The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-09

souri,. Nor il this all. The pecunary consider
alton the least exciting motive to move in this mat
listened the stories Of men, and children, who
had fed from hoes in Kansas, made desolate by the
threatened and actual violence OF the free State party
Even granting that these stories exaggerated by the
fancy indignation Of their narrators there was still
enough Of truth IN these Representations to excite
smoudering FIRE of wrath, which only required
asst Of 10 fan IL into unexnguishabls fame
and this at ergh in the reports from the town OF
Lawrence The Of ssouri heard that the Terrific
rial laws set at defiance; that the Sheriff Of the
county-a yirgnisn well known and highly esteemed,
and moreover . strong pro- slavery man-was actually
threatened with death by armed abolition mob; they
heard too or shen did rumcr lose strength as it
hes?) that these outlaws certifying themselves drill
ing day by cay, sending to distant States for men,
which modern skull has devised and provided with
artillery. They knew too that tins disturbance
born Of transient excitement and nurtured by the pas
sions hour On the contrary IL understood to
cold bio oded, long foreseen and carefully prepared
thing And what the most natural resultY Che
question. Missouri sent not only her young men, but
her gray headed citizens there the Of seventy
winters stood shoulder to shoulder with the youth Of Fix
There volunteers in tnat camp who brought
with them opy their sons but their grandsons 70
iop need be IN the expected fray Every hour added
to the excitement, and brought new fuel 10 the flame
What nder, then, that my position vas az embarraas
il one Those to tie Wakarusa camp to
fight they ga not ak peace it was wSwar :" sne
ttem. What, then my policy? Certainly this ; 70
mitigate an evil which it impossible to suppress by
cited forces. This was only to be accomplished by
peI nit ing the continuance OF the which had
already been adopted, without my knowledge, BY
the volunteers incorporated as they came IN mo the
already organized &C mmand portion Of these lnsD
themselves sheriff Jones (by giving in list OF theie
names willing to in his posse, and he after
taking legal advice upon the question: decided to receive
hem. They accordingly 30 enrolled 1t was dsci-
ded that he had right TO employ them from the fact
that they being present in the county the Sheriff had
right upon them to aia in the preservation of law
and order within said county even Though they might be
citizens another State whch case, they chose 10
act, their services would be legal
The pro slavery forces thus collected including the
militia the LIST I'd of December $780, las
il then stated TO me at thei Shawnee Mission co
about SOC and 1T was also reported that about an
equal number of free State men had concentrated at
Lawrence. became satisfied that in all probability
deadly collision take place and that the ouly
avoid that collision request the aid Of the gene
RAJ goveI Twas moreover in the receipt OF COM
muDcaton from Brigader General Eastn OF the North
Brigade X NJ, putting in possession OF inorma
ton ON Lawrence, and recommending the employment
of the United States forces at Fort Leavenworth.
10 obtain the co operation o. the geaersi
Missouri President Pierce that requested authority
call upon C0lone Sumner ding at Fort Leaven
worth, tor such mill airy aid should enable me to pro
tect the Sheriff of Douglas county in executing the laws
and preserve peace gooc order in The Territory.
This despatch. with the Presidents answer, ia already
before he public also The Governors proclamation
(which dated the Goth of November, from the
cutive ofice at Shaw nee Mssion).
j
valry t. S. A. at Fort Leavenworth, notifying him Of
what had DONE and requesting him to hold himself and
command in readiness in case the orders shood De re-
ceved TO which be promptly replied that he would be
ready to with bis men at moments warning, as
soon the requisite instructions should come.
