
madness Does this loathing of their
character purify the atmosphere they
faint.
We appreciate fully the spirit of the
article We have quoted; we hail with our
warmest welcome every such outspoken
and uueompromising rebuke from the
southern press, of exhibitions that have
become fashionable in our region of late.
Buff our contemporary meant any por-
ton of his remarks as an apology for
Shareholders, we respectfully submit
whether the "bed be not shorter than
that he can stretch himself on it, and the
covering narrower than that he can wrap
himself in it, If ..mobs have been
raised-pfesses destroyed-persons out
ragged, and life taken; and all in the name
of slavery - and they who did she work