Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-06-12
Outrage on the Rev. Pardee Butler

One year ago came to Kansas al
bought claim on Sugar Creek, Atchisc
county.
On the 10Th Of August the Border RuffiaI
of the town Of Atchison sent me down ii
Missouri River on a raft.
We parted under mutual pledge-I, tn;
if my life was spared, would come back
Atchison; and they, that if did come bacl
they would hang me.
Faithful to my promise, in November la:
Ireturned 10 Kansas with my family; visite
Atchison in open day, announced myself 0
hand, and returned without molestation.
Kansas being yet sparely settled, and hay
ing few meeting houses, it was determines
that Mrs. Butler should live on our claim
with her brothers. wife, while | should re
turn TO Illinois and resume my labors as
preacher. have been for a number ofyear
in the employ of churches in the counties o
Brown and Adams, Illinois, majority 0
whose members were, suppose, born ant
raised in Kentucky.
April 30th returned to Kansas and cross
ed the Missouri at Atchison. ! spoke to NJ
one in town, save with two merchants O
the place, with whom had business trans
action since my first arrival in the Territory
Having remained only few minutes, wen
TO my buggy to resume my journey, when
was assaulted by Robert S. Kelly, junior
editor of The Squatter Sovereign, and others
was dragged into a grocery, and there sur
rounded by company of South Carolinians
" ho are reported to have been sent out by ;
Southern Emigration-Aid Society.
In this last Mob, noticed only two were
citizens of Atchison Or engaged in the former
mob.
1t is reported that these emigrants from
the Palmetto State seek out claim and
make for themselves home; neither do they
enter into any legitimate business. They
very eXpressvely describe themselves a:
having ''come out 10 see Kansas through
They yelled-"KilI him!'' "Kil him.!
sHang the id Abolitionist.;'
One oftheir number hustled up to me and
demanded
''Hare you a revolver!"
| replied-"No."
He handed me a pistol saying There,
take ;hat, and stand off ten steps and &C
d-n you, viii blow you through in an in.
stant!;'
| Irepliel-"I have no use for your weap-
on
/ aftcrward heard them congratulaing
themselves in reference 20 this-ihat they
had been honorable with me. The fellow
was furious; but his companions dissuaded
him from shooting ME, saying they were
going to hang me.
Ii can picture to myself the look of a
Cuban bloodhoun, just ready with open jaws
to seize painting slave in Florida swamp,
then | imagined We have correct daguer-
reotype of the expression worn by these
emigrant representatives of the manly senti-
ment, high-toned courage a nd magnanimous
feelings of the South Carolina chiVa!fy when
first they scentsG-in their own Imagination
the blood OF live "Abolitionist.,'
"Hang him. they yelled! ''hang him!
hang the ID Abolitiolist'
They pnioned NY arms behind me, OBJ
tanned a rope, but were interrupted by the
entrance Of a stranger-a gentleman from
Missouri, since ascerlained to be General
Tut, a lawyer, of Buchanan county. He
said:
My friends, hear me- am an old man.
and it is right you should hear me. | was
born in Virginia, and have lived many years
in Missouri am stakeholder, and desire
Kansas to be made Slave State--if it can
be done by honorable means. But you will
destroy the cause you are seeking to build
up. You have taken this man, who was
peaceabIy passing through your streets and
along the highway doing no person any harm.
We profess to be law and order men, and
should be the last to commit violence. II
this man has violated the Jaw, let him be
punished according to law; bat for the sake
of Missouri-for the sake of Kansas-for the
Pro-Slavery cause, do not act IN this way
They dragged me into another grocery
and appointed a moderator Kelly told his
story.
l rose to my feet, and calmly, and in re-
spectfnl language, began to tell mine.
was repeatedly jerked to my seat, and Sc
roughly handled that l was compelled to
desist.
My friend from Missouri again earnestly
besUught them to set me at liberty.
Kelly turned short on him and said, "DG
you belong to Kansas!'
He replied: "No: But expect to live here
in A'chson next Fall; and in this matter
the interests of Missouri and Kansas are
Identical"
Mr. Lamb, lawyer in Atchison, and Mr.
Dickson, merchant of ths same place, boil
Pro-SIavery men, also united with Gen. TUT
in pleading that l might be set at liberty.
While these gentlemen we're thus speak
ing, heard my keepers mutter-"D-nyou
if you don't hush up, We'll tar and feather
you."
When Kelly saw how matters Stood, he
came forward and said-.sHe did not takt
Butler to have him hanged, only tarred ant
feathered" Yet in the other grocery the!
had said to the mob that 'sthey should dc
Gas they pleased" He dared not take tht
responsibility of taking my life; but wher
these unfortunate men, whose one-idea-isn
on the subject of Slavery and Southern
Rights has become insanity-when these ir
responsible South, ,Carolinians,sent out to b
bull dogs & blood hounds for Atchison an
String gfellow--when they could be used a
tools to take my life, he vas ready to do ii
Our gunpowder Moderator cut the discus
sion short by SAYING, "It is moved that But
ler be tarred and feathered, ald receive
thirty mine lashes.
A majority said "Aye." though a numbe
of voices said "No." The Moderator salt
: "The affirmative has it,
began TO speculate how that sort of thin
!, would work as far north as the latitude {
Kansas. There was good deal of whisper
ing about the house. saw dark, ominou
, and threatening looks in the crowd.
The Moderator again came forward, ant
in an altered voice, said:
at is moved that the last part Of the Sentent
| IL