The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-25
CAsT1NE. DARKE Co. Sent. 6. 1856.


on In public sentiment.
CAsTINE, DARKE Co., Sept. 6, 1856.
have just returned latter FIVE months alb
sence) from Kansas. have no later news than
you find in the papers. Being in the Terrific
ry, and near the late difficulties, when they
transpired, they are reported correctly, in the
leading features of the transactions.
A short time before left, l saw your friend,
Richard Mendenhall. He was we'll, but troub-
led, like everybody else. at the outrages CON-
mitted by the Missouri Ruffans. The mission
of the Quakers, a few miles from Westport, was
broken up by these outlaws, few days since.
There will be great deal of suffering in the
Territory this winter, not only by Free State
but Pro-Slavery persons. The Free State men,
in many cases, were prevented from putting
in their crop by the difficulties last May. In
place of ploughing, and making an effort to
raise corn, &C., they were forced to take up
arms, enter the military camp, and watch out
for the Buford forces, under Shannon's procla-
nation. For one month after the destruction
of Lawrence, In the spring, there was but little
encouragement to cultivate the soil. In my
neighborhood, the Ruffians (some $50 strong)
with judicial process for three persons, took
by force fourteen of our citizens. They kept
seven of them some ten days in military
camp, chained like felons, and five Of the 9th.
ers they dragged to Tecumseh, after keeping
them some seven weeks in confnement; brought
them before that notorious Judge, Jeffries Le-
compile, and, as nothing could be found that
would approach to a crime of constructive trea-
son, they were permitted, by the kindness of
the Judge, to go home to their families. They
paid $3.50 to Pro-Slavery lawyer, to ask for a
writ of hdbeas corpus. One of these men, who
was confined and dragged about the Territory
for seven weeks, they knew not his name-no,
not even his name was on a single paper charg
ing him with any offence whatsoever. He was
a highly respectable man, and has wife and
family.
The other two individuals they have still in
possession, near Lecompte, in Captain Sack
ett's company of dragons. Their names are,
John Brown, jr. and II. II. Williams. Capt.
Sackett is a gentleman, and treats the State
prisoners with due courtesy and kindness.
Now, as l am personally acquainted with
every one of those who were taken by this mob,
under a judicial process, will vouch for the
character of these men. They had committed
no offence against the laws of God-they, it is
| true, had taken up arms to defend their homes
against the foreign forces which were brought
into the Territory, under the piratical flag of
Colonel Buford and his subordinates.
This judicial mob, after they had seized and
taken to their camp all they could lay hands
| on-for some, it is true, lived in the bushes,
and thus escaped being taken-these men, or
| portion of them, traversed the country to and
fro, searching houses, opening trunks, boxes, and
| chests, taking out such articles as they deemed
useful. Fire arms, and especially Sharpeis
rifles, they had a peculiar fancy for. They
stopped Free State men on the public roads,
| and threatened to kill them and, in a space of
four or five days, this tail-end of the mob took
| away some fourteen horses from the Free State
men-yes, they even took two horses out of q
mans plough before his eyes!
But, enough. Who would not live, few
months, ,chite slave in Kansas, for the glori-
GUS privilege of being recognised as squat
| ter soyereipn 2n