Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-07-04
KANSAS AFFAIRS.

and are in Washington. The majority re-
port was to be submitted to the House yestcr-
day.
1t has been stated, denied and reanirmed
that Gov. Pcrsifcr Smith is to have the com
mand of the L. S. forces in Kansas, and will
take charge Of them forthwith.
Ex-NIayor Smith of Boston, writes from
Fort Leayenworth on the 2lst inst.
"As | propose leaving the territory lmme-
dlately. where every one must proceed with
the utmost caution to escape difficulties, that
might cost the loss Of everything, even his
watch and purse, if not his life, a few state
ments may he Transmitted to distant friends
by way OF illustrating the political circum-
stances and social condition of the pioneer
settlers in Kansas.
A voluntary guard is maintained by the
inhabitants Of Lawrence every night by
turns. Alarms are constantly arriving from
one point and another of dcprcdations and
murders. Couriers are forthwith sent off to
ascertain the facts, and on their return mea-
sures are adopted according to the necessity
of the case.
a man was shot dead on the frst-nicht of
my arrival in town. An investigating com
mittee reported it to be iustifcable homicide
The man, however, who thus killed a fellow
being, as he said in self-defence, has also
killed, according to his W Boosting. no less
than four Others in his day. There is really
no law in Kansas might is right, and each
one does pretty much as he chooses. Public
sentiment possibly modiiies, to some extent,
intentions AS we'll as actions.
At the time of writing, a company of dra.
goons are oncamped in Lawrence. Near
" pgtnprt n InrJor ,,u, aC Nf:....-: -
miles from the Missouri River, | saw quite a
troup of the assassins. They had iust left
the Territory by crossing the line into Mis-
souri,, in consequence of the approach of u
company Of horses and artillery, from Fort
Leavenworth, whose Gncampment | passed.
The marauders were mount ID on horses and
mules, armed to the teeth with pistols, long
knives and carbines. They rob travellers; sur
prise the humble residents Of prairie cabins,
whom they strip of their valuables, and in re-
peated instances murder the owner, They
drive off cattle, the property most in request,
and steal horses. They obligc a man to dis
mount AID take his horse, and should he re-
monstratc or resist, blow his brains out with
out apology.
am possessed l. of a multitude of Illustrations
to substantiatc these assertions, furnished
by persons of the first respectability, who
hail from both partl S, Occasionally the vii
lains make a mistake, and kill one of their
own number.
Recent adyices from the Territory show
that ali is not tranquil there by any means.
Sr. LouIs, Thursday June %.
Adviccs from Kansas state that William
Gay. the Agent to the Shawnecs and WAN
dottc Indians, was murdered by "A party of
Indians on Saturday last. Mr.. Gay was ac-
companied by his son, who escaped severely
wounded. On Monday the murdcrers were
still Undiscovered
1t is reported that Gov. Shannon has re-
signed the Governorship, to take effect on the
LIST of July. The Republican intimates that
if Willard p. Hall, of Missouri be appointed
in his place, peace will be restored in the
Territory within thirty days. 1t is rumorcd
that Mr.. Brown, the editor of the Herald Of
Freedom, has been killed. The report comes
from Westport. 1t is also reported that
Col. Sumner had a fight on the 10Th inst.
with a party of Missourians. lie lost two
men. several were killed and some wound
ed on the other side but the result was that
Col. Sumner drove the party back to Mis-
souri,, and stationed troops to prevent their
return. II is further stated that Col. sum.
ncr had refused to let a party Of Southern
ers come from Westport to settle on their
w ~ liiNhblN L pluN, W mere lHtN nil llln
out n town.
1t is likewise reported that a company of
80 men, who recently LETT Chicago for
Kansas, had their Sharp's riff s and rcvolvcrs
taken from them at Lexington. 1t is said
they were very irsolent on board the boat,
threatening what they would do under GER
tain contingenci IS. M violence was offered
to them.
IOUls, June ~.
GOV. shannon arrived Tuesday night. lie
authorizes the st. Louis R,puihcan to state
that lie has not resigned. l.e came to
st, Louis to meet has wife and will return to
Kansas IN the course OF the week. lie reports
all quiet IN the territory. 4 letter to the
st. Louis R'pubicaH from Westport. 24th
inst, says a meeting was held there on sun
DAY to dehouncc the murder by the Indians
If the agent Gay. 4 committee was appoint
ed to draft an address to the governor of
informing him Of the murder and
him to offer Il reward for the appre-
of the mudercrs. Thirty five citizens
OF WcstpoIt subscribed $50 in sums Of from
ten dollars to fifty each, Tor the purpose of
Offering a %suita"ie reward for the apprehen-
sion aud conviction of the guilty parties.
The Chicago company of cmigrants, dis
armed at Lexington, Mo-, on Sunday, were
aboard The West. When the boat landed a
of citizens came aboard and in
ormed the captain of the object of the visit.
lie introduced them to Mr.. Andrews, the
Of the company, who stated in re-
by to the demand of the committee, that
ne had - men under his charge who were
gong to Kansas to settle, that each one of
hem had a gun and they were determined
o Keep them. The committee replied that
hey were satisfied that the intentions Of the
M ri Y wnra bnstil, md thot tb,,
'ruits for the Lane and Reedcr party in Kan
as, and the people of Lexington had deter.
mined that they should not pass unless they
up their arms. After considerable par
wing it was agreed that the arms should be
AIKEN ashore and placed in the custody Of a
esponsible merchant to be restored when the
resent difficulties in Kansas shall be settled.
he arms were then produced from various
ARTS of the boat, and proved to be Halls
all loaded and with ba onets at.
ached.
Dispatches from Chicago and St. Louis
i've further news Of the movements Of the
company of Kansas emigrants The
oat on which they went up was stopped at
Mo, by some four or five hundred
and Caroliuians, who had been
riven out of III nsas by Col. Sumner. These
len had planted cannon, and threatened to
re upon the boat unless the arms of the
migrants were given up, This demand was
implied with. The boat then went on to
' eston, Mo-, where a large force of armed
ro'Slavery men came on board and stated
nat the emiSrants should not go to Kansas,
zen unarmed. Under tins compulsion, the
Dat, t he Star of the West, put back. and
.ndcd the emisrants at Alton, Illinois, under
nard of the South Carolinians.
The Company were to leave again for the
Immediately by the way of Iowa.
A despatch from Chicago of the LIST. states {
at a Worcester company Of forty-four men, ,
ound for Kansas, on board the steamer Sui