Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-10-16
politifal Matta.
Gen. Lane Challenges the
ROPdeP Ru6ianS.

To Nessrs. Il. W. Dcniphