New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-11-15
From The London TINES
THE STATE OF KANSAS.
To tie Editor Of The Time

NE the favor TO insert nalTdti'e VI Pc'sV" 'NfN.'
erces in Kansas, designed to exhibit the lsmentaoe
condition into which political strife had plunged that
Territory in the month of May last.
The publication of that letter has occasoned me the
necessity of replying to very many questions of which
friends have desired solution, III order the better TO
comprehend the extraordinary anomalies which such
coalition of affairs implies
In the belief that many of your readers may have
felt equally at loss for sufficient explanation VIII
endeavor in the shape Of question ard answer 10 sum
up as briefly possible the substance of one or two OF
these conversations, and thus anticipate. probably,
some of those inquiries which may have suggested
Themselves to the minds OF others.
The rst snd most nstur al question is suca eartui
outrsges as every mail briIgs us intelligence Oh are
being con milted in Kansas, Why are n't tne perpc
traitors of the enormtes brought To justice Is there
DO Judge no jury Law, to which appeal can be made
for prot ction - II, :. .;,,
The answer is simple. First, the man is wsnting
who possesses bodness ra-hness enough tn bring e
attending parties T. Justice. Murder ana coldoooied
assassination were of almost daily occurrence al ,ne
tine of nv visit. but whoever should report such
would be at once marked man. ana, IN a P1y ~
ability befcre TIE day had expired hS Lie would DC
the pcreN for his imprudence in the Cause OF rSnt-
But. vet more supposng the offender to be brodght
to Justice uhst is the judge of what character the
july aid what the law, by which he Is TO 90 trlen
fbe Judge wouc be such man a. Judge LecoT pie
the Jereys of the Territory. Or, If not the chef OF
the bloody ASHES Of Kansas, It would be sone other
mnion of the slave power, painting after the eHterni-
nation of every Free State advocate and piedged Dy
his oath OF office to sustain the most offensive measures
which the slave power has Introduced. l. cannot DC
otherwise for every public office IS occupied oy tne
most re solute adherens of the ProSlavery cause and,
lest orc should creep in of different stamp, test is
demanded contrary to the Constitution of the United
States OF candidate tor office, according 10 wbich
he is required 10 bscribe OATH "solemniy swear
. ing upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God"
ha Will andsu
act entitled An Act to Organize the Territories OF
"Nebraska and Kansas and the provisions OF the
"'Fugitiye Slave Law" VIDE Statutes of tho
"Tenitory of Kansas page 1881 ihps, oy the ian
VI tie Territory man can SIT on the bench or aod
any other public office unless he have hrst specially IN.
doised and pledged himself 70 sustain the two most
extreme Pro-Slayery measures that can possibly be
cited.
II such be the Judge the jury would also be of
character no less accurately d, fined by statute What
is The law of Kansas conceruin Jurors mo person
=" who is C, nscenously Opposed Ia the holding OF
say e. or who does not admit the right to hold slaves
in this Territory, shall be juror IN any cause IN
which the right to hold any person in Slavery 10 M
"ytyed nor ia any cause in which any injury done 10,
" or committed by, any slave Is IN lssue nor IN any
" criminal proceeding for the violation OF any law
enacted for the protection OF slave property and Tor
"ue pun sbment of crime committed against the
right 10 such property Statutes of Kansas, p. 3S)
Aeuin by the fist section of the act, the power Is
placed in the hands of the marshall sheriff or other
10. 81 With such law ant 18th discretionary
power vested in such hands, it will be seen at once
what kind of jury must of necessity be procured.
And if be the character OF judge and jury what
are the laws they have to dispense Take sample:
any person print write introduce into publish cir
eusie 10 be brought into printed written published
printing publishing or circulating within tins Ter tory an.
ing any it.iemens Arguments opinion, sentiment doctrine
Advice inuendO calculated to produce dordey danger
tory such slaves escape nom the service Of ther
and be- punihad b. At hard labor for term not
less han i've yeai.' 1siat1te. chap. Isl, ID
III. S not ri.
a ey,S III t OK cause s be introduced ao S oIy
written printed Published circulated in this Territory any
book paper pamphlet circular conaninns any
denial OF the rsbt persons hold slaves this Territory
such pei shall be d. emed guilty Of felony and punished BY
years laws, chap ISL sec. I2)
And what kind of hard labor is the Northern to
undergo who should be luckeesy brought before a
Kansas Judge and convicted of denying the right to
hold slaves in the Territory Ii is defined la the
code, where, after providing that every person so
fenced shall be deemed convict aud shall be put to
hard labor On the streets, roads, pablo buildings
other pablo works Of the Territory, the act continues
And the keeper shall such convict while engaged
inch labor to be securely confined By chain SIX feet IL snsh
round ball OF iron Of not less than four more than sir
inches In diameter attached which chain snail be securely fast
eDed the ankle Of such convict with strong lock and key"
&C. tststutes, chsP. 2, sec. p
For greater offenses against slave property" the
prONIOer, OF course, q seEerer penalty.
airy rebellion Of slaves az .nst their ers to bring
into terhtosy eny book or tract calculated 10 excite
rebellion on the part of slaves free negroes nuat
tees to carry out of the territory slave belonging to
another, or TO assist in the same all capital oenses
to be punished by DEATH But the utterance Of even
asyilable ssanst the right of holding eaves Is made
punishable by two years Imprisonment apd hard labor
the public roads, with chain of SIX feet and rJuod
ball Of iron attached to the ankle il will at be
Whether the law was made for the Pro Slavery the
FreeSse men. Add to this the fact that every act OF
tic FIeeStae party, if viewed n the light Of the Laws
as interpreted by the Federal Government is an &c. Of
treason aga net the Federal Power and it viii be per-
ctved what opportunity is given for the most cruel des
posu ard The grosseet wrong 10 take refuge 10 the
name ead sanction OF the lay. Z" Law" in fac, was
the word constantly in the mouths Of the sefsted Boz
Ger Rutfans, with whom myself came daily iuto con-
tsct in Kansas So far from rot appealing TO every
ding they did, every enormity they comniued, VS.
done in tie Of the law OF the land The constant
tauIt thrown out against the Freestate party aod the
chief difficulty they themselves experienced was the
opposition in which they stood TO tue recognized law
Law ard order" became the watchword ard war cry
Of the most lewless III the Territory and the words "a
posse of law and.ordcr men were Synonymous with
company Of frtebooters and murderers ranging the
country in search Of their political opponents. The
law, therefore, all on side. And it will be seeo
that. with sHactmena demanding the conviction Of all
WHO spoke or acted ag sinst Slavery, and judge and
jury no less desiring their exterInnaon the wropged
Free-S'a'e man, though he should have been struck
down In The highway and rot bed of his all had more to
lose than to gain by recourse to the legal power.
But BY what possibility could laws Rlaringy uu-
reasonable and uDja:t become the laws Of the andl
BY what power or Authority were they enactedl
ADswer-IDey were enacted oy falsely chosen bat
authoritively recognized territorial Legislature TDis
Legislature view ed by the General Government a. the
voice OF lie people, b. comes Ct necessity lawgivers
to the people If The Teitay and not only gives The
laws, but assumes to itself the right 10 define i own
authority In this way the legal existence OF this as.