The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1855-06-23
From tie Niseosfri DemoTat.
From Kansas.
KIckAPoo CRY, KANSAS, T.
May 90, 1856.

| kIckAPoo CITY, KANSAS, l.
May 90, 1855.
Passion is an unsafe guide 1t leads
men into those extremes which oftentimes
produce painful rebounds. 1t has been
the guide of the people of Platte county,
Mo-, until they have got SO far as to meet
with reaction which is giving them
trouble. They drove Park and Patter-
son away and threw their press into the
river; they notified all ministers of the
Methodist church North to cease their
preaching in the county; they passed
resolutions to take Me Crea from the Gus
tody of the law and to hang him; they
countenanced the riding of Philips, tar
red and feathered, through their streets,
upon rail, because he proclaimed him
self a free-soiler; and finally, they have
compelled the Reverends Woodward and
Starr, two estimable ministers of the
Presbyterian church, to leave the charge
of large and respectable congregations,
because they were suspected of being un-
sound upon the slavery question.
This last act was soextreme as to pro-
duce momentary pause, as of astonish-
ment or dismay; and in that pause came
thought, and with thought, shame and
remorse and terror. They saw them
selves rushing madly to revolution and
anarchy. They found that they were es-
tablishing precedents destructive of per-
sonal security and that there could be no
limitation or boundary to the license of
prescription, persecution, and carnage
which would inevitably result from such
a reasonless, lawless, and suicidal course.
They therefore shrunk back, and tried
to retrace and amend their way. They
published meeting for this purpose, and
assembled ia large numbers, and had
conservative resolutions drawn up; but
when they were read to the crowd, many
of those who had but recently caught the
infection of licentousness. raised such a
hubbub and halloo in which they were
supported by fiery speakers, that the
meeting was obliged to adjourn over to a
future day.
When they met, they adopted resolu-
lutions in regard to the Philips case-re-
buking the people of Leavenworth for
coming into their city of Weston to per-
secute one of their victims; but were not
permitted to say one word in regard to
the violent and unwarrantable course
which they, themselves, had pursued.
They were anxious to declare Platte to
be law-loying and law abiding county;
but the spirit of lawlessness had taken
such hold upon majority of them,
that no such measures could be adopted
They were cried down. The law-loving
portion of the citizens found themselves
in dilemma They could do nothing.
The leading men have kindled flame
which it is no easy matter to extinguish,
and a warm contest is now going on
between themselves, which fills them
with anxieties and evil passions that now
find vent in ordinations and recrimina-
tons, and which may end in bloodshed.
They have made their own bed, and must
lie upon it, though they suffer Let 9TH
ers be warned by their example, and take
care how they go beyond the limits of
law and reason.
1t will be but short time before all
reports of violence in this country, on
the part ofMissourians, will cease. There
will be nothing of the kind They are
getting sick and ashamed of it everywhere
and the most active participants are now
their strongest opponents.
1 was satisfied not only that these
things would correct themselves, but
would also punish the prime actors, in
them. 1t is stated that certain law firm,
who have heretofore had the largest prac-
tice in Weston, have not brought one sin
gle suit to the next term of the court
a fact pregnant with significance.