Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-09-05


view TO perpetuate the peace and harmony of
our country.
In May last the editor of the Tntelhgsncsr
was in Kentucky, and met numerous OF the
most wealthy and respectable farmers of that
State, such as form so large portion of the
population of Missouri, who enquired earnest
ly about the condition of things in Kansas and
and in western Missouri. They spoke of the
intention they had of removeing to Kansas or
western Missouri; but said they had abandon
ed it utterly, for the reason that they would
never think of taking their families to region
wehre law is set aside, presses mobbed, and
men driven from the country by irresponsible
and unknown bands of regulators. They pre-
fered the rule of law to anarchy. In a recent
trip through several north western States, he
found that the same circumstances were most
industriously and fatally used to divert emf
grafton to those States, and to prejudice Mis-
souri, and Kansas with every class of people.
The most aggravating stories of insults and
outrages committed by.Missourians on the per-
| sons Of emigrants from the Old World or from
! the free States, who are found ascending the
Missouri river, are circulated in the newSpa-
possible to conceive of the deep hatred thus
| generated towards our whole State in the
northern half OF the Union.
| Between these two fires Missouri is leading
| on her Ianguid existence. st. Louis is retard-
| ed in most woeful way. The railroads creep
at snal's pace. And they build ten miles while
other western States build one hundred. In
every department of life they feel the paraly-
sis. Instead of bounding forward, buoyant,
strong and rejoicing, they sit with dull eyes
! and heavy spirits, and listen to the tick of
! death-watch.
These are the bitter fruits of the repeal of
the Missouri Compromises wicked and
wrongful deed-that will yet bring hell of
bitter self-reproaches to its authors. Mssou-
ri did not demand that repeal. The South
never asked it. Atchison solicited it-snd in
q moment of political insanity the South con-
sented to the wrong, and made the wrong her
own. This was the suicide of Slarery.
Every step since taken has deepened the
wrong and enhanced the danger. The free
States organized Aid Societies, and sent their
men to make Kansas free. 1t had been free
soil, by solemn compact, for thirty-ffve years
and they naturally were inCenSed to see its
character changed. The South would have
been far more indignant if a slave territory had
been thus, by unexpected act of Congress,
converted into Free Soil.
| The free States had a light to be indignant
that lifelong Compromise had been repeal
ed-and they had right to try to keep Kan
sas free as it had been, by peaceable colonial
| aIS Puf
portion of the citizens of Missouri, headed by
Atchison and Stringfellow, denounced the
northern emigrants as 'spaupers and hirelings,'
| because they were sent west by the money of
the society and so they held county meetings
| in Missouri, and raised money and sent Missou-
rians to Kansas to make Kansas a slave terri
tcry Were these Missourians ''hireings'' too?
| And did these two wrongs make one right?
| Atchison and Stringfellow, with their Mis-
! souri, followers, overwhelmed the settlers in
Kansas, brow-beat and bullied them, and took
the government from their hands. Missouri
votes elected the present body of men who in
suit public intelligence and popular rights by
| styling themselves ':the Legislature of Kan
sas." This body of men are helping them
selves to fat speculations by locating SEthe seat
of government" and getting town lots for
their votes. They passing laws disfran-
chizing all the citizens of Kansas who do not
/ believe negro slavery to be Christian insittu-
tion and national blessing. They are pro-
posing to punish with Imprisonment the utter
ance of views inconsistent with their own
And they trying to perpetuate their pre-
posterious and Internal tyranny by appointing
| for a term of years creatures of their own as
Commissioners, in every county, to lay and
collect taxes, and see that the laws they are
passing are faithfully executed. Has this age
anything to compare with these acts of auda-
city7
The Free State men of Kansas have resolved
not to submit to this daring usurpation of non
resident oligarchy. They have called a con-
vention of the people of Kansas, to meet in.
| September next, and frame a constitution for
their government. This movement will be
supported by thousands in Kansas and it will
rally and bring to their aid the Northern States
that have been for the time staggered and con-
fused by their untoward events.
The next Congress will find then this issue
before them-a Free State Constitution pre-
sented by one portion of the people of Kansas,
and the o-slavery territorial laws of the pre-
sent fraudulent Legislature. The House of
Representatives of the next Congress will be
largely Freesoil or Anti n ebraska The pro-
slavery of the bogus Legislature will be reject
ed, and without Congressional sanction they
are not yalid-and the contest will then be on
accepting the Constitution presen ted by the
Free State people. The Free State Constitu