New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-21
Go. SLnnno. 10 he Pre.ld,nt.
FUGITIVE O,rIcr.
su.xyIr MrssIoS, X. T. Nov. 2s, 1873.


Executive O'FIcE.
SHAWNEE NrssIoS, X. H. NOV 20 r..
srp. Affairs in this Territory are Galy assuming
shape Of real danger 10 the peace ana ZOO o'te. -
society / am well satishei that theIe 60 go n q,
Tritorv secret military organization which has iof
It's object among other things, resistance % 'Ae
NV krce Until within few days past pave HoAen
rnon the threats Of leading men and puoHc Pap.i.'
who have placed themse ives III an atttuue ~ -,
ance 10 the laws as not intended by those ~no M
tL.m 10 he carried into execution. am now sau-neh
OF the existence Of this secret military sau!
and that those engaged IN Il have been secty'! ny
piled with arms and munitions OF war aut .-o. -
The object and purpose of this organization 70 t'
the laws by force. The strength OF thls Ogsnl]a''
Is yariously estimated at from LOCO to 2Ooo' ou!
have no satisfactory data from which 70 estiinate Is
real strength and 90 not oeheve they eau H. :.
for Apv given purpose more than LOCO men. IL y
aid thew are be wen supplied with sharp niles anu re-
oyers and that they bound by an oath TO assist
ard aid each other in the resistance OF the tN eu
called upon so to do Independent OF the disclosures
made by those who formerly belonged 10 TINS As'oCa-
ton and the hints thrown out IN some OF tne puoIc
journals in their interest the most practical PROOF o
the truth Of these allegations consists IN theH -
Afeyda since difficulty took place IN Douglas Couh
ty some ten miles south OF Lawrence between one Oh
these men and by the name OF Coleman from n
gina in relation 10 claim, in which the former "as
shot and died Immediately. Coleman was taken mo
custody for trial BY the Sheriff OF that county and, to
avoid all ground Of objection a. 10 legal authority
Ju1re IecOmpte was written to, and requested 10 a.
tend u the county seat IL being II his udiciai dic
and If as an examining court. In the mean tune
large body of armed men, said 10 be from three 70 four
hundred collected at and near Lawrence, ior me
avowed purpose of rescuing Coleman from the SaeIiH
and executing him without tnal. Coleman Claims
that be shot the strictly in sefdetense ana u WI
ing 10 abide a judicial investigation and tnal. On
Monday last a warrant was issued against one oil tnis
band Of men tor threatening the life Of one OF MS nelZh-
bors and placed ia the hands of the Sheriff OF the
county for execution who with posse OF some ten men,
arrested him on Tuesday night and as he was convey
inc the prisoner to Lecompton, he was met ABOUT
O'Clock in the morning by band of these men, consist
ing Of between forty ard nifty, az armed VITA SIM
rifles and reyolvers who forciby rescued the prisoner
out Of bis hands, and openly proclaimed tnat there
were officers law in this Territory In tne sett
mcut in which these transactions took pace thIe "eI
from sixteen TO twenty Law-and-Order families ana
about one hundred Free-So families. At the last ad-
vices three of the houses of the former had been burned
down by this armed band cattle had been killed and
considerable amount OF AMI other personal prop
ertv destroyed, and the whole Law-and-Order popu,
lation Of that neghboThoOd, induced by terror, had
fed, except two families, whose lives were threat
eued. Helpless women aud children have been
forced by fear ard threats to fee from their homes
and seek shelter and protection in the State of MIS-
souri. Measures were being taken by the legal au-
thonies to procure warrants against these la"lSsS
men, and have them arrested and legally trled l hleT
these circumstances, the Sheriff OF the county mas
called OIL me for 900 10 aid him in the execution
of the warrants in his hands, TO protect HIM and hs
prisoner from tie violence of this armed force. The
Cuired by the Sheriff i FAR beyond WHAT De-
Heve necessary and indeed far beyond what could be
raised in this Territory. From 500 to 500 men will be
amply sufficient, ] have 10 doubt, to protect the
Sheriff and enable him TO execute the legal process IN
Lis bands. With the view OF giving TO the Snerlt the
requisite aid have issued orders to Maor-Gen. Rich
arlsOn of the Northern Division OF Militia OF this Ter
rtory-a prudent and discreet mana copy oil wnch
send you herewith. | also send you copy OF a
request have made Of Gen. StIckler, who resides IN
the adjoining county to Douglas. These the only
orders have thought it necessary to issue, by means
of which believe a sufficient force will be raised to
prott the Sheriff and enable him to execute the le
cal process in his hands.
Tie time has come when this armed band of men,
who are seeking to subyer and render pOweress the
existing Government, have TO be met and the laws en-
forced against them, submit to their la@les- do
miuon. II the lives and property OF unofendng ct-
zeLs of this Territory cannot be protected by law
there j. an end TO practical government, and 1t be-
comes useless Formally.
The excitement along the borders of Missouri is run
ming Wild and nothing but the enforcement of the laws
aganst these will aay il. Since the disclosure of
the existence and purposes of this secret military organ
izaton in this Territory there has been much excite
nj along the borders OF Missouri but II mas been
held in check heretofore by that the laws
OF the Territory would be enforced, and that protection
would be given to the citizens against all unlawtu
acts of this association This feeling and intense ex-
element still be held in subOrdinaton if the laws
are faithfully executed; otherwise there is no power
here that control this border excitement and civil
war is inevitable. This military organization is looked
Law-and- Order party of the Territory many of whom
have relations and friends, and all have sympathizers
in Missouri and the moment it is believed that the
laws will not furnish adequate protection to this
class of citizens against the lawess acts of this
armed association, force will be preciptatei
the hne 10 redress real and supposed wrongs,
inflicted friends that cannot be controlled for the
moment resisted. II in vain to conceal the fact. We
are standing Oh volcano, the uphesvngs and agita-
tiols beneath we feel and one can tell the hour
when an eruption may take place. Under existing
circumstances the importance OF sustaining the Sheriff
OF Douglas County, and enabling him to execute bis
process independent of other considerations connected
with the peace and good order of society will strike
You at once and to do this by the aid and assistance
of the citizens Of this Territory the great object to
be ACCOMPLISHED 10 avoid the dreadful evils of civil
war | believe this can be done. In this, However,
NAV be mistaken. No effort shall be wanting on my
part preserve good order in the Territory and will
keep you constantly advised of the progress and state
Of things here
have the honor to be You. obsdisnt servant
His ExeeleDcy FRANKLIN PIERCE.
Cor. Shannon to MaJor-Gen Richardson.
HEADQUARTERS, SHAWNEE MIssros, !
Kansas Territory, Nov. %, 1855.
SIR: Reliable information has reached me that an
armed military force is now in Lawrence and that
vicinity in open rebellion against the laws of this
Territory, and that they have determined that pro-
in the hands of the Sheriff Of that county shall be
executed have received letter from 5. j. Jones,
Sheriff of Douglas County, informing that he has
arrested under a warrant placed in his hands,
and, while conveying him to Lecompton, be was met
by an armed force Of some forty men, and that the
prisoner was tax out of his custody and open defiance
bid to the law am also duly advised that en- armed
band Of men have burned number Of houses destroyed
personal property and turned whole families out of
doors in Douglas County. Warrants will be issued
against those men and placed in the hands of the
Sheriff of Douglas County for execution. He has
written 20 NE demanding 5000 TO aid him in the
execution Of the process Of the law and the preserya