The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-06-16
The Kansas Elections.

DOrLaf1t ever DtlOI6 t1t cUuiltfI. II oOh =
ernor Reeder is sustained, and the course
of the Atchison mob properly censured,
then is justice done and wrong rebuked.
But if the Administration yield to the
pro-slayery demand, and remove him,
then is wrong sanctioned, mobocracy is
triumphant, violence nationalized, cleo
tive purity destroyed, anarchy endorsed,
and CIVIL WAR BEGUN.
When the Kansas and Nebraska bill
was passed, ii was repeatedly and solemn
ly declared that the ''intent was not to
legislate slavery into Kansas" that it
could not 60 there, but that this question
was one for the actual settlers to decide.
Others were to be silent-the pioneer set
tiers were to adjust it as they pleased.
The bill passes, is approved before the
people can speak. A determined and
reckless majority drive itthrough, outrag-
ing the rights of the minority, and par
liamentary usage. 1t is the Law.
New England sent her sons there by
hundreds. She had a right to do So
They were descended from revolutionary
sires-they had as much right TO the
broad plains of Kansas as any other men.
They went to make Kansas their home.
There they would erect the village with
its church and school house, its library
and lyceum. Butt they would vote, and
write, and speak against slavery. They
would never permit the dark shadow of
slavery to throw Its gloom over their
homes. In the exercise of .'squatter SOW
ereignty'' they would exclude the whip,
the manaeles, the handouts, the blood
hounds, the concubinage, the pollution
of despotism forever from the soil their
fathers had once solemnly consecrated to
Freedom In all this, they were surely
within their legal province. They viola
ted no law, human or divine by going to
Kansas or voting for freedom uhen there.
They went in accordance with the pro-
visions of that bill. They went openly
they did not disguise the fact that they
expected to participate legally and peace
fully in the mighty conflict to be waged
on the battle ground between slavery and
freedom.
This movement alarmed the slaveites.
They saw the prize, for which a solemn
compact had been broken, was about to
be lost. They had the same rightto form
companies and move to the new Territory
that the New Englanders had. But they
had no wish to brave the perils and hard
ships of frontier life. They had no de-
sire to carve out fortune by hard blows.
Not they. But they had pretext. The
bill only made ''actuai residence" neces-
sary to a vote. Their editors and poll
ticians told them it made no difference
whether that residence was for year or
an hour The mob was melted to mus
ter in force-urged to go armed with ri
fles and ropes They were told that the
Governor was unfit to live, and should be
hanged. They went-seized the. ballot
boxes, drove the proper officers from the
polls, prevented anti-slavery men from
voting, returned pro-slayery legislature,
DC, and now demand the ratification of
their villainy!
And now, will the President and Cabi-
net approve of this Whitley sanction
the Observation-Disclosures Interpretation
of ''actual residence 90 If SO, then
there is one aspect of this question, upon
which We ask them to look.
1t is not a long ways, in these times,
from Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, &C., to Kan
sas. The Interpretation which gives suf-
frage to armed bands of pro-slavery men
from Missouri, will give the same power
to armed bands from the free States. And
if it be question to be settled by force
If the musket and rifle are to play the
part of arbitrators of destiny in Kansas,
then fair proportion should be from free
States.
There are FIVE thousand men in Indi-
ana who would Immediately arm and
start for Kansas, if the Administration
by endorsing the Missouri outrage, says
this question is open to the decision of
the sword The States named above
have vital interest in freedom, and if
need be, their citizens will go and secure
it at any cost.
1t will be said this is advocating civil
war. No; it is only speaking facts. Civil
war exists. The right of suffrage, the
right of speech, and the use of the press
have been wrested by armed invaders
from the citizens of Kansas. We only
say that if the General Government in
terposes no protection, if it sanction their
oppression, then do justice, magnanimity
and fraternity call upon their brethren in
the free States, to protect at least to aid
them.
And We say calmly and earnestly to all
concerned, they will protect them. They
will not leave them-they will not suffer
them to be driven from their homes, nor
robbed of their rights as citizens.
Missouri may drive her slayes-they
are sons of slaves. The warm blood of
freedom has thickened in the veins of the
oppressed and abject children of Ham /!
But in the veins of our brothers in Kan
sas. flows the blood of freemen. They
cannot be wronged-they must not be !
If Government cannot or will not protect
them, then zee must. If courts are pow
erless, then other means must be used.
Ii need be, force must repel force
The movements in Kansas have placed
US amid revolution. A continuation of
those movements, renders a general civil
war inevitable.
The citizens of the free States must be
lost to all honor, and seH-respect ere they
can permit Kansas to be invaded and con-
quered by force of arms
Let the law be respected. Let the
citizens of the Territory alone let them
decide the slavery question as they may,
and we will be content. If freedom is
defeated, then must the defeat be borne,
but if foreign ruffians invade the soil,
the citizens, destroy the press,
then must the friends of freedom meet
them and conquer them at any price.
In such case, the evil consequences
must rest upon those who caused them.
The friends of freedom have been quiet, |
they have organized no bands, have arm
ed no companies to defend freedom and |
their oppressed and DISTINGUISHED kins-
men in Kansas. Nor viii they while