The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-12-13
Our Position.

and outrages in Kansas, the General
Government at Washington has taken
side with the pro-slavery party, and
sustained it with money, men and
arms. The Executive of Kansas has
taken it for granted that the Free State
men were the aggressors, that they be-
gan and continued these difficulties
that they ought to submit to the pro-
slavery party. or be put down by
force-that Free State men were tur-
bulent, lawless, reckless fellows
mere adventurers, who came here to
break laws, "steal niggers," and dis
tract the peace of the country. These
charges have all been made by the pro-
slavery press, and are constantly reit-
Grated up to this time. They have
been so pertinaciously adhered to that
emigrants from Free States have come
to be looked upon, by all who sympa-
thize with and believe the pro-slavery
party, as banditti and robbers. The
consequence is, whatever is done
against them is considered right and
no complaints which they can make
ever reaches the heart of the Executive
to influence his conduct. No evidence
which they may bring before court
hasAahy weight to convict criminal
or protect themselves
We shall now attempt to prove
that all these charges are false, and
that the pro-slavery party resolved to
do these things before any Free State
emigrants arrived in Kansas. 1t is al
ways difficult to prove negative.
When charges are made, it is consid-
cred the province of the accuser to
prove ,and not the accused to disprove.
The law very justly throws the bur-
den of proof upon the accuser. And
if he cannot sustain his charges, the
accused is considered innocent and is
set free.
In the case before US, everything is
reversed. The Free State men are
presumed to be guilty of crimes which
have never been committed, simply
because they have been charged with
them. No evidence has been produced
or asked for. Punishment, by long
Imprisonment, has been inflicted on in
nocent persons simply because they
were Free State men, and opposed to
Slavery. Free State men have been
robbed for no other crime They
have been shot for no other crime
They have been driven from the Ter
ritory, by violence and fear, for no
other crime! These things have all
been done openly, and not only the
deeds published in the newspapers by
the guilty parties themselves, but the
resolves to do the deeds were also pub
lished, months and years before they
were done. The Free State men knew
before they came to Kansas that these
threats had been made, but they sup
posed it was southern buster, only
made for effect, and not to be put in
practice. But whether to be put in
practice or not, they had no fears, and
came to Kansas in full faith of peace
and protection. Lest some should
think these charges are untrue, the
proof shall be forthcoming. Before
the Missouri Compromise was repeal
ed, the Slavery propaganda held meet
ings and passed resolutions, declaring
what they would do, and history
shows they attempted to carry out
their resolves.
The Missouri Compromise was re-
pealed in May, 1854. The Emigrant
Aid Company OF Massachusetts was
not incorporated till the February
following.
Now the charge is, that this Emil
grant Aid Company excited the hos
tility of the Missourians, and caused
all the violence and discord which fol-
lowed. In a speech made by David
R. Atchison, at Weston, Mo-, in the
spring of 1858, and reported by the
Rev. Frederic Starr, Atchison said
"Whst will you do, if the Mis-
souri, Compromise is not repealed :?
VIII you sit down here at home, and
permit the serfs, ths aiggsr- steaters, the
gerHsia of the North, to come into
Nebraska and take up those fertile
prsiries, run off your negroes, and
depreciate the value of your slaves
here? / know you well; l know what
you viii do; you know how to protect
your own interests /; your rifles will
free you from such neighbors. and
secure your property. You viii 60
there with your slaves, and you will
stay there with them, even if the Mis-
souri, Compromise is not removed.
You viii go there, If necessary, with
the 5ayonef and with Nood. But we
viii repeal the Compromise. sOosld
soOaer SEE tie ukols of Nebraska ksa-
dred times 80 tie 6oteBs Of HE'LL, than to
see & g free STATE"
Here is the first intimation of bay
onets, Mood, and ssor.
Here is the first intimation that the
Free State mea were TO be killed, If
they attempted to settle in Kansas.
The idea of settling the difference
be4ween pro-sIayerv and anti-slavery,