The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1856-12-06
The l}efale Of Freedom.
Lawrence, Saturday, Nov. 90, 1896
The True wife.

the HERALD OF FREEDOM, ana as she Is
now absent, laboring to secure sub
scribcrs, with view of placing it on
permanent basis; and since many have
written In the most complimentary
terms of her energy, it is but Justice
that We place upon record single fact,
that her friends may be still better ad-
vised in regard to her sacrifices for the
cause of freedom in Kansas.
About the Sth of March, 1854, sit
ting in our bookstore, alone, and med
itating upon the affairs of the country,
the prospect of the passage of the Kan
sas-Nebraska bill by Congress, and
the consequent repeal of the Missouri
Compromise, we penned a lengthy
article for our paper-tlc Conneaut-
vile Conrier-in which we reviewed
the whole ground, showed the almost
certainty of the final passage of tho bill
by fraud and Presidential influence,
and closed By saving, among other
things:-
eff we can dispose of our property
here, SO as not to suffer too great a
sacrifice, or hazard the existence of the
Courier-can obtain one hundred fam
lilies to emigrate to the same locality,
at the same tilne-Qad the Kansas
Nebraska bill shall become iaae, by schich
siarery skaH be permitted to enter that
fertile regioa-then we will start with
our household gods for some locality
on the eastern borders of Kansas Ter
ritory, and contribute our humble in
fuence in beating back the advancing
hordes of Southern chivalry and their
'human chattels;;' and, with the aid of
the Press, will invite the free sons of
the North to contribute their share in
building UP an empire there which shall
be sacred to Freedom. Slavery shall
nerer Be permitted to extend its blight
ing influence over the western valley of
the Missouri and its tributaries"
After finishing that article, we men-
toned the matter, for the first time, to
Mrs. BRowS, and read it to her. We
asked for her consent to publish it,
feeling that she was as much interested
in the question at issue, and had more
to sacrifice than ourself. She inquired
whether she could accompany us to
Kansas, at the outset. Answering her
that she could, she cheerfully gave her
consent. After submitting the article
to several influential friends, whose
judgment We desired, it was finally
published, and appeared in our issue
of March 18th, 1854.
The following week, we advertised
our newspaper establishment, book
store, and real estate for sale, and COM
menced enrolling names to accompany
us, and taking other active measures
to carry into execution our designs.
During the first part of May, an in
innate friend, who had labored with us
in 1913 in building up the Free Soil
party, in Crawford county, and who
published the Free Sol Adrocate-thc
work of which was done in our office
set out under our advisement to ex-
plorc the country. He was followed,
about the 10th of May, by a brother
and brother-in-law of Mrs. Brown, for
the same purpose.
They came to the borders of the Ter
ritory, and found the excitement so
intense against eastern emigration, and
such determination by the people of
Missouri, to use violence to exclude
Free State settlers, that they abandon
ed the idea of locating in the Territory,
and passed on to Iowa. They pur-
chased lands in Taylor county, and re-
solved to remove thither with their
families, which two of them have sub
sequently done.
When they reported their observa-
tiOns, on the last of June following,
and almost innumerable difficulties
arose in our own path, the impossibility
of realizing ready money from the sale
of property, and the dangers which
seemed to beset the enterprise, we half
despaired, and almost regretted having
assumed such weighty responsibilities.
In this responding mood, we visited
Mrs. BRowN, and stated our feelings, and
determination to abandon the undertak-
ing. She said nothing, but seemed great
ly depressed in spirits. Having occa-
sion, soon after, to visit her, we found
her in tears. Our urgent opportunities,
after great effort, drew from her the
fact, that she was weeping because of
our determination in regard to Kansas.
Said She 4
81 had been fattering myself, for the
past few months, that new round of
duty was to devolve upon us. That,
in going to Kansas, we should escape
from the consideration of those excit-
ing local questions, which have char
acterized the history of the Courier;
and, instead of battling for the triumph
of temperance, and the principles of
freedom, in town or county, we could
go there, and. by preceFt and example,
aid in laying the foundations of q
mighty State, which should be model
in the great American Republic. If
Won think it best to remain here, will
abandon my hopes of Kansas, and give
it over to slavery; but hope you viii
reconsider your determination, before
YOU come to final conclusion, for
cannot think of such painful destiny
for that infant Territory, If her virgin
soil is given upsto slavery"