The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-10
KAN SAS.


KANSAS.
We have ceased to be astonished at any
enormity the Border Ruflians may commit
1t seems that, in prospect of the passage of
MIR. Toombs's bill, for enumersting the in
habitants of Kansas on the fourth day of
July, preparatory to Convention for State
Constitution, they have organized armed
bands, and stationed them at Weston, Lexing.
ton, Waverley, and various points on the Mis-
souri, river, so as to disarm emigrants from the
free States, arrest them, and compel them to
60 back, while Southern emigrants have free
course into the Territory. The object of course
is to keep out Free State population, so as to
secure to the Pro-Slavery men in Kansas the
majority of delegates in the State Convention
to be held in pursuance of the bill of Mr.
Toombs. In another column the reader will
find accounts of at least three large parties
from Illinois and Massachusetts thus disarmed
and driven back. 1t is said that Governor Price,
of Missouri, is aiding and abetting this violence
This is not all: the editor of the st. Louis
Democrat, writing from Jefferson City, the
capital Of the State, June 18th, says:
"There are no cannon in Jefferson City but
two spiked, unmounted ones, in the basement
of the Capitol. Sterling Price, Governor of
Missouri. State nominally at peace with the
United States, sent twelve pieces of cannon
and twenty-five boxes of muskets to Atchison
and Stringfellow, for the conquest of Terri.
tory of the United States"
Some of the Northern ProSlavery papers.
apprehensive of damage to the prospects of
Mr.. Buchanan, affect to discredit these &C.
counts as exaggerated. To show how false
they are to Truth and their own section, we
quote the one sided account of the disarming
of the Chicago company, by the st. Louis Re
publican, /" Border Rufian" paper, and a
supporter of Mr.. Buchanan. 1t confirms all
that has been said, and evidently is exultant
over the outrage:
"The officers of the steamer Star of the West
made contract with commission house of
st. Louis to go to Alton and receive a hundred
and twenty-five emigrants, not armed men, for
Leavenworth city. They went to Alton Thurs
day evening, June 18th, and found, instead of
a hundred and twenty five men, only seventy
SIX men and two women awaiting their arrival.
They had very little baggage, and after that
was taken aboard, the emigrants went to a
warehouse, and were each provided with
Halls carbine, all of them loaded.
/" The steamer left Alton about IL o'clock at
night. The captain of the boat did not learn
until the next morning that the guns were
loaded, but as soon as he did so, he ordered the
guns to be discharged, which order was prompt
ly complied with. After the guns had been
discharged, they were taken into one of the
state.rooms.
"Before the boat had arrived at Lexington,
the emigrants had managed secretly to reload
their guns and supply them with bayonets, and
one of the men was caught in the cook house,
making bullets.
"On Sunday before their arrival at Licking
ton, good deal of excitement prevailed
amongst them. The company assembled in
squads, and seemed to be holding consultations.
Having, by some means, gained information
that they were to be intercepted at Lexington,
their heroism began visibly to decline; and
they offered the captain $1,000 for his consent
not to land at Lexington. The captain inform
ed them that he had freight for that place, and
was obliged to land, to discharge it; and would
land there, at all events, freight or no freight.
"On their arrival at that dreaded place, a
committee of the citizens came on board, and
demanded an audience with the captain of the
party. The leaders were difficult to find, but
as Messrs. A. G. Griffin and A. A. Griffin had
gotten up the company in Chicago, they at length
came forward to answer. The committee in q
respectful manner announced their object, and
demanded their arms. After some hesitation,
the emigrants finally concluded that discre-
ton was the better part of valor,' and sur
rendered. The guns were found secreted in
L. III -
almost every other portion Of the boat. They
we're carried ashore and placed in a warehouse
for safe-keeping, and a receipt was given for
all the arms taken.
"During this scene, which lasted some time,
no hard words nor disrespectfui language passed
on either side. The work was done very quiet.
ly, and the emigrants went on their way, with
only a portion of their side arms in their pos
session. They arrived at Kansas at daylight
next morning, where the steamer was awaited
by Gen. Jones, with company of thirty South
Carolinians.
"On their way up the river, Gen. Atchison,
Gen. Stringfellow, and Mr.. VIM. III. Russell,
also got on board. When these gentlemen
learned what had passed, they requested An au.
dience with the leaders of the company, and told
them that orders had been given to dsband all
armed parties in the Territory, and advised them
that this advice was good, and concluded to &C.
cept it. They had all agreed to return before
they reached l4eaveaworth city, their destination.
When the boat drew up at that place, a very
large crowd were assembled On shore to receive
them. The crowd we're informed that the party
had concluded not to land, but to pass on to
Weston, and return with the boat. This an
nouncement was satisfactory, and an escort was
sent with them from Leavenworth to Weston
where they did not attempt to land, having given
up all idea OF settling in Kansas. A committee
was appointed from Leavenworth and Kansas
TO escort the company out of the river.
The captain of the Star of the West having
agreed to land his passengers either at the
mouth Of the river or bring them to st. Louis,
as they desired, about forty chose to be put of
at the nearest possible point in Illinois, and the
remainder arrived here yesterday morning, with
out having received any serious injury"
A statement of the same transaction appeaTa
in the New York Tribune, in letter from Rev.
7. w. Higgipson, dated Chicago, July I'd. He
had seen the leaders of the returned party, and
took down an account from their lips, We
give the material parts
"Sixty.eight men, Two women, and three
children, mostly from Chicago, left this city in
the Star of the West Capt. Dix, June 10Th
They were peaceful organization, though, as
is usual with pioneers, they carried their arms.
Their chief officers were not military men, and
they went TO become actual settlers. Nothing
suspicious occurred below Jefferson City, where
Missourians began to come on board in small
parties, amounting gradually to some fifty. At