The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-09-29
Kansas Dattefs.
Kansas To-day


To-day is king in Disguise" says
Emerson. And it is undoubtedly true
that the events which stir the blood of
future ages often make little impression
on the great mass of their human cotem
poraries. How many drawing-rooms in
all Christendom, think you, thrilled with
admiration at the news that Columbus
had just sailed from Palos in quest of a
new world across the Atlantic How
many hearts were gladdened by the IL
dings of Washington's appointment to
command the Continental Army? Who
treasures the names of the patriots who
resisted the usurpation of Louis Napoleon
asking not whether there was chance
of success, but only where was the post
of duty, and whose bodies now sleep in
bloody shrouds or are wearing away
under the chafipg of ernbittered souls
among the deadly marshes of Cayenne ?
wish to call attention to the actual
condition of Kansas to-day.
Two years ago, as for thirty years
proceeding, Kansas was part of the unor-
ganized territory of the United States,
inhabited by very few white men, and
they mainly missionaries, hunters, trap
pers and traders with the Indians. A
few negroes were held in slavery at one
or two missions belopgingto the Metho-
dist Church South but each without a
particle of oflegality, and in express def
anceofan act of Congress-an act found
ed in solemn Compromise imposed on
the North by the South. That act was
a part of the fundamental law of this Ter
ritory, and it provided that slavery
should never be legalized in any part
thereof The first invasion of it took
place nearly twenty years ago, when, by
a supplement quietly smuggled' through
Congress Notwithstanding public notice.
strip some forty miles wide was peeled
off from what is now Kansas, and added
to Missouri, making it slave instead Of
free soil. It's from that strip, thus Sc
cretly acquired and treacherously sur
rendered, that Freedom in Kansas is now
threatened with violent subversion.
After the triumph of Slavery in the
new Compromise Of 1859, Senator Atch-
ison, representing Missouri and living
on its western border, commenced op-
erations for removal of the inhibition of
Slavery in Kansas but, after two years
struggle, desisted and declared his will
ingness to have Kansas organized as a
Free Territory, ayowing that he wished
it otherwise, but as the North would not
consent, he was ready to give up the
point.
Nine months thereafter, Douglas re-
ported his surrender bill, based on the
pretense that the Missouri Restriction,
which Atchison had finally Gin 1858 J
admitted that the North would never
! give up, had in fact been given up SC
long ago as 1850!
The struggle was severe, but Presi.
Dental patronage and party drill were
all powerful and the bill passed. Kan
sas was organized under an ac. which
repealed the inhibition of slavery an(
left her to be struggled for by the North
ern aad Southern propagrandism.
Both sides began at once to prepare
for the confict-in fact, Atchison d Co
were secretly organized already. Th'
partisans of Freedom in the North form
ed societies to ard and impel the BON
fide migration of free farmers and artI
sans to Kansas the champions of bond
age organized secret clubs. or lodge
throug ghout Western Missouri whose mem
bers were pledged to rush into the Ter
Iitory on the eve of an election, tax
possession of the polls, and foist men G
!, their own stripe into all important Offices
, And this they have repeatedly done.
A pro-slaYery Legislature, chosen b
Missouri voters, Missouri rifles and Mis-
souri, bowie-knives, composed in goo
a part of Missourians who never spent
week in the Territory until they cor
: vened as Legislators, is now maxim
: laws for Kansas. Among others, it ha
n adopted at one dash the entire code {
i Missouri, which of course includes tn
law of slavery. At the back of this IS
i new law prescribing the penalty OF deaf
{ for the offence of netting or aiding
!. slave to escape from his master and tn
: new crime is so defined that he who al
i swers truthfully a colored mans inquir
6 for the direct road to any point IN low
S or Nebraska would be adludged gull
t of it. There are more laws of this sort
' but this viii suffice, if enforced, to ban
: nearly every Anti-Siayery man in Il
,fI Territory. The Missourians are no
: bringing in their slaves, and it viii N
y be safe to answer any question asked !
d q colored person If this law is upheld.
,ei And upheld we presume it will be-
s All the United States functionaries
o Kansas are warm supporters of the N
braska bill, so called !; the Secretary 81
q majority Of the Judges are from sls'
e States. Gov. Reeder, an active Eebrs
. Ks man, who undertook to bold the b
ance even bstwixt Frssdom and Slaysz