The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-06
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES CONCERNING THE
ARREST OF COL. ELDRIDGEs PARTY.

the search made by Col. Cook of the U. S.
dragons, of its wagons, in his opinion con-
6rmed the presumption. He found packed
away, carefully,
six and fve-shooters.
IL Colts, navy size.
"a do. do.
boxes fixed ball cartridge.
/ bag caps.
A small lot of rife cartridges.
/ box, 10 Sharpe's rifles.
l45 breech-loading muskets.
So percussion muskets.
lis bayonets.
81 common sabres.
officers sabres.
II keg of powder.
81 dragon saddles.
! drum.
The Union prints these items in ongdrawn
array, to make them look formidable but any
man of common sense may see that these terri
BILE arms and munitions of war are no more than
might be needed by party of bona tde colo
nsts, who had set out for the Territory, while
it was yet in a state of civil war, before they
could know anything of. the exertions of the
Governor to restore order, and when the right
of Free State men to enter or live in the Ter
ritory was disputed by the Border Rufians.
Surely, it could not be expected that they
would 60 as sheep to the slaughter. AS Amer
lean citizens, they had right to emigrate to
the Territory, and to vindicate their right at
the point of the bayonet, against all who should
attempt to resist its exercise. Not to carry war
and rapine into the Territory, but TO defend
their rights as Independent colonists, did they
organize, and supply themselves with arms and
ammunition. Before entering Kansas, they
heard of the changed state of affairs, and sent
| in advance to obtain a safeguard from Gov
ernor Geary. Did this look like an intention to
invade the Territory for hostile purposes2 Of
course, they had been apprized of the fact,
| that United States troops had been sent to
guard the northern frontier, and that they
must pass under their observation. Did their
bold and manly conduct, in maintaining their
| organization, and asserting their rights, look
like invading the Territory for loetile, pur-
| poses? A party of between two and three
hundred people divides into twoXccmpanies,
| for the sake of more convenient progress.
| able-bodied men, with the arms and ammuni-
| ton, safely packed away, and some seven fami-
| lies, reaches the Kansas line frst-the smaller
| company, chiefly composed of families, with
| children, with the necessary fixtures and furni-
| ture of emigrants, is in the rear. All are aware
that the road by which they are about to enter
the Territory is guarded by United States
troops; and that United States troops are now
everywhere patrolling the Territory. And yet
we are to believe that this party of two or three
| hundred colonists, with their wives and chill
| dren, and ox-teams, are about making war on
Kansas, ready to kill, burn, and destroy, be.
cause forsooth they have few more of Colts
revolvers and Sharpe's rifles, than they can
| conveniently carry ON their persons, or than
are usually carried by emigrants to other Ter
ritories exempt from the curse Of Border Ruff
| fanism
But let US be grateful to Marshal Preston
and Colonel Cook. They inflicted as little an.
noyance as they could, they tell US and then
Lieutenant j. j. Wright, detailed to guard the
emigrants to Topeka, finding it necessary to
| supply their wants, as prisoners of the United
States, paid for the supply out of his own
pocket On arriving at Topeka, they were ad-
dressed by Governor Geary, who.says they list
ened with attention, and applauded the senti-
ments he uttered. Thereupon, they did as they
were commanded, disbanding their organiza-
ton, each member going his way, just as
would have been the case had the company
been let alone. What of the arms that we're
taken from them? Have they been restored
If not, by what color of right does Governor
Geary withhold them from their rightful own
ers?
Now, we have no objection to all proper
measures of precaution on the part of Gov
hostile purposes, ought to be disbanded dis
turbers of the peace ought to be punished
legitimate preventive measures against vio-
lence ought be energetically carried out. But
we submit, that small detachment of the
seven hundred United States dragons might
have been ordered to follow and observe the
movements of Eldridge's party of emigrants
to the end of its journey, without forcibly and
officiousy interfering with its rights of locomo.
ton and its rights of property, until some more
satisfactory evidence of hostile and sinister
purposes, than was presented to Marshal Pres
ton and Colonel Cook.
Now that the Presidential election is over,
we hope the county will be somewhat relieved
of official humbuggery.
From the Official Dispatches
Report Of Immigrants.
KANSAS TERRITORY, TOPEKA,
October Ia, 1856.
DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned, conductors
of an immigrant train, who entered the Ter
ritory on the 10th instant, beg leave to make
the following statement of facts, which, if re.
quired, we will attest upon our oaths:
LIST. Our party numbered from 200 to 400
persons, in two separate companies, the rear
company (which has not yet arrived) being
principally composed of families with children,
who left Mount Pleasant, Iowa, three DAYS after
this train which has arrived to-day.
I'd. We are ali actual bona fide settlers. in.
tending, 80 far as we know, to become perma.
nent inhabitants.
Sd. The blockading of the Missouri river to
Free State emigrants, and the reports, which
reached us in the early part of September, to
the effect that armed men were infesting and
marauding the northern portion of Kansas,
were the sole reason why we came in COM
/ pany, and were armed.
4th. We were stopped near the northern line
of the Territory by the United States troops,
acting, as we understood under the orders of
one Preston, deputy United States marshal:
and, after stating to the officers who we were
and what we had, they commenced searching
our wagons, in some instances breaking open
trunks and throwing bedding and wearing an