The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-07-21
Kansas a Free State.

We are surprised at the tone of dis
couragement which we observe in many
journals as to the prospects of freedom in
Kansas. With no wish to. intimate that
the duty of northern men IS wholly dis
charged, We must say that all our intelli-
gence from Kansas at the present time is
such as to satisfy US that the probabilities
are vastly in favor of its adopting the IN
stitutions of a free State.
We have more than once intinlated
that we regard the complexion. of the
first Legislature as matter comparatively
unimportaRt Secured by violence and
fraud as it was, the first election would
give no warrant to slave owners that they
might prudently remove their property
into the new Territory. And, whatever.
its legislation, no legislature can make
slave State where there are few or no
slaves. Now in Kansas, on the 30th of
March, in a population of near 5000
there weie-but 1877 slaves, mostof whom
had been there many years. We have
no accounts since OF any large migration
thither of men with slaves In large num-
bers. 1t is impossible for such a migra-
ton to be conducted secretly. And we
have this warrant for saying, that with a
present population Of probably 10000
persons, there are in Kansas now only q
handful of slaves Southern planters do
not vet dare move thitter their property.
So far are the settlers of Kansas from
feeling discouraged in this matter. tina,
they feel, and we believe the frontiers
men this side of the line feel. that the
question is practically decided in favor
of free institutions, unless now, at last,
the north Withhold the interest i hes
thus far taken in the free settlement Of
the Territory.
To the statements ws made last week
as to the character of the towns IN Kan
sas, VIC might add further facts, which
have since come to our knowledge, show
ing still that the centers of influence are,
with single exception, on the free State
side. The town of Leavenworth, under
the protection of the fort, under the in
fiuenceof the general government, and
really a Missouri town, because separated
only by ferry from Platte county, gives
a pro-slavery vote. No other town in
the territory does. So Lawrence, Osa-
watomie, Pawnee, Topeka, and the new
towns named Boston and Hampden, all
settled under the auspices of the New
England Emigrant Aid Company, Coun-
Gil City, the station of the New York
Kansas League, and the German settle
ment on the Kansas river, are all free
State towns. There is not another town
of importance, save Learenworth, be-
sides these. in the territory. There are
town lots, like Douglas, but they are not
towns. They are dead speculations.-
These towns are centres of influence
Here. are the presses, the mills, the
churches, and theschools. Every church,
every school. except thoseof the Indian
Missions, and every Sunday school in
the territory have been established with
the cooperation of the New England
Company. 1t would seem impossible to
doubt that territory which makes such
a beginning should not be free.
We hear sometimes intimations that
northern settlers prove false to northern
Institutions, and principles. This SANDER
we desire to fix unequivocally as an in
vention of the enemies of those princi-
pies.
Gen. Pomeroy, whose authority no
one will question, says he knows of no
man among the thousands who have gone
forward under the arrangements of the
Emigrant Aid Company, who have ever
voted slave State ticket. 1t istruc that
at the elections where the legal judges
were driven from the polls at the point of
the bowie-knife, and Illegal successors
appointed, northern men have refused to
vote. This may be mistake in judg
ment, but it is not failure in principle.
The northern men i'll the territory, if we
except those who were long since con-
verted to southern institutions, areall free
State men.
Ii it is asked, why, in such state of
things, all the seats of Illegal members
in the legislature were not contested be-
fore Gov Reeder, the answer is very
clear A territory. whose settled portion
is as large as the State of Maine, whose
people have not been six months ia their
homes, is not in condition to act with our
promptness or organization. The Osa-
watomie precinct contains the strongest
free State vote of any in Kansas. An
army took possession of their polls and
returned slave State representatives.
They protested against the election; but
by one of the misfortunes ofprairie tray-
cl their protest arrived four hours too late
at Gov. Recder's headquarters. For this
reason the illegal members have his Ger
tilicate. For similar reasons other mem
beFs, of the majority of the Legislature,
have theirs. But such a majority carries
no moral force
1t does not deceive the people of Kan
sas. 1t ought not TO deceive us here
Boston Messenger.