The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-08-12


and not vet heard from. Of the six, one
was Allen Wilkinson. Esq, a member of
the Territorial Legislature and postmaster
at ShermanviIle sick with the measles,
for no other offence save that of being a law
and order man, he was dragged at midnight
from his bed. and from the side of a sick and
imploring wife. by band IF abolition as
sassins, acting, as they said, in the name
of the great Northern army; within hear
ing of the terror stricken wife, with fiendish
barbarity, he was fayed alive. his nose and
ears Were cut off, his scalp torn from his
head, and then he was stabbed through the
heart. Such is the sworn evidence his wi
dow lately rendered in Westport~ before the
Congressional Investigating Committee
1t revealed on the part of their friends such
picture Of savage ferocity that that Com
mittee for once blushed, and even stultified
themselves, rather than receive the testi-
mony as competent. They had already re-
ceived and recorded the evidence of Par
dee Butler, testifying that since their APP
pointment as Commissioners he had been
tarred and feathered for negro stealing
but this decision they unblushingly revers-
ed, and erased the evidence rather than be
forced to put against their friends this hor-
rible tale of the Ossawattamie murder up
on the record. Besides Wilkinson, VIM.
Sherman and brother, and Mr.. Doyle and
two sons, were proved to have been mur-
dered at their respective homes OF the same
night and by the same band; one of the
Doyles' had also his fingers and arms chop
ped off before he was finally dispatched
Incredible as these things may seem. they
unquestionably happened in Kansas Terri
tory i'll the latter part of last month; yet
-ho+ I>,,E tr,In
is the undeniable fact that these outrageS
are not, as some pretend, the mere extra
vagances of a few irresponsible individuals,
but on the contrary are justly chargeable
to the abolition party, as the legitimate
fruit of their party measures and party dis
cipline, and as naturally resulting from the
public teachings, advice and counsel of
their chief men and most distinguished
leaders.
The outragcs above specified were pre-
ceded, and up to the present time, have been
followed by others of like character and
dictated by like settled policy on the part
of our enemies to harrass and frighten. by
their deeds of horror, our friends from their
homes i'll the Territory. Undoubtedly this
policy "a well settled party system) has die
tated the notices lately given in all the dis
turbed districts by armed marauding bands
of abOlitiOnists, to the law and order men
of their respective nelghbOrhoods, immedi
ately to leave the country on peril of death.
Under such notices our friends about Hicl1-
ory Point, and on Pottawattamie and Rock
creeks have all been driven out of the terri
tory, their stores have been robbed, their
cattle driven off, their houses burned, their
horses stolen, and III some cases they have
been assassinated for daring to return .
some too of these outrages have been per-
prtratcd under the very nose of the United
States Troops, who all the while assert that
all Is peace and quetness, and that they
will afford ample protection, without the
necessity of our banding together in armed
bodies for mutual defence. Among many
others of our friends thus driven away, we
might specify the cases of Messrs. Har-
gOuS, Jones and Owens, of Hickory Point,
whom two hundred United States troops sta
toned within two miles of their homes have
been unable to inspire with sense of secu-
rity. Morton Bourne, a most exemplary,
quiet and unotfrnding man of our party, liv-
ing within eight miles of Lecompton, the
capital of the territory, where quite num-
Der of troops are stationed, was lately driv-
Ell from his home by band of twenty five
armed men, who robbed him of all his guns,
five saddles, three horses, the blankets from
his beds, and over fifty dollars iii money
The thieves gave him twenty four hours to
leave with his family, and threatened to kill
him it he ever returned saying, they intend
ed to serve all the pro slavery men in the
in the same way. Mr. Bourne
is still out OF the territory, and though anxi-
Gus about his property and desirous to re-
turn, yet he dareS not do so, though as Of
ten as he applies, the troops and the COVER
nor assure him that all is quiet, and that he
shall have ample protection but he knows
that unless they remain constantly about
his house they cannot keep marauders and
murderers away. This case is specified
not for its peculiar enormity or hardShips,
but because it is fair type of a large class
of such cases, and because the undersigned
have all the details from Mr.. Bourne him
self. and know them to be strictly true. in
deed one of Us assisted his family in their
flight the day after the robbery.
1t IS but too evident the troops cannot en-
able our friends to maintain their ground in
any part of the territory where the abolition
element is in the ascendant; notwithStand-
ing, we assure our friends that, after the
most diligent inquiry and attention to that
point. we firmly believe that our party has
a well established, decided and increasing
majority OI dCIu.tI SSlIleIS III the IprGlIOrY.
This majority, however, we do not believe
can be maintained unless something be done
to give confidence to our friends, where they
are few and weak in number. This can
only be done by colonizing large settle
ments together, under one common head
with absolute control; let, say from one to
three hundred agriculturalists. mechanics
and labnrers settle together in some sui
table point, to be indicated by the under
signed, or some other committee charged
with the general interests of the parity
This can be lawfully, safely and efficiently
done, and by this means law and order can
be maintained in the territory and we say
this, too, notwithstanding we are in posses
sion of very convincing evidence to the
fact, that the abolitionists of the North in
tend during the coming month, tt introduce
large numbers of their hired bands to put
their treasoaable pretended government in
to operation by force. These measures of
mutual defence and future progress, howe
yer, require means and demand aid from
our friends abroad. The coloniSts should
be subsiStets a reasonable time. and each in
dividual furnished with adequate agricultu-
ii L.