Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-04-02
The KANSAS WAR AN IMAGINARY ONE

The KANSAS WAR AN IMAGINARY ONE
Though our pen has been mparatively 81
lent upon the Kansas war, we have, neverthe
less, read and thought much upon the sub
ject, and have finally come to the conclusion
and we think justly too, that much Of the
imaginary, at least, is mingled with very
little of the real. That some disturbances
have existed there, between different parties
is not doubted, but we can not think that
anything of nature sufficiently serious tc
cause
g. This great commotion-motion the country
through"
has eyer occurred within the limits of that
Territory. No doubt exists in our mind, but
that citizens may have been disturbed while
exercising their right to vote at the polls, at
particular points, and at others illegal suf-
frage has been permitted; but how often in
more Eastern cities do particular parties at
tempt to control our elections, and how fire.
quently do riots occur through such an at
tempt, and some blood spilled-from noses
at least-but where is the man that has ever
thought, for a moment, that such scene was
of sufficient Importance, nationally, as to
cause our Representatives and Senators in
Congress to legislate thereon, and to warrant
the President to order out a strong military
force to quell it9 Generally an effective po-
lice, assisted if found necessary by a few U.
S. troops in the immediate vicinity, have
been amply sufficient to accomplish the work.
Where is the record of the bloody battle
that was heralded to take place on the first
of March last? No where. When has Gov.
SHANNON been obliged to call out the militia
to quell such disturbance? Never. The
smoke of the battle may have been smelt afar
of, and the clash of resembling arms imagined {;
but no reality will warrant great military re-
nown to the supposed participators in that
bloodless victory. The Territorial Legisa-
ture met as anticipated, unmolested. We feel
confident that the great hustle and talk made
by political demagouges and fanatics, in re-
lation to Kansas is got up and palmed off
upon the people for political effect. Much
that is reported to have taken place within
the limits of the Territory is entirely IN
known to its inhabitants; but mercenary let
ter writers, employed for that purpose, swell
little events to mighty ones, and even intro
duco many imaginary incidents of awful
magnitude and of nature truly heinous,
and place the effect produced abroad there
from to the credit of Political Capital, to be
used during the forthcoming Presidential
campaign. If our readers think we Judge
wrongfully in this matter, let them watch
the signs of the times for themselves and
draw their own differences. Of another thing
we are quite sure; and that is, that Kansas
will never be slave State. A two years res
idence at the South satisfies us of this asser-
ton. Planters owning cotton, rice or sugar
plantations, in high state of cultivation,
will never think it for their interest to aban-
don them and remove their slaves to Kansas
for the purpose of alone raising the grains in
digenous to that climate, and Of a nature
far less profitable than the products of more
southern SOIL Neither will the tobacco plant
ers of Virginia, or the hemp cultivators of
Kentucky abandon the highly cultivated and
extensive fields possessed by those States, and
engage in telling trees and clearing the lands
of that Territory. No, never! If any one
really imagines that this will be the case, he
knows but little of the true situation of af-
fairs at the South. We are quite confident
that most of the emigration to Kansas Ter
ritory will be from the free States, and when
The final vote is taken upon that subject,
Kansas will be pronounced Free State.
N.Y. Our hoob fahlo 10 r,roood ,y;.b IT,.