The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-30

old. small corner Of the prison is set apart
expressly for him, and in this he has fitted up
bed which his daughter has sent him, together
with chair and several other little articles of
comfort, and now informs everybody that he is
ready for a siege. He lately resided in Ohio,
but in June last, learning of the calamities of
his friends and the danger of Freedom in Kan
| sas, he shouldered his rifle and knapsack, and
came to the seat of civil strife, and that, too,
old as he is, on foot. Governor Geary express
ed his surprise at finding a man of his age so
ready to fight in a cause which seemed to prom
Use nothing but hardships and suffering. The
old man replied, Governor, | WAS educated in
the unpolluted school of the Revolution, and
raised up to manhood uuder the great Jackson ;
| was taught to defend Liberty and the rights
OF man while had the power to do so and
will, so help me God, as long as | can pull a
trigger" The Governor now looked at his
watch, and, finding that the time set apart for
his visit had expired, hastily took bis leave.
Yesterday an artist, who, believe, resides
here in Lecompton, took a daguerreotype of the
prison and its inmates, who were grouped be-
fore it. He will doubtless take it to the South,
and make money out of the operation. Many
| in the slaveholding States would give all the
money they have been able to accumulate in
the corners of their cotton handkerchief for
months, if they could but see a picture of /" q
hundred live Abolition paupers." just as the
daguerreotypist closed the tube of his camera,
| a waggish prisoner remarked, in plain hearing
of the Southerners standing about, " Well, boys,
| that's the first time the Border Rufians have
ever been able to take u.s."
About nine O'Clock, on Wednesday night, the
whole town was thrown into an intense excite
| ment by the report that Lane was encamped
just across the river, with an army of three
thousand men. Fires, supposed to be in his
camp, were plainly seen. :" lie jour de gloire
| est drrire!" thought the sturdy Rufians, as
| some got their muskets and others got drunk
But see the course the cowardly devils took.
| Instead of drawing up their forces on the bank
OF the river, and taking possession of the ferry,
to prevent the crossing of Lane, they drew their
men and a cannon-tbe latter freshly charged
and primed-nearer to the prison, and prepared
| to have gallant fight with a hundred unarm-
| ed, defenceless, and halfsick prisoners! Who,
after this, will say that the Border Rutfians are
not chicatric and courageous men? After
| long search, one ndn-but one, in all this gay
| and busy capital was found with enough of
| daring to go across the river, and reconnoitre
the camp OF the "impudent rebel" Ia short
time, the scout returned with the information
that :" inns Lanes immense cutttrOGt Grrnly" y
consisted Of two men. three women, and four
or five children They were moving, and
being unable to reach town, or the house of a
settler, had camped there for the night.
Court will sit on Monday next, and our cases
will come up, think, on Tuesday or Wedues-
day. L shall not be at all surprised if the
| eighty-eight Lawrence boys, who were arrested
while returning from Hickory Point are, by
some man9uvre, discharged before coming to
trial. If the case goes on, some things will
probably leak out, which the enemy is not over
anxious to have brought TO light. SO the affair
may end something like the one in which
| SherlH Fulton" was concerned, which men
toned week or two ago.
| This morning the militia guard around the
prison was relieved by the o. s. troops. 1t is
said that the militia will take their place again
On Monday. They have just got their uni
| form, tents, DC, and to-day and tomorrow will
be devoted to their dedication. The ceremo.
MES are commenced by the Governor, / sup.
pose, who is now, while | write, making a
speech to them at their camp, Just back of the
| prison. l am not able to distinguish his words
but suppose that " law and order" is the bur-
den OF his remarks. How is it that his words
30 we'll please both parties? The Missourians
say that he is right; that he will answer their
purpose in every respect We kl,oic that he talks
'oeH to as. Now, the greatest fool living knows
that the same kind of talk would not please
both parties. Gov. Geary well knows that not
one-fourth of the so called militia are residents
| OF the Territory. Something is wrong The
militia say, that if pitch into them aaoay, the
| United States troops will be after us, on &C.
count OF their uniform. Is not that funny {?
Many of them have told us that the pay which
| they receive from the Federal Government
with that from the Blue Lodge, and donations
from other sogrees in ahllea "tss C consist in
| lighting, voting, and attending Court
L wrote you, In my last letter, that Governor
Geary had sent company of troops down to
Leavenworth, to demand the release of Mr..
Miles Moore. | have since learned that this
demand has been complied with, and that
Moore has, in return, caused to be arrested
two men who figured principally in his seizure.
| also learn, from high authority. that these
men have endeavored to buy off Moore, and
have offered heavy brides to tie Governor, if
he would procure their discharge.
The Governor has offered a reward of $500
for the apprehension and conviction of the
murderer of David Button. These two csses
and the protection of Captain Walker under a
safe conduct, are the only cases where Gov
ernor Geary has interfered against Pro-Sla-
very man, or for the protection of Free State
man. l am willing to give him all due credit,
but it seems to me that these f;.vors, il such
they can be called, but poorly balance the in.
juries he has done us. But let him 20 ON
little while yet
The State Central Committee have deter
mined to hold the election for Delegate to Con-
gress on the day of the Presidential election.
Reeder will be the nominee but he has saved
himself only by his late letter. His former
silence on the Presidential question has not
met with very general approval here. 1t was
generally believed that his influence in Penn
sylvania and New Jersey would secure them
tor kepublicanism, which would be pretty sure
to render triumphant the only party which has
disposition to aid and protect u.s. Had he
published his letter sooner, it would have re-.
suited In great benefit both to himself and the
cause. X
r. Sc. w. Bsbcock, postmaster at Law
renee, and one Fays, have Just been brought
in here as prisoners. They went to Topeka
yesterday on business, and were there seized
early this morning, while yet in bed, by
deputy marshal, (every third Pro-Slavery man
In Kansas is deputy marshal backed up by
company of u. s. dragons. After some
difficulty, Babcock got hearing before John
r. Wood, bogus Judge of Probate There was
but one witness for the prosecution. He swore
that a company of men some time during the
summer had stolen horse from him, and
that he had HEARD that there scas q man IN
the company Of the name Of Babcock He did
not recognise G. w. Babcock as having been
engaged in this affair at all. Names, it seems.
are dangerous things. One of the prisoners,
Justice ketcham, says he begins to feel that
he is in some danger now. Mr.. Babcock was
held to bail in the sum of $500.
l learn from Mr.. Babcock, that Capta;n
Mitchell, of Topeka, formerly from Kentucky.
who has been an active Free State man. doing
great service in the cause, although he has been
h,,f Ia -. L.