The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-05-10
A CONQUERED PEOPLE.
{ Ernm Mt Ens..n lNrS

We bespeak for the unhappy and Cypress
cd people OF Kansas the sympathy and as
sistance OF their brethren in other common
wralths. The honest and sturdy enii grants.
who went into that wilderness TO establish
homes and to found State in which freedom
should be sustained and trcemen protected.
have been snl.ln.ated by the Missouri inva-
Iers, and by the troops Of the Federal Gov
erEmcnt They are Just as much slaves as
the negroes on a plantation. AT this moment
there is no such thing as freedom in Kansas.
They are conquered people. Military
force, always the ready resort OF i, >po,i>m.
is now employed toy the Government Of this
country TO compel obedience to code too
barbarous Tor savage peoule and utterly
unworthy Of the respect Of a civilized com
munitv. Ii is well Tor us to understand the
bartatl>m into which we are IIunning. There
are times in which only the I'laine>t and
most unml>takeable language Is the most be-
coming. The people OF this country ought
to understand the business in which their
dragons are employed. These mcrctnarirS
are enforcing laws which it is every man 5
duty to resist - laws in comparison with
which the statutes of ST. Petersburg and Vi
emma appear riohteous-laws which are ut
terry Incompatible with either the letter or
spirit of the Constitution of the United
States. Cn!e>> We, the people. in whom is
the sole political power, utter stern rehuke
OF the ncfarous business in which the Gov
eminent is engaged We ought to he and We
>ha! be >neercd at thu ou.hout The world. As
the mos; dastardlv traitors to freedom. As the
assa>>ina,ors OF that liberty to which We have
protcsscd devotion.
Mr.. Sheriff Jones. as he STYLED himself
although lie was no more sheriff of Douglas
County than If Suffolk County. Ma>sachu-
sets, has been shot in the back. Somebody
roalcj 10 desperation bv we do not know
what oufraucs, has gwen this bully his que
!u> for a time. The act is not TO be- and can
not be defended; and We are Glad to see that
the honest men Of Lawrence have already
di>avowed it. But it will not DO. 1t would
be neither fair. generous nor manly to iud.c
too harshy any action into which the i,eoFle
Of Kansas NAV he driven The simple truth
is (and it NAV lu>t as well As not be stately
that this unfortunate people have been 81
Icstcrcd. icazcd and bai.cred. SO haras>cd
tv ia, and 10y night. that fury is the most
natural thing in the world. and so are the
fruits of fury. This Jones went TO Law
renee cXlrcS>l V to make troHble. Men were
arrested upon the most trivial pretrN;s; hou
seS were searched: aSystcm OF espionage the
most rrrul>ivc to an American citizen was
established 4 fellow who undertakes TO in
dure in these amu>cmeniS. IN the midst of
free people. and at The expense OF an inteili
gent community, Usually gets his quletus be
tore all Is over.
Submission 10 the territorial laws is ont of
the question. Congress must interfere 10
protect Lawrence from a military de>j,otl>m.
Let there t." immediate and positive action.
Let u save ourselves from. H.. scandal of he
III" t.ran'> ard ollrr>>or>. Let Us rrnrm
Der that this Is supposed 10 hr Hciutiic.-
II .u>as a; this Moment has better AMI nior,
righteous reasons for revolution than our
brioscd forrit;hcr> ever had or pretended to
have. Ia comparison with the H,,onial code
the Stamp Act WAS the mcrc>t banateic.-
But for ia" love %! their country. these ha-
ra>>,d settlers would lons ago have been III
oI'-n revolt. Ia Gods name let us have an
end Of this wrctchcd acknowledgement.