Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-08-12
KANSAS AFFAIRS,
Remarks Of Mr. Sherman In the Home of
Representatises, j uIy 2i


ject is well known. 1t has been fully sta.
ted IN the report of your investigating
Committee. | do not propose now ever
TO discuss the question whether these al
legged laws ought TO be enforced At a
proper time | will ask the indulgence oi
the House For that purpose. rise rather
TO answer the statement made by the sit
ting Delegate from Kansas Territory but
a moment since. 1t was this: He saws,
among other things, that the people of
| Missouri In armed bodies have not recent
ly invaded the Territory of Kansas, and
that he, himself, did not accompany an
armed body of men from that State for
the purpose of enforcing these alleged
laws OF Kansas. | so understood the gen
tiemen from Kansas to state. Did | un-
derstand him correctly!
Mr.. Whitfeld-You did.
Mr.. Sherman-Very well. state,
Sir, upon my honor, upon my character as
a man, and there are other witnesses now
present who will testify to the fact, that
there were armed bodies marshaled in
Westport and other places in Missouri,
and marched over into Kansas Territory.
| myself saw them marched IN military
array IN Westport and other towns in
Missouri. and take up their line of march
for the Territory. They openly avowed
that they were citizens OF Missouri, and
that their object was to 90 into Kansas
and aid in enforcing these very laws
myself saw from 100 to 800 mounted men
formed Into companies, with no equip
ments under Heaven except such as were
needed for war. They wore the ordinary
dress for sudden foray-flannel shirts,
pantaioons, and felt hats. They were all
we'll armed with bowie knives, revolyers,
and rifles, and some carried with them
their tents and provisions. The military
array was gathered in and about West
port IN the prpsence Of hundreds, the
members of your Committee aad It's Off
GERS being among the number who wit
messed ii.
must confess my astonishment that the
Delegate from Kansas should rise here in
his place and deliberately state TO the
Committee that no armed bodies of men
had marched from Missouri into Kansas.
ask that gentleman if he did not leave
Westpoit while the Committee was in ses-
sion there, with body Of about 200 citl-
zens of that State for Kansas
Mr.. Whitfield did not.
Mr.. Sherman-Did you not go with a
company of armed men over into Kan
sas!
Mr. Whitlield-I accompanied no Mis-
sourIans.
Mr.. Were they citizens Of
Kansas!
Mr.. Whitfied-They were
Mr.. Sherman-I1ow many!
Mr.. Whi,6eid-About7 20.
h1r. Sherman-WIl the gentleman de-
~ that armed bodies of citzens of Mis-
souri, did gather from Clay, Jackson, and
other counties IN Missouri, and go over IN
to Kansas al the time TO which 1 refer.
Mr.. Nhltiield-l speak only for my
self. | did not accompany citizens OF
Missouri into Kansas.
Mr.. Sherman-I only desire to ascer-
lain the facts from the gentleman from
Kansas; and Will ask hnn this question:
He says that those who accompanied him
on the OCCASION to which | have alluded
were citizens of Kansas. Now, will the
gentleman deny upon his honor that arm
ed bodies of men did 90 over from Mis-
souri, into Kansas
Mr.. Wht6eld-I say that l accompa-
MED 40 Nissourians
Mr.. Sherman-The gentleman says
those whom he accompanied were citi-
zens of Kansas Territory. That does not
meet the point, Sir; say there were arm
ed bodies of men who went from M.ssou-
ri over INTO Kansas; that while they were
marching into Westport from the east,
Gov. Shannon, in obedience to the sum
mons OF the Committee, came into West
port from the Territory, and In his pres
ence they filed of, in regular array and
went into the Territory; that he after
ward went with the Committee to Kansas
City and there saw a company of ''Ciay
County Boys cross the Missouri River
on their way into the Territory. These
facts are notorious. And | say further,
that no candid man who will take the
trouble to look into the testimony of the
.326 witnesses contained IN this book,
(kansas Report q ma lority of whom
are pro-Slavery men, can arrive at any
other conclusion than that in every trans
action IN the Territory of Kansas, from
its organization TO this moment, citizens
of Missouri have participated, and have
overrulsd the citizens of the Territory
This fact has been proven by Free-State
witnesses and by pro-Slavery witnesses
and SO clearly that the only way to meet
it is either by evasion or general denial;
and the very laws which these armed com
panies Went over to enforce were passed
+ 10y Legislature elected by citizens Mis-
S0Url.
But the gentleman says that citizens o.
Massachusetts also interfere. Way, sIr
/ the citizens of Massachuse are s;oppeo
on the great national highways on tneii
way TO Kansas. Emigranis from the Nor
thern States have been stopped by bodie:
of armed men at Lexington and at Other
points Oh the Missouri River, and sen
back. Are these highways national o.
are they sectional! Have the people o
the Northern States the right to go there
or not. If so, why is il that peaceful EN-
igrants seeking homes in Kansas are way
/ Land. searched and robbed even, In iht