New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-24
FROM KANSAS.
THE WICKED TOWN OF ATCHIsoN.
Frcm Our Special Correspondent.

From klckapoo 10 A1chlson, Instance Oh some
fifteen miles by water, an abrupt and high bluff
borders for most of the distance, the muddy Mis-.
souri. Occasionally small piece OF bottom marks
a bend in the river, and in such places one or more
cabins of recent erection may be seen, with per-
haps small patch of pewly-cleared land, covered
with grded TIMBER bur for the greater part of the
distance there is barrenness and wildness in
The rocky shore, now ice-bound, sufficient TO make
the traveller forget that the foot OF the covetous
white man lad ever disturbed ire solitudes. Here
and there, where gorge or break IN the bluffs has
afforded some kind Of communication between the
prairie highlands and the river, the house oil
squater may be found perched on the shelf, or abb
rupt slope; and by seeing rows of little wooden
pegs. half cosceaed by brush or rubbish, or per-
chance by knocking your shins against them, you
may learn that You stand on the site Of an embryo
city The log cabin or cottonwood shapty may be
humble enough, but the possessor doubtless feels
already rich in visions Of choice corner lots, or
actual sales of town property.
A few miles above Kickapoo, some three or four
frame houses mark place which is called Fort
William Why il should have been the name l
did not learn. j saw sign of any fortihcation,
and for that natter there was but little to defend.
Most of the settlers along the river in this drec-
ton are from Missouri. The great majority Of
them are men of limited means and still more
limited education. Pro-Slayery men, but not
save-owners, nor likely to be rich enough for that
soon they still love the Institution for its asso
Citations and because they have been schooed to
believe that the policy to which the Free states
owe. their enterprise and greatness, Is Aboil'
tioDism."
was advised not TO 90 10 Atchison, wild, Pro-
Slavery place, where nothing hostile TO slavery
Extension is tolerated and where freedom opinion
il placed under taboo by Judge Lynch. OF this
there has been several instances. will narrate
one which occurred about the end Of last October.
A Western man, who happened to be in favor o.
making Kansas q Free State (and am happy To
say that there are many such, had gone TO Atchi,
son on some business. He resided in the country
few miles back of it. While there, and in pub
lie place of resort there was some little discussion
about the Topeka Convention, then IN session.
This the Atchtonians pronounced reasonable
and "Abolitionis;;" and this gentleman having un-
dertaken 10 yindicatc it and the policy OF making
Kapsas Free State, was seized and lynched BY
the mob After beating, they tarred and feath-
cred him, and lashing couple OF logs together,
tied him upon them and, in the chilly, raw wealth
or which prevailed at that time, SET him adrft on
the Missouri River He hoated down in this mis-
cradle plight for some seven or eight miles, when
some men at work at woodiDg station, saw and
released him from his perOus situation.
| got the particulars of this affair from some IL
linois settlers who lived a few miles back from
AtchsOD. They were particularly indignant at It,
as they said the man was no AbohtioniSt. NO
redress has ever been received for these wrongs.
The only law officers are the PrO-Slavery myrm
dons of the corrupt Legislature Of the Shawnee
Mission and any one going 10 AtcbisOn TO make such
a complaint to them would be likely to have cause
for further complaint before long.
The wicked town Of Atchison" stands In two
hOllOws and on the narrow ridge between them.
The prairie at this point approaches close to the
river there being only narrow fringe OF Drusn
and timber along the bluffs. As the hollOws in
which the town s built recede from the river they
widen gu, and break into many slopes and Wales,
which afford some fair building sites. On the
whole. this site for future Babylon 10 good, with
GU. being very good; and bad, without being very
bad The town itself looks as ifit had been broken
into little pieces and scattered here and there.
There are some houses in it which are quite
respectable, as houses 60 in Kansas; respecta-
bility which, am sorry to say, is not shared by
their owners Atchison 10 in keeping with its
name. 1t IL desperately Pro Saveryish and wicked
" Border Rufiansh. Here The Sqaatter Sorerigs
il publisl ed and here one of the Ssringfellows
(the Doctor holds forth. They have good sSam
u
southwest bank Of the Missouri River, it, strictly
speaking, belongs to Missouri, from which it 80 az
offsbO6t Here the famous, or infamous, Pat
Lauphlin, who shot Collins at Doniphan, lives; be
il clerking in a store i have not learned that he
has ever been molested. He ia regarded by the
Atchsonians a. something Of hero, and fair
specimen of the Border Rutfsn by conversion. He
il d living evidence Of the amount Of notoriety
nan may succeed in obtaining by little mean
ness As 10 the exposure be made Of the secret
military organization Of the Free-State men OF
Kansas, suppose that in substance it was cor
rect Some little celoring was given TO make the
objects of the organization more suspicious and its
character less respectable, and unnecessary and
uncslled-for condemnation was shOwered on IL
by the slsyish Border-Rufisn press. In all
my Investigations into this matter, 1 have
only been driven TO condemn one thing
connected with this defensive organization,
and that il that il should have been 20 limited
and go poorly armed. The secret feature / do not
admire, but do not condemn. Secrecy IN their
operations has ever been q necessity OF the OPP
pressed in their struggles for freedom, and even
had tire organization been all that the treachersus
Laueblin said it wac, l have seen sufficient evil
dence OF the monstrous and bloody tyranny exer-
cised by the Border Rufians on the unprotected
Squatters Of Kansas, to amply justify IT, Would
that the stOries about thousands Of Sharp's
rides were tue. Alas the rife comp anies that
have been enrolled % defend their homes from In.
yasion. are but a small band when matched with
the hordes OF Missouri invaders. They sorely need
a supply of these same Sharpe rifles" and will
need them more by the ides Of March" next, IN
less the general Government take energetic steps
10 defend the Territory against these Missouri IN
yasions; but fear that the corrupt Government Of
Franz Pierce tas 10 sincere desire 70 DO thif.