On the Sd Of December the telegraph lines being down
between Lexington jefferson City, Missouri (my des
patch being ore sent by special during the
nterya ! received reply, dated December = from
all the power at his command to preserve order
in the Territory, and to enforce the execution
c,uld se made out at the War Department they would
be transmitted Immediately for warded q copy OF the
Presidents elegraphic despatch to Col Sumner request
ing him 10 march the htrenth Of that despatch) with
his to the Delaware crossing of the Kansas-tweve
miles above its mouth, at which post would meet him
and accompany his command TO the scene of difficulty
Col Sumner replied that he would do so, it was
case Of extreme emergency. q had written him that
time every thing things we've rapidly coming to
crisis
About this time q committee waited upon him from
free State claiming TO represent the
citizens of thai town Messrs Lowry ana Babcock They
stated that the people OK Lawrence we're surrounded by
boty Of armed men, who we're threatening 10 demolsh
their town. and requested TO exercise authority t.
preserve peace and their city. They produced let
Ter sigred BY the leading men of Lawrence.
Fine ing that affairs in Lawrence and its vicinity were
fast ching their crisis determined 10 repair thther
Immediately in person myself
also addf essed communication to @. A. sumner. U.
A. apologizng to him for meeting him at the Della
eros. ing had prom ied and adding that as
going to push ahead, hoped he would oow with
his nnand, rapidly as possible. 1t was my desire
to have had the Coanes stationed in Lawrence fof
knew ii 1t could he effected, 1t would prevent an at
tack On the night previous to my leaving for Law
renee sent SPECIAL messenger with three separate des
patches to Gen. Rcbard son j. Strickler and Sheriff
Jones to prevent an attack disorder Of any kind.
AT half pas O'Clock. 7. NJ, on the 9th OF December,
left shawnee Mission, went into Westport No. tdsian
u miles from the Mis- on,) and requested Col.
Boone grandson OF COL Boone OF frontier memory and
Postmaster at Westport to mpany me to Law ence
and as hs acquaintance with ,he leading prosayery
sive give the benefit of his influence in keeping
an excitement and preventing any rash act UPON the
the troops then threatening Lawrence. This he
instantly agreed do, and much to his valuable
assistance in restraining the volunteers We journeyed
in company to the scene Of action Shortly at or leaving
WestpCrt met despatch from Colonel Sumner First
Cavalry stating that upon reflection he had concluded
march with his command until hts orders from the
War Department had been received
We then pI eced rapidly possible to the Waka
camp, (within SIX miles of IAwrence), which
occupied BY that portion Of the prosavey forces under
the command Of General Srickler and reached IL about
three O'Clock A. NJ on the 9th.
Early the morning Of the 9th, sent request to
Major General Richardson to meet me at the Wak4rusa
ton camp One Of the objects in tvidg the pro slavery
forces the two camps OF Lecompton and Wakarusa,
those in Lawrence against whom the Sheriff haa
wrs from escaping another was to take advantage OF
rusa bottom where the actier for ostaning fuel water
shelteripg timber lender it desirable location for
the troops.
About 5 r. NJ. General Richardson with number of
the prominent the Lecompton camp arrived
at my quarters (which had established at Indian
house The of the Wakarusa and about quar-
ter Of mile from the wskarusa camp) Ihao been engaged
during the day to the very ofGen Richardson.
arrival in confer with the leaong men Of the Waka
camp with the view Of ing their feelings and
Intentions and If possible prevailing upon them to
operate with in carrying out my views For myself
had two leading Objects which had determined to
every exer,ion so accompsh:-One to prevent the eu
zion Of blood the other, &c vindcate the supremacy of
the laws. found in the Wakaruss camp strong disp,
stion which appeared be almost universal to attack
Lawrence.
For the purpose of furtberirg the objects had in
vew invited between thirty and forty Of their reading
rom the two camps to meet on the night of the
9Th at my quarters with the intention OF explaining to
them my desires and purposes, and inviting similar
cor fdence on their part In return.
They convened at my quarters accordingly, a. eight
O'Clock T. NJ when addressed them at length, defining
Nh position which intended to occupy and the ENDS
which hoped TO gain, and finally begged them to
plain freely their wishes and to the settle
ment OF The existing hculties. discovered that
there but person present who fully approved If
the which desired 70 pursue The others wished
go further would hear Of nothing less than the
destructi6 Of Lawrence and its Notifications the demo
ticn Of its printing presses, and the unconditional
render Of the OF the citizens others