The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-06-07
Read This Something to think About.


to be sustaining " the law and the constitu-
ton They make this their rallying cry
They endeavor by these words to place the
Free State men in the attitude Of traitors to
laws and constitution, as rebels, as lawless
men refusing obedience to laws properly made
to govern all, and as defying courts, officers,
and all the legal pharaphanaha for executing
laws. They, the border ruffians, are virtuous,
law abiding men, whose delicate susceptible
ties and rare patriotism, have been excessive
ly shocked by the treason on the part Of
certain citizens of Kansas in refusing obedi-
ence to what are called zaa0s, and in attempt
ing to make, as the people of Kansas, the laws
to govern Kansas. These virtuous persons
have been long time engaged in lynching or
maltreating men who dare express an opinion
of their own contrary to the introduction of
slavery into Kansas-they have been illegal
ly" arresting persons for this peculiar kind of
violation of Kansas laws-they have lately
marched to Lawrence, burned down houses,
broke open trunks, rifed stores, stolen horses
murdered an innocent man, and forced women
and children to fly for their lves-and all I'M
der the name of 81 the law and the Constitu-
tion." Was there ever before such mockery
of law order and common decency Was
ever country making any claims to civiliza-
ton so insulted and disgracedP
We have stood opposed to the further agi-
tation of the slavery question. AS a Nation
al American we have said, great as are the
evils which have been inflicted through the
bad faith of party in creating the present
slavery agitation-let US endure these evils
rather than by continuing the agitation, and
seeking to repeal the Kansas n ebraska act,
plunge into evils we know not Of and which
may be greater than those we are experience
ing. So we now think. But the outrages
being perpetrated in Kansas, sustained as thew
are by the present Administration and its
tools, and encouraged by the plant things of
the Administration press who bend precisely
with every Pierce breeze-call upon every
man who has soul of his own and dare speak
like man, to protest against these monstrous
evils, and bring home the responsibility to
where it belongs.
The "abolitionists'' of Kansas are simply
those citizens Of the territory who prefer that
Kansas should be free State. This is the
whole extent of their abozitionisne Those who
support the Kansas Nebraska law, say it gives
to the people of Kansas the right to determine
for themselves whether Kansas should be a
free State or slave State. Yet that portion
Of the citizens Of the territory who declare they
are in favor Of its being free State are stig-
matized as aboltionists, and as abolitionists are
hunted down, their lives jeopardized and some
times sacrificed, and their property destroyed
They are treated as men without the pale OF
human feeling or human sympathy Their
leaders are either hunted from the territory,
or arrested for mock trial, the result of which
may be the gallows. More than this-rufians
on the borders of Kansas have made lars for
Kansas, and these laws make it felony, and
punishable by confinement in the penitenitiary
not less than two years, in any who Shy speak
ing or writing, assert or maintain that persons
have not the right to hold slaves in this terri
tory" or even if he shall introduce into the
territory any publication declaring against this
right Now, say a citizen of Indiana goes to
Kansas, taking with him all his movable val
uables and his family, enters his land, and be-
comes citizen of Kansas. He has been told
that he will have voice in saying whether
Kansas shall or shall not be slave State
The Pierce Administration has passed a law
which he is told gives him this right to speak
Perhaps he has heretofore been known as
pro-slagery man, but think on removing tc
Kansas, that the territory and State would
prosper better without slaves, he SO says
He is from that moment stigmatized as ar
a6ottt'onist-not mere empty, idle word as it
is here-but word which there points him out
as a beast to be hunted down, which endang-
ers his personal safety, his property and ever
his family. In expressing this opinion, he is
by the law we have quoted, guilty of felony
and may by Pierces courts be sent to peniteni
tiary at hard labor for a term not less thar
two years! Or if he expresses no opinion o
+ his own at all, but introduces into the terri
tory an Indiana paper declaring that persons
have not the right to hold slaves in Kansas
territory, he is guilty of felony and punishable
as above. Moreover, if without speaking hi
opinions or introducing such REASONABLE
document into the territority, he is known t.
be conscientiously opposed to holding slaves
or does not admit the right to hold slaves il
the territory, he cannot serve as juror in
trial for any violation Of any of the sections G
this act.