The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-04-20

deed, some drunk desperate does rot fulfill
his cioody three and add his murder TO the
ouirages already committed"
Other evidences OF The brutal natures OF
those who controlled the election is found in
the columns Of the pro-slavery papers OF The
Territory. Witness the following beslial
paragraph from the Kansa, Pioneer:
I" We would not like TO see the Governor
dangling in the air, by the neck-he will
soon be dead, dead, dead, without that
merely because we consider him fair
specimen oil Eastern chvalry, and a very
fair sample ola Free S0iler; but u no is an
Aboliiionist at heart and in action, and
would ahet In running of darkies into Can
ada, il might be well enough 10 place The
moose around his neck, by way Of expert.
meni, IL Il were only 10 hear him cough
and sec him make pretty faces" 's'-'-g
Comment on the above specimen Of
"squsi:er sovereignty" literature is unnec.
essary. The spirit indicated in the above
extract appears 10 have been carried out by
the armed hordes from Missouri who con-
trolled The election.
In connection with this we give some ex.
tracts from letters written by persons who
have emisraied from this place and address
sed 10 relatives here, one Of them dated
Lawrence city April !, 1855, contains
among o,hes things tho following:
at takes one week 10 60 from ST Louis
10 Kansas city. started in the Boat AUS
tralia two weeks ago. We had no trouble
with the Shareholders until We reached
Liberty, small place up tho river, there
the boat stopped, aud eight or len Of them
came aboard aud threatened TO kill the first
Yankee who would show his head, they
were armed, but We soon lell the place and
got 10 Kansas city aud started iha, afternoon
for Lawrence city on foot We had travel-
led about three miles 10 place called Blue
jackets, where we saw about five hundred
Mssourians who were camping there watt
ing 10 60 10 The election 10 Kansas"
al suppose you have heard Of Lawrence
city. The city is composed Of one saw
mill /, two prinling-otfices, one Blacksmiih's
shop, two stores, two law offices, and about
seventy-6ve houses, mostly built Of logs,
and has been bhiit within six months.
/ mus, tell you about the election. Mr..
Johnston and his Two sons aud myself went
10 look al some claims about len miles from
ihs city, the day before the election, s,aid
over night. in the morning went Two miles
TO the polls in that district. There were
about Two hundred Missourians there with
revolvers, bowie.knives aud some with
rifles, they swore they would cut The throat
of the first Yankee who threw his vote. Mr..
Johnston and myself went up 10 vote, they
had log house all fastened up, hal one
square OF glass 10 pass IN votes, when
voted one Of these fellows pu, his hand
upon my collar and told me not 10 vote,
some said cut his throat, others kill him, but
they did not for am writing here"
F" Al Lawrence there were about thou
sand from different parts Of the country here
to vote armed, and swore they would vote,
one man was shot ai, but he run and es.
capped with his life; we had great time
bu, II is all over, this election will BE- Of no
account.
Henry you wanted me TO write abou, this
country, saw Mr.. Gray, Mr.. Merrill and 4
number Of Others. they all say il is The most
beautiful conniry they ever saw; lis rs cold
here now as il has been this winter The
prairie is very high and rolling. Mr.. Mcr-
rill says he never saw anything like il be.
fore, il you want 10 farm he thinks this The
best country in The world for the business.
Mr.. Gray says Illinois, Wisconsin, Otio is
nothing compared with this country, &C."
Another Of the letters we copy entire, Il
was written day or Two previous 10 the
election, and addressed 10 gentleman Of
our city.
LAWRENCE CRY, March 2s, 1855.
DEAR FRIEND: take The first opponuni.
ty 10 write you OF matters that have passed
since lefi b. We passed along smoothly
enough until we reached 81, Louis, and got
within The limits Of Slave power. The eli.
zens Of ST. Louis are quite iavsrable 10 the
idea OF Kansas becoming a free, state, but
after we lef the city, the good PEOPLE Of
Missouri seem 10 regard us as little better
than a set of robbers. There were quite n
number OF Shareholders on board our boat
with their Slaves. They used all possible
means 10 Gissuade ms from entering tho
Territory. In some OF the last towns through
which wo passed, the citizens came on.
board, some OF them 20 drunk they could
not stand alone, aud threatened TO shoot
every man who supported Gov. Reeder, and
such men, and snch actions were encour-
aged BY one Of Missouri's Representatives
in Congress who was on board The boat with
Us, most Of the way up the river. So Ear rs
| have observed The Shareholders ara desti-
luIe OF every quality which enters in 10 The
OF eenilaman. Tho Mssou-
Iians arc pouring into Kansas in great mum.
bcrs armed to the teeth. One party passed
here 10 day with six pound cannon. They
may possibly carry the Territory for Slave
", but their day ~ short and they know il.
They dare not carry slave into the Terri.
DRY nj present. ...
One Of our party overheard them talking
IN the boat, and they said they had no doub,
)ut what Kansas would become free state.
Az yet have not seen any reason 10 regret
he course | have taken. No locations
rave vet been made by our party, but so
ar rs I can judge, nothing will prevent our
securing good claim but the scarcity OF
imber. As TO whalj can readily be accom-
'lished, Of course canno, tell, but I have
zen some farms which have not been cul.
ivated but few years which I had rather
'wn than any that could be selected in
Maine. will write more at length when
ve get settled. You can direct your letters
or the present 10 Lawrence City, Kansas
Territory.
Yours with much esteem,
WM. L. BowKrR.