Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-10-30
Gen. Lane Challenges the Border
Ruffians.
To Messrs. A. w. DosIPHAN and A. u.
BooH.

BooH.
= GEsrLEMEs:-My attention has been cal.
led 70 the last halt of a circular published
in the Missouri Republican of September 2,
1856, to which your names are subscribed as
indorsers. Atchison and Co., your princi-
nails have long since placed themselves be-
yond the pale of those who can be recogni-
zed as gentlemen; and therefore ] address
you.
If this half of the circular conveys any
idea of the spirit or tenor of the whole ar
tcle, venture the assertion that In reck-
lessness of veracity and bold Justification, it
would be difficult to find its parallel.
| have never enlisted an army, nor even
a single soldier, 20 march into Kansas.
travelled through Iowa in company with
large body of peaceable citizens, each of
whom avowed with the greatest apparent
sincerity, their determination TO become
bona fda settlers of Kansas, and, DO far rs
nv knowledge extends, have actually made
good their professions: and are now making
homes for themselves and their families
Fearing nv presence might be seized upon
as pretext for attacking them by the
) United States troops, I left the company on
the east side of the Missouri river, and
travelled into Kansas alone, taking dif-
ferent route from theirs, SO as to be entirely
disconnected with them.
On my arrival in Kansas | found the bsr-
der papers teeming with intiammatory de-
nunciations of our citizens, and boldly pro-
rs a
and in response to then indictments, hordes
of depraved, misguided desPeraGoes en-
tering the country, many of them having In
scribed on their hats, death to Abolition
lists. and no quarter;" mother and daughter,
in the absence of the husband and rather,
rayishing by nearly one hundred fiendsh
men; the gifted Major Hoyt, who had gal
lantly served his country in The Mexican
war, brutallv murdered while totally un-
armed, his body hacked to pieces and few
sods thrown over him, leaving his arms and
feet projecting from the earth, prey Tor
wolves; prisoners murdered IN manner
exceeding, if possible, even the shocking
barbsrity of savage tribes, and aiterward
scalpeG; one man scalped while alive, and
who vet lives to exhibit his sklnless head
to an outraged worlO; dwellings being
burnt over helpless women and screaming
children.
In the state of confusion and indignation
resulting from these outrages, the people OF
Kansas sought nv aid and counsel; and
took command of the forces rallied for their
defense as an imperative duty, which the
promptings OF humanity forbade me to re- |
fuse, lLstead of following the examples |
of YOUR associates, We determined to wage |
an honorable and only defensive warfare
10 this one, the first order issued guaran-
teed protection to the settler without refer
ence to bis politics, compelled humane and
courteous treatment to prisoners, forDade
the burning of dwellings or the destruction
o: property, and inflicted the penalty oi /
death for lis violation. This order was |
repubIished the morning after your sssocla- /
ties had burned seven dwellings near Le-
compton, in sight of the United States
troops. No buildings we're destroyed at
franklin and the attack was made there
under the impression Mat the cannon loaded
and used to frighten free Stare men, Was the
one taken from Lawrence.
The houses destroyed at Saunders and
Bull Creek-a Though in themselves militia
nv Notifications, aud occupied but lew
minutes before their destruction by our In
vaders-were burned contrary to orders, and
by persons having no connection with my |
command. The house of Clark, the Indian
Agent, charged as he was Yith the cold
blooded murder of the lamented Barber, with !
its valuable contents, was spared by our
army, which reached it but few moments
after the invaders, who had just burned the
seven houses alluded to, had deserted it and
fed to Lecompton. At LecomPton express
orders wereEgiven that not shot should be
fired at the house occupied by the Widow
Brooks and her gallant sons and accom-
plished daughters, although the building
was at the time occupied by the very men
who had kindled the fires of the then smo-
king ruins of the houses of our friends. To
Capt. Scott, Gen. Richardson and other
prisoners, refer you FOR testimony of their
proper treatment. The latter gentleman,
at the peril of my own life, was conducted
five miles outside of our picket guards
Although some of The citizens of Kansas
NAV have been driven into measures of re-
taliation, and it.would be strange fthey had
not, defy you to point to single act COM
mitted by the men under my command de-
rogatory to their character as gallant SOL
diers or chivalric gentlemen.
As 10 the charge of treason and outa%ry,
laugh it to scorn. The recent discharge
upon bail of the prisoners charged with
treason, will, trust, prevent any repeti-
ton of the stale charge, by any man who
makes any pretensions 10 resPectability.
| presume there is no one, even in the
Slave States, SO stullifed in intellect. as to
now imagine, that the effort to infict the
curse Of Slavery on Kansas, by force and
arms, is not entirely futile, You can.
therefore, have no other object in the in
vasion of Kansas than the desire for blood
shed. When you get ready for another in
vasion, to gratsy this hellish disposition, in
order to save further imperling of our be-
loved Union, will entertain a proposition
like this: You TO select one hundred actual
shareholders, born and raised in Slave
States, who have always been engaged in
this conflict, Atchison and Co., among the
number; and | to select one hundred actual
non-slaveholding settlers Of Kansas, my
self included; we being the party invaded,
and having the right to select time, place,
distance and weapons. who shall fight in
presence of twelve members of the Senate
and twelve members of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes of the United States, one half Of
whom shall be selected by each party, with
the mutual agreement that the blood of the
parties thus sc lected shall settle this vexed
questions, and save Kansas from further out
rage.
As no letters are permitted to reach me
in Kansas, through Missouri, you will direct
your answer to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Yours, J. H. LANE.
Fremont County, Iolpa, Sept. %, 1856.