The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-24
KANSAS.

Cotton and Slavery shall call halt.
KANSAS.
A letter on our first page, from a subscriber
in Leavenworth City, admonishes US Of the
perils which still beset Kansas. The destruc-
ton of the press of the Territorial Register by
/ a mob of Missourians took place in a commu-
in the ascendant. Why, then, was not the out
rage prevented or punished? The true Law
and Order men are unarmed, and have no
leaders. They need arms, and they are sure
that they will be obliged to use them at the
spring elections, if not before.
The Propagandists have not abandoned their
purpose of subjugating the Territory to Sla-
very. General Atchison has lately been wri-
ting letters to the South, for men and money.
One of his appeals appears in the Atalanta
(Ga.) Examiner, to the editor of which he ad-
dresses letter. He says:
"Let your young men come forth to Missouri
and Kansas. Let them come we'll armed, with
money enough to support them twelve months,
and determined to see this thing out. do not
see how we are to avoid civil war. Come at
once"
And why, Mr.. Atchison? Do the people of
Kansas propose to invade Missouri, to mob
your persons or destroy your property? Oh,
no! You propose to force Slavery upon them,
mob, burn, and destroy, unless they meekly
submit. AS true Americans, they will resist,
and this, you style civil war. You and your as
sociates, not they, will have to bear the burden
of its horrors and crimes, should it come. You
are the rebels and traitors. He adds post
script, as follows, bearing, we presume, the same
date as the letter-December 18th, the day on
which the People were to vote on the adoption
of the State Constitution:
up. s. l would not be astonished if this
day laid the groundwork of a guerilla war in
Kansas. l have heard of rumors of strife and
battle at Leavenworth, seven miles from this
place, but the ice is running in the Mississippi
river, and l have nothing definite. l was
peace maker in the difficulty lately settled by
Governor Shannon. counselled the 'Ruffians'
to forbearance, but will never again counsel
peace. ID. K. A"
Mr.. Atchison "will never again counsel
peace;" and what he means to do may be in
ferred from the following extract from his letter
in the same paper:
kansas and Missouri have the same lati-
tude, climate, and soil, and should have the
same Institutions. The peace and prosperity
of both depend upon it. Kansas must have
slave institutions, or Missouri must have free
observation-disclosures the interest the Border
Rufians take in Kansas affairs"
| Unfortunately, some divisions have sprung
up in the ranks of the Free State men, Mr.
Robinson, who took so conspicuous part in
the defence of Lawrence, was nominated in the
Convention for the Governorship, by vote of
so to 20, the latter being cast for Col. Lane
After the Convention, some malcontents at
tempted to get up an Opposition ticket. How
it resulted, We have not yet learned, as we have
no news of the election held the 18th instant
AS We apprehended, however, the Missourians
were on hand to create disturbance.
A Geographic despatch from St. Louis, dated
the 18th inst, says:
"The Kickapoo (Kansas) Pioneer, of the
18th, says: A battle took place last night at
Easton, between party of Abolitionists and
some Pro-Slavery men-the former making the
attack. One Pro-Slavery man was killed, and
some wounded. Several Abolitionists were also
company from Lawrence, headed by
Captain Brown, commenced the fight with the
kickapoO Rangers. A large number of per.
sons have left for Easton. The disturbance is
supposed to have originated out of the Free
Soil election of the 18TH"
This, of course is the Pro-Slavery account.
The telegraph in that region, being under the
control of the Pro-Slavery party, always preoc-
cupies the public with lying reports. We shall
soon learn that the Missouri Rangers, as usual,
attempted to interfere with the settlers, that
their interference was repelled-and thence the
bloodshed.
lSince the last paragraph was written, later
telegraphic despatch says that there was col
lision, but no life taken.
Meantime, correspondent of the Tribune
writes:
Sol. Lane received note from Governor
Wright, of Indiana, by the last mail from West
port, which, from the influence it has exerted,
deserves to be recorded in the annals of our
State. 1t is dated Indianapolis, Dec. A. He
says that news had just been received of Lanes
resistance to the Border Ruffians. He has money
and sons, and is ready to come himself, and
spend every cent he has got in defence of the
Northern Free State emigrants. He has five
hundred men who are ready to march at once
for Kansas. Write Immediately, and telegraph
if possible The boys here are greatly .exci.
ted, but have confidence in Jim Lane.'"
There is a very easy way to keep the peace,
and prevent general embodiment Let Atch-
ison and his crew, if they intend to settle in
Kansas do so, and try their strength at the
polls with the Free State Party, honestly and
peaceably. If they do not intend to settle
there, let them stay at home and mind their
business. Of course, if they persist in making
war against the People of Kansas, they must
expect resstance-and if recruits from the
Slavery men of the South flock to their stand
ard, to join in this war on the People of Kan
sas, they must expect that recruits from the
free States will flock to the rescue of the Terri.
| tory.
But, after all, who is the great culprit in this
matter? Who is the man whom the world will
hold prominently responsible for the woe
| and wickedness of the "civil war; should it
| come? FRANKLIN PIERCE, who might by
| word have given peace and security to the
People of Kansas, and would not.
DEVOTION TO PUBLIC DUTY.
We copy from the Portage county (Ohio)
Democrat the following extract from private
letter, written from Washington, January I'd,
by Mr.. Letter, one of the noble band of Repub-
| lcans in the House of REPRESENTATIVES.