The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15
VOL. X.

nOXlOuS 70 luulVluuals, aS lnulFlOualS, on &C
count Of individual disputes, and on account
of his harassing the members of the communi
ty by little significant writs, took his position
last evening in an exposed tent, without guard
near him; even when one shot had been fired.
he still had no precaution taken, but placed him.
self in an exposed situation, and while thus ex-
posed shot was fired and took effect. | trust.
pray, that it will not result seriously. Now il
is inferred that it was done by the people of
Lawrence. Is that reasonable? Cries of no.
no. There were men of their own stamp here;
of strangers in our midst, unknown to the people
this community. verify believe that not man
in Lawrence had anything to do with that trans.
action. Cries of never, never. 1t may be
asked, would they shootst one of their own men?
have partially limited at the reason / have
said that, in this matter, mans life is of no
account. II the Slave Power of this country,
in order to possess this Territory. required that
Mr.. Jones should lay down his life, or be expo,
ed to the shots of his friends, then Mr.. Jones
must expose his life, then those shots must be
fired. They tried it on Free State man; It
failed. Now it is necessary, in order to get up
another trouble, that it should be a Pro-Slavery
man, in good earnest and if the Free State
men would not go into it, why, / will not say
they themselves would do it, but it looks very
much as if that was the case. OF course no
man in this community would approve of this
affair; and | would here say, believing, as do,
that this attack was the work of an assassin, TO
make capital against those of us engaged in this
Free State movement-and if | did not believe
it, would do the same thing will here say,
that by the authority vested in me, as Governor
of the Territory of Kansas, ! propose to offer
reward for the detection of the assassin; and ii
approved by this community will offer re.
ward of $500 for the detection of the assassin.
and his conviction In the courts of the United
States. have no fears as to who that man will
be. have no fears as to what party he belongs;
and if had, it would make no difference with
me. We want no such men in our party, and
| do not believe we have any there"
The citizens Immediately authorized the
Governor to offer the reward, and, after taking
measures to secure, if possible, the detection
of the assassin, they adjourned.
Now, let it be remembered, that several
Free State men have been most barbarousIv
murdered by the Missouri invaders but when
and where has any atonement been made
When and where the slightest compunction
manifested? When aud where, the first effort
made to disavow the crime or bring the GRIM.
nails to justice? The proceedings Of the cit.
zens of Lawrence clearly show that, if there
be lawless men among them, they not of
them and can find no protection or counte,
nance at their hands.
| From the correspondence of the 81 Lou,
| Democrat of May 6, we learn that Colonel
Sumner was encamped opposite Lawrence on
the 18th ult., with l22 dragons. On the 9th
| he addressed letter to Governor Robinson,
stating that the attack on Jones had produced
a great excitement throughout the Territory
and along the Missouri frontier; urging tho
importance of ferretng out the assassin, an.
nouncing that the offence had been reported at
| Washington, and that, whatever orders he
might receive in reply, he should carry out in.
stantly.
Mr.. Robinson replied, that the attempted as.
sassination of Jones is universally condemned
by the citizens of Lawrence; and if the guilty
party can be found, he will be given up; that
it had always been the policy of the people OF
Lawrence to yield prompt obedience to the laws
and officers of the Federal Government aud
as Jones was acting under the authority of the
Government on the day of the assault, the per-
petrator of the deed was an enemy to the citi-
zens of Lawrence, no less than n volalor Of
the law.
The correspondent of the Missouri Rcpuhi
can reports Colonel Sumner as using the Ian
guage Of menace and insult to the People Of
Lawrence. Possibly this may be true; but
the reports of that correspondent are always
colored by his own feelings. United States
officer must discharge his duty; but he is not
at liberty to play the bully. We cannot be
lieve that the Colonel is a man of that char.