Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-09-11
The Black Laws of Kansas.

The Black Laws OF Kansas.
We have made the statement, and repeat
ed it often, that the obnoxious Kansas laws,
written, which have been paraded SO often
in the Black Republican journals as COM
bination of all that was infamous and unjust;
which the Senate of the United States have
repeatedly condemned and proposed to re-
peal; that these laws SO repugnant to the
spirit Of the age, and so little in accordance
with the trHe intent and meaning of tho
Kansas Nebraska act, had never boen en-
forced, or sought TO be enforced, by the fed
eral or territorial authorities. This state
ment has been pronounced false. by the
Journal, of this city, and in proof of the
charge, that paper has told US that the de-
struction of the Free State Hotel and the
Printing Office at 4+swrence, and the arrest
of ROBINSON, BRowN and DIETzLER, on the
charge of treason, were based upon viola
ton of these laws. The Journal very tri-
umpbantly closes its case by asking us to
prove that it was not for violation of these
laws that those spoliations Of property and
arrests Of persons were made. This may be
mode of settling question, peculiar to the
journal, but it is one that man who has a
good cause on his side will scorn to resort to.
1t is nothing more nor less than asking us to
prove negative. If the Journal is so posi-
tive that its statement is correct, why not
back up its position by showing that 1t was
upon violation of these laws that the pro-
ceedings of which it complains were based.
1t is for that paper, and not the Sentinel to
bring forward the proof. Let the editor
point out the identical statute, the section
and clause that has been violated, or from
which, in other words, the authority to de-
molish the Hotel and printing offices, and to
hold ROBINSON and others under arrest for
treason, was derived, and then it will be
seen whether they Ocme within the category
of those enactments that have, by common
consent, been pronounced stigma upon the
age in which we live.
With the exception of those enactments
which infringe upon the freedom of discus
sion, and require test oaths as qualification
for the exercise of the rights of suffrage, the
Kansas code is as unexceptionable as those
of any other State or Territory in the Union.
Laws for the punishment of treason and the
abatement of nuisances may be found upon
the statute books of every State. They are
regarded just as necessary for the safety and
protection of every organized community as
are those which provide against robbery, ar
son and murder. Kansas is not alone in
making provisions of this character, as every
reader eau ascertain by consulting the police
regulations af any State or Territory that he
may choose to make the test of his investi
CATION. When the Journal, then, tells u
that the bogus laws of the Kansas Legisla-
ture" are answerable for what it is pleased
to term the infamous and Unprecedented
proceedings of Judge LEcoMPTE and his con
federatss in authority, We want it TO tell III
distinctly whether it means those laws which
we have said were never enforced, wer'
never sought to be enforced, and which tn,
Senate of the United States has twice form
ally and solemnly proposed to repeal. 1t
i language has been 30 ambiguous and non
: committal in reference to this point, that
. looks to us more like the artful dodge Of tn
u triokster and the demagogue, than the opel
. and manly argument of an honest inquire
after truth.
We deny, openly and boldly, that tn
obnoxious laws" of which so much com
plant has been made, or any one of then
has been made the basis of any proceeding
!. civil or criminal within the Territory of Kan
sas, since its organization as a government
= This has been asserted, time and again, upo
the floor of the Senate and House of Repre-
= sentatives in Congress, and has never bee
:. denied. Mr.. D0UGLAs, in his speech in th
Senate, on the Army Appropriation Bill
" delivered August 9th, referred to this ma
ter in such form, that if his statement wer
p not literally and strictly true, it would nc
!. have been left, as it was, entirely unar
= swered. After speaking of the cruel and il
human acts that have recently been commi
ted upon the peaceabls and unofending res
:, dents of the Territory, by LANE and h
!. armed bandits, he says;
:. What is the excuse for all Of this orr aniz
nc ton of military force, this invasion of peac
IT. able people, this burning Of houses and mu
IN dering Of citizens? The excuse is, that certa
laws, which have been read to the Senate Sc
eral times to-day, and on many previous o6c
al sions also, are cruel and tyraDnical, inhums
h and barbarous. That is the only excuse whit
is offered for all this crime. You say that "
pc are not willing to allow the President of Il
en- United States to the military force for Il
ha enforcement of these barbarous laws. WIZ
did he ever propose to use it for that purpos
dy When has he used it to enforce one
q, them? You know very well that up to tn
hour no one prosecution has ever arisen und
TN any one of those laws of which you comPlai