New-York daily tribune., 1856-02-12
TIE PERIL or KANSAS.

To The Editor Of The n. y. Tribune.
SIR: desire through the columns of The TRIBUNE
to make some remarks explanatory Of the state OF
things in Kansas in view Of the late Message Of the
President of the United States. | am citizen OF
Kansas; left there in November, just before the mur-
der of Dor 10 settle up my business here, and expect
to- return with part of my family very soon. have
borne an hurnbe part in most of the efforts made by
the actual residents in that unfortunate Territory,
during the past season. TO provide for themselves the
blessings Of sel.government. have had good oppor
unities to become acquainted with the state of parties
there as spent some time nJaekson, Clay and Platte
counties Missouri during the past summer under cir
cumstances peculiarly favorable for obtaining correct
information as to the state Of public sentiment there.
AS to the spirit in which ! approach the subject,
could not fee more charitable toward all men, in judg-
ing their motives, more candid in speaking OF
them. Were these my last words and this my last
hour, believe | am but expressing fear shared by
hreeiourhs of the actual residents OF Kansas that IN
the OVERLAPPING mass of interests which surround the
questions connected with that Territory, the one great
practical question which concerns them will receive
less consideration than it deserves at the hands
of their friends Shall they be permitted to form for
themselves code of laws suited to their condition and
wishes; shall portion of the most untitled IN IN
telcence and morals of the inhabitants in adjoining
counties of neighborng State snatch from them the
binhright Of Freemcn? The citizens of Kansas, Ike
most of the inhabitants of states, are eninently
practical utiaran and conservative. They feel no am
bitim to become the exempars of any particular po-
cal dogma 1or the football of the next Presidential
election They simply desire to possess those privileges
which are their brthright as American citizens, and
which have been guaranteed 10 them by the Consttu-
tou and accorded without question cayil to all the
other Territories They know that through no fault
of ftLeiis they stand unnatural and false position
toward the General Government. They have made
earnest and constant effort not only to do right but to
appear right Again and again and again have they
suffered forcibe violation Of their balo-box, not less
than the heaith.sone the Holy OF HOLES to an Ameu
can freeman and yet the perpetrators OF these outra9es
live TO boast of their daary deeds They have borne
and forebone until forbearance long since has ceased
TO be virtue and perhaps by their friends certainly
bv their enemies. was construed into pusilanimiiy.
make no charges against the General Government, but
desire 70 state some singular facts. The officials OF
the Government in civil Office in the Territory side
with our oppressors and aid All assist them IN Their
raids upon us II would be difficult to convince any
man in the Territory that Gov. Shannon was ignorant
of the intended violation of the polls on the "a OF
October | heard on that day, eighty five miles from
the frontier, of some even by name who were coming
to the Shawnee precinct to vote. Numbers OF them
did vote there directly under his gubenatonal nose
Gov shannon resided at the Mission, one mile from
the frontier and at short distance from the place
where the polls were held, and was in constant COM
,nupcaton with Tom johnson, the Missionary, who
has done as much as any man among Us toward en-
coursginr the violations of our baOt-box. But then
would not insinuate that he knew this ctIc'aHy. lie
only knew it in the ordinary way-with those iacuI'
ties which men possess who are not Presidents
and Governors 1 AIN not 10 unreasonable as
TO suppose that those dgnitaries incur any re-
sponsibility in knowing things through any other
mental process than by their Official faculties and the
briancy Of those faculties is to be tested by Their
keeuness in detecting nGpent revolution and treason
in peaceful uno1ending community. The murder
bv Clarke the Indian Agent, OF an unarmed citizen at
the siege Of Lawrence, was but the practical man.
festson of the same spirit which acuated Gen. Cal
houn. the Surveyor-General, who, IN public meet
ing at LeavenSorth City, used oaths imprecatlons,
and the oulcst epithes in speaking Of the Free-sae
party to the disgust Of some OF hls own personal
friends The Clerk OF the United States Arsenal at
Liberty. No. a man. | blush TO say, raised in Maine,
accompanied the citizens of Liberty and voted with
| them when they violated the polls on the 3Oth Of
March. Conflicting statements have been made as to
how cannon were obtained from this arsenal to be used
| at the sece Of Lawrence. am acquainted with the
| old soldier who j. keeper there and venture the
assertion that he has neither transcribed nor been
deficient in lis duty whatever Others may have done
We positively know that the FreeState party consti-
flutes az the lowest estimate. three iOurths 70 four
ffhs q the actual residents Of Kansas and this fully
coroborated bv the action OF neghbor. across the
border They send from 20 three thousand voters
70 our pos at every important election. We are tod
that a Legislature composed partly Of residents Of
| another State al q. whom were elected BY resi-
| dents Of that other State, aud rot one of whom
,.r-eserts the views and wishes of our voters Is
valid. "le-al" body entitled t9 our obedience;
he. ~ supersede their doinCs I, revolution, and to
make forcibe resistance i treason" We adysedf
redo NOT Ike the laws ofthe Shawnee Legislature to re-
realtbeIn and we told, almost Ia the same sentence
,to, the Judges of the Elections az the shawnee
Delaware KickspoO and other border precincts, who
b invited Missourians to their polls to vote at every
election vet, are unable to withstand or repel such
pvasops az they get up themselves and If this inability
=" is fully asce.;sned by tie General Government