The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-10-30


A special messenger from Kansas, who
reached this city on Saturday evening
last, direct from Nebraska City. brings us
intelligence Of another Of the high handed
invasion Of the constitutional rights of
American citizens in that Territory, by
which the work Of its final enslavement
by the South, aided and abetted by the
Administration, is to be consumated.
A train of $50 emigrants under the
conduct of Mr.. Eldredge of Lawrence,
in company with Gen. S. G. Pomeroy and
Mr.. Perry, also Of that place, left osce-
ola, Iowa, whittier they had proceeded by
two routes, on the eth Sept, for Nebras-
ka City. They crossed the river at the
latter place, and on the 7th of October
took up their march for the Territory.
They crossed the south line of Nebraska
and entered Kansas on the morning OF the
10th when three or four miles in the
latter Territory were met and surrounded
by band of 600 to 700 hundred United
States troops-dragoons, artillery and
infantry six pieces of cannon, act
ing as The posse Of Deputy Marshal Pres
ton, and were disarmed and taken prison
ers, in defiance OF all their constitutional
rights and rithomt any process Of lar, reai
or pretended The leaders Of this train
were warned ofthe presence of this body
Of men; but reying upon the rights which
are guaranteed them by Gov. Geary,
they had no reason to suspect that they
would be interrupted in this violent and
illegal manner, and hence took no pains
to avoid by flight or TO resist by force
this piratical army until they found
themselves fully in their power. When
the train was stopped. it was proceeding
as it had proceeded through Iowa, with
out military organization, without military
officers. the wagons scattered in a line Of
two miles in length over the prairie, and
the men, in squads, some with, but nearly
all without arms, were walking by the
side ofthe teams. There was no pretence
that it vas military band, none that the
men were organized for offensive purpos-
es, none that they had committed any
crime for which they had laid themselves
liable. by just Interpretation of any law,
to arrest. But search of the wagons
was ordered by Preston, who, by the way
is sprig of lawyer just from Virginia,
who accepted the appointment Of Deputy
Marshal for the special purpose of the
capture Of this train, and when it was as
sertained by overhauling the contents oi
the wagons that there was less than two
rounds of ammunition for each gun-that
all the powder was contained in one keg,
and that for these two hundred and fifty
men there was keg partly full Of catrid-
ges made up for the use of the night
guard, it was decided that this was an in
vading army and that it must be put un-
der arrest.
The leaders of this train had taken the
precaution to send two men around by the
Missouri river, when the main party left
Mount Pleasant, to explain to the Cover
nor the number, objects and condition Of
the men. An interview with him result
ed in promise on bis part, that the men
should be protected, and to evince his ap-
parent earnestness, he gave Mr.. Morrow,
one Of the messengers, letter of safe
conduct, which is embodied in the state
ment of the prisoners, which we publish
below. This letter was sent by express,
and met the train at Nebraska City, and
armed with it, the leaders apprehended no
danger ofinterruption or detention. When
the command to stop was given, this letter
Of Governor Geary's was produced, but
it was not satisfactory to the Virginia
lawyer acting..by his command. He de-
clined to accept it as a pass, and ordered
the search to be made. To this the EN-
igrants demurred, and asked for an es-
cort, that they might go at once to Le-
compton, and give the Governor the op-
porlunity of judging for himsellf whether
they were CIR were not hostile army
This request was denied on pretence thai
the force was not sufficient-that the men
for the escort could not be spared. The
search was conducted by breaking open
their boxes, trunks and valises, hauling
out the contents ofthc wagons, throwing
beds, clothing and cooking utensils into
the mud and trampling them under
their feet. 1t had the result that We
have stated, and no other, except tha
a box of TEN Sharp's rifles, and box
Of two dozen revolvers, going through
as freight, ard paid for as such by the
owner. who was taking them in to sell
were brought to light. Here was trea
SON. Here was rebellion. The arms
those ten guns in boxes and the Halls
rifles belonging to the men, together
with the one keg of powder, and one
half keg of cartridges-were seized anc
packed in U. S. wagon and placed
n Il i . r