The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-10-08

been plundered and devastated, and 9th
er outrages committed entirely revolving
to the most savage natures.
The inevitable consequences of sucl
q state of affairs, are plainly visible ant
deeply marked upon this lovely Terrific
ry. Business has been paralized, con
fdence destroyed, despair and squalit
poverty seemed the only portion of til.
people.
For this gloomy and terrible stat,
there s~eemed-no relief. The Civil gov.
eminent was imperative, general con
tempt for all authority prevailed armed
bands of men making war upon each
other held undisturbed possession of tn,
territory, and the reign of terror pre-
vailed.
The causes which. led to 50 6eplora
BILE a condition of affairs are of %interesr
to the patriot, the philanthropist ant
the philosopher. Who is to blame, anG
what has produced this resulta
As l am for peace, and entirely con.
cur in the benifeent policy which is now
being inaugurated here under the wise
administration of Gov. Geary, 1 wish
not to say anything of a personal or pc.
litical bearing.
The fact is, sirs, hat politics and the
selfish schemes of outsiders have been
fruitful causes of the numerous train Of
evils which have afflicted this communi.
ty.
One party has determined to force
slavery here at all hazards. The other,
with equal determination, have resolved
that slavery shall not be tolerated here.
So bitter has been the contest, and so
excited have each party become, that
they could see no solution of their po-
litical questions except by a resort to
arms and mutual determination. Rea-
son bad fed, argument was exhausted,
moral s%uasion despaired of, and the last
resort of communities, civil, war, adop'e I
This state of things here vas fast
drifting the country into civil war, and
its lurid fumes would have soon enyelop-
ed the nation.
At this crisis. when a picked army of
1900 Missourians were marching upon
Lawrence with a fixed determination to
wipe it OUT" and to serve Topeka in
like manner, and to exterminate the
Free State settlers of the Territory,
Governor Geary arrived at Lecompton,
the capital of this Territory.
Without a moments hesitation he de-
livered his inaugural address, (Which is
a document of rare ability and wise
moderation,) issued his proclamation
disbanding all unauthorized armed bod
les of men, and took the field in person.
On the same day he captured l0l
Free State men from Lawrence, who, ill
defiance of his proclamation, were at
lacking the pro-slavery nen of Hickory
Point, and by his bold, manly %e.oquence
he dispersed the army of Missourians,
into the field under Secretary
Woodson's proclamation, and saved the
of Lawrence, with its churches and
school houses, from destruction aud its
from massacre.
The next day he was down upon To-
peka, free State) arrested fourteen GRIM
secured an immense quantity of
stolen goods, aud frightened Lane out
Of the country.
Warrants have been issued for John
II, Stringfellow, aud other Pro-Slavery
agitators, and every evidence has been
gwen that Gov, Geary is determined
q to do justice Ut all hazards" and i'm
partially and fearlessly TO discharge a l
The functions of the executive office.
The result Of such a policy is every
apparent. The rwo weeks of
Gov. Geary's administration have beer
pregnant with the most definite results
to this oppressed and afflicted country.
Business is reviviug; confidence is
meu talk more kindly of each
the axe, the saw, the anvil, are
heard in their different rocatious.
Free State men and Pro-Slavery men
alike approach the Executive Chamber,
with their, petitions for redress, with
confidence that their wants will
be relieved and their wrongs redressed.-
Armed bodies of men no longer prowl
about the country with daring IMMUNITY,
are returning their claims, n
every one feels that the benign iufu-
of peace are being shed upon us.
1 vii Q ,se my hasty letter by rele-
ting a m st Interesting incident which
occurred at the Executive Office a few
days since, as illustrr tive of the new
Governors policy, and is in my opinion
full Of hopes of u better future for this
Territory.
You may have heard of Col. Titus, a
Pro-Slavery man whose cabin was
burned by the Free State men under
Walker. one of Lanes most ia
nous captains. In retaliation the Pro-
Slavery men burned Captain Walkers
and drove him from his claim into
The most bitter feud exist
ed between Walker aud Titus, WHO are
both represented as gallant fellows. aud
the chosen representatives of their re-
spectiVe parties. The Pro-Slavery men
here speak kindly of Walker and say
he always treated their prisoners
With much courtesy aud humanity
These men, each approaching the Gov
for a different purpose, accidental.
" met in the Executive Chamber
Their start of surprise and their sudden
flush of hate was only repressed by the
presence, The Governor,
conversant with their histories
and approaching their positions, with
that exquisite tact so natural to him,
arose aud said, Gentle
men you have been enemies long enough;
of such generous natures and true
should be friends. L require