New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-23

souri river and was stopping in Kansas CITY, WAS
seized at his hotel and carried of prisoner to
Westport. There is no charge sgainst him of re-
sisting any bogus sheriff, or Of refusing to help
serve any writ, or Of committing high treason by
accepting Office under the Free-State constitution
His offence ia having denied the legal existence OF
Slavery in Kansas, which by one of the enactnents
of the bogus legislature is made high crime Mr.
Miller, editor Of The FIRE. State, Carolinian by
birth, who had been sent from Lawrence to com
muncate with the Marshal, and who was returning
back with safe conduct from the Marshal himself,
has been seized in spite Of that safconduc! BY the
leader of band of ruffa1s who said be was Car
olinisD, and who carried Miller of, probably to
murder him, or at least to infict upon him great
personal indignity.
The people Of Lawrerce, it will be seen, have
done everything that could be expected Of them,
even by the most violent assertors of the authority
of the Bogus Legislature. They have in public
meeting emphatcally denied the truth of the charge
against them Of having resisted, or of intending to
resist, the service Of process in the hands of the
Marshal, which alleged resistance has been made
the pretense Of this new armed foray upon them.
They have declared their readiness to submit to
the service of all process in the Marshals hands,
and to furnish posse if required to aid in that
service. They have sent deputation to The Mar
shsl to learn from him what he wants of the peo-
pie of Lawrence, TO which they get no answer ex-
cept vague denuncat0ns le7eled against them as
rebels and traitors.
1t is plain enough what the Marshal wants. II
bis object had been the service of wrtS, he might
have commanded the aid of the United States
troops for that purpose. The present posse Of two
or three thousand armed men. by which Lawrence
is surrounded, bas not been called out to serve
wrts. Their object is, by plunder, personal ylo-
lence and outrage of all sorts, to provoke fight
which may be made prete1t for an attack upon
the city, setting it on fire, the murder of part Of
the inhabitants and the expulsion OF the rest from
the Territory. IT. through the resolute patience OF
the Free State men to submit to all sorts OF out
roges and indgnites rather than strike the first
blow, they should not succeed in this, then their
object is to compel the Free-State men to an ab-
solute submission, to dsarm them, to arrest every
active person among them on some pretext or an
other, and in this way to compel the Free-Ssate
men to take their choice between subsiding into
perfect silence and submission, and leaving the
whole control of the political affairs of the Terri
tory in the hands of the Pro- Slavery party or else
quitting in disgust Territory where they are no
losger allowed any of the privileges of Freemen,
not even that of having arms to defend themselves
against assassination and robbery.
1t would no doubt be the part Of wisdom for the
men Of Lawrence to avoid an armed collision at
any price. Ii were better to make an absolute
surrender of arms and every thing else than in at
tempting to defend themselves, to do any thing
which might be perverted by tie authorities at
Washington into pretense for representing and
treating them insurgents against the authority of
the United States. But if conflict should take
place and blood shoud flow, which is but too prob
able, what fearful responsibility will rest on the
heads OF Mr.. Pierce and his Cabinet One word to
Colonel Sumner to interpose himself between the
combatants would efectunlly prevent the disasters
that threaten. But Colonel Summers hands are,
as we feared, tied up by orders from Washington
not to interfere except by direction of Shannon,
which direction Shannon refuses to give.