Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-04-21
Popular Sovereignty" in Kansas.

Popular sovereignty ID Kansas
The following letter we copy, from the Bing-
hampton RePubiicam is from respectable citizen
of Broone County, who recently emigrated to
Kansas 1t is as good an account of the
Missouri way of carrying out the principle of
Popular Sovereignty" as we have seen, and
coming from areliable and unprejudiced source,
is not exaggerated.
KANSAS, NO., April I'd, 1885,
FRIEND STUART We have just returned
from Kansas Territory after an exploration of
two weeks. During this time, to wit, on the
30th of March there was somewhat practical
demonstration of Great National Principle,
% The principle Of Popular Sovereignty" For
some days previous to the Election it was
evident there was to be grand demonstration
from Missouri, and armed bands of men on
horse back, on mules backs and in wagons,
were seen moving in different directions for the
different voting precincts in Kansas Territory.
At the time | refer to | was in Lawrence
On the evening of the 2Sth, there was a large
encampment of some four or five hundred men
on the q WakarllSa," eight miles from Law
renee There was also party of some seven
or eight wagons, (some of them seemed to be
the leaders of this army of invasion, en-
camped under the bank of the Kansas river at
Lawrence Their camp fires made quite a
brilliant appearance, and the frequent discharge
of fire arms told us of our certain DOOM
unless they had their own way. On the morn
ing of the 29th, parties Of armed horSemen
were seen accommodating the place where the
Territorial Election" was to be beld, (it was
a log building on an elevated Prairie between
two ravines fringed with timber.) After some
consultation they seemed to have determined
on their plan of operations and after some
time the army of the Invaders" began to
arrive. They kept filling up until night when
you would have supposed Lawrence must
give up the ship" In the evening a meeting
was called of the patriotic" men, which was
addressed by Mr. Bloud, of Liberty, Mo,
addressed the " Phistnes" as follows "We
have come here Ito Kansas) to establish
Great National Prnciple-the Principle of
Popular Sovereignty which they intend to
maintain at the ballot-boy on the morrow, (if
need be) at the point of the bayonet, the
bowic-knife, and the pistol" This sentiment
was received with cheers. He also said there
was force enough at Lawrence to carry the
Election, and that two hundred of their number
could be spared for "Tecumseh," (another
voting precinct aad therefore two hundred
men would take up their line of march for that
place, Twenty miles distant) The drum was
then beat, two hundred left for Tccumseh to
| be on hand on the morrow to establish great
National Principle" What has the North
to do with Slavery ~ March the 30th "The
Ides of March has come" but not gone (for
kansas.) The camp of the invaders is all in
motion band of men armed with the most
deadly weapons are near the place of voting ;
their object is to have it all their own way, or
have fight. The badge worn by the Missou-
rianS was white ribbon tied to the button
| hole Of the coat on the left breast. Whether
this is the insignia of the "Order" to which
they belong, | do not know. One of them
said, in case they came to & close fight, it was
to know their men. These seemed to be re-
strained from acts of violence by their leaders
They threatened to burn Lawrence, or at all
events they would destroy the Office of the
Herald of Freedom :" but the day passed
and no one was seriously injured. One man
was shot at and narrowly escaped with his life :;
another was rescued by the interference of one
of their leaders" At first the crowd around
the place of voting was so thronged, it was
well nigh impossible to vote at ALL After
wards they formed in columns, and the business
went on brskly. The Invaders were in the
greatest numbers and Of course took the lead
Afterwards some of the inhabitants of the
Territory were permitted to vote. twas part
second of that never to be forgotten Tragedy
the " Passage Of the Nebraska bill" The
night of March 30th was one of excitement in
Lawrence. The enemy" although somewhat
reduced in number still threaten to burn the
town. The morning has dawncd, and the
firing" which was almost incessant during
the night has ceased, and the invaders have
left The number of the Missourians and
others from the Slave States, according to their
own statements, must have been seven or eight
thousand. The life of Gov. Reeder is threat
ened if he refuses to give the men thus fraud
ulently elected Certificates of Election So
you see there is an end to law and order in
Kansas and anarchy and violence reign for
the time being triumphant But the end is
not yet.
Respectfully yours
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