M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-07-31
Extract from the Report of the
Minority OF the Congressional
Ten-thOuSnmd dollar Commit

Ten-tIIOusamd dollar Commit
tee.
The following is the testimony of Dr.. J. N.
o. P. Wood, taken before the Committee
which was sent to Kansas to investigate the
affairs of that territory. Comments are not
needed. The story explains iIself
81 came into the Territory first about the
lst of April, 1854; located permanently in
Lawrence about the 7.h OF October, l954;--
I resided there until some time the last Of
March. or the first of April last and then |
went TO Lecompton. About the time came
there. there was considerable difficulty be-
tween what was called the Lawrence Asso-
citation, of which MIR. Robinson was presl-
dent. and the set tiers that were not members
of this association. The members OF this as.
sociation held a meeting two or three even
ings after got here, and elected judge, and
Mr.. Grover marshal, aud organized a conf
pany, which think they called the shotgun
battalion, for the purpose of preventing per-
sons that did not belong to their association
from settling about the place, and taking
timber and stone from the claims of those
who did live there. They said there was no
law in the Territory; that the organic act
was unconstitutiOnal--made so by the re-
neal of the Missouri Compromise; and that
they intended 10 form an association, and
make and enforce their own laws, irespect.
i've of the laws OF Congress, until there could
be a change in Congress, by which the Mis-
souri, Compromse could be restored, and the
orgunic act sci aside.
|There was no open opposition to the exc
cution of the laws until Gov. Reeder appon-
ted justices Of the peace, AMI one or two
members of this association were arrested. -
They refused 10 recognise the powe: OF the
Justice Of the peace, and refused to attend
their own provisional court as they termed
! it.
"When the legislature was about to be
elected they held meeting, and brought out
their candidates. After the legislature was
elected; aud before they met, there were sew
er meetings held in Lawrence, and at those
meetings they passed resolutions declaring
tley would submit to no laws passed BY tha'
legislature. This was what was called the
Lawrence association, different from the
town association. 1t was composed of mer
sent out under the auspices Of the Emigrant
Aid Society, and DR.. Robinson was at Inc
head of the association. Many belonging L
this association lived in different parts oil tn
Territory. They were allowed to vote at tht
meetings OF the association, which some
times attended, and those who were not ell
rolled as members of the association were no
allowed TO vote or debate at ther meetings.
Some of them lived at 0ssewatolnie, Topeka
Manhattan, and other places in the Terrific
ry. They resolved not to obey the laws tina
would be passed by the Legislature, and onl.
obey their own provisional laws until the,
could form provisional government for tn
Territory.
"The first general meeting, while tn,
Legislature was in session, was held il
Lawrence in July or August, 1856. Belor
that time their meetings had been of the as
sociation; but this was the first genera meet
ing That was the first meeting at which
recollect hearing Col. Lane take the grouu
in opposition TO the laws that the Legsla
ture, then in session, should pass. All tn
public speakers that heard there, said the
did not intend 10 obey the laws that shou
be passed, but intended TO form provision
al government for themselves. After tn
4 Legislature adjourned, the first meeting a
which heard any declarations with regar
to tle resistance of the laws was held q
Blanton's Bridge. Col. Lane, Mr.. Emer
and Mr., John Hutchison addressed the meet
ing, urging the people to resist the laws, lie
the consequences be what they might.
'In private conversation with those men
they always expressed their determination t
resist The laws, and said the officers and pos
Sc should not enforce the laws. They SAT-
they had new code OF laws called Sharpe
Revised Statutes, and they were going 10 US
them in preference to any Others II was
common remark that they would use Sharpe
revised statutes in preference to any 9th
ers.
81 think the first box Of rifles came ther
marked Revised Statutes. think after Mr
Dietzler came back he said he brought tn
rifles with him. When they were brought Il
Lawrence they wanted to put them into m
warehouse. They were lying at my doc
and inquired what they were, and Mr.. Sal
ter who was keeping the warehouse for me
said they were emigrant aid guns. object
: ed to their being put in my warehouse, an
! they were taken and put in MIR. Simpson
office. told them | would not be the frs
: to harbor guns brought there for revolution.
al often expostulated with Lane, Robin
son, and others, both publicly and private
ly, as to their course, and addressed the meet
ing at Blanton's bridge in opposition to thei
course. They said they would resist tn
laws regardless of consequences.
"The next public meeting ] recollect {
was the Big Springs convention. At tha
convention had little conversation, exCeI
with Gov. Reeder and Judge Johnson. Pr
or to the meeting several days, Gov. Reedt
came up to our place. heard that he wa
urging the people to resist the laws. and d
so by setting different day for the electio
of delegate to Congress, on which he shoul
be voted for. | called on him at his room
and asked him if he recommended that cours
and he said that he had intended to retur
to Pennsylvania, but upon reflection he ha
concluded that if they would take that cour'
, at the convention, he would be candidat
for Congress, and had returned from Kanst
city, where he had taken his trunks and baJ
gage. He said he had understood since
came there that Lane, Roberts, and other
5 would be candidates before the convention
: hut if they would withdraw, and the cour
: he had indicated was taken, he would be
S candidate for Congress. He said it wOu
J, give him an opportunity TO bring the matt
}, before Congress, and with the majority th'
It had then in Congress against the Democrat
: party, he thought he could succeed in on
'f ting Gen. Whitfield ifelected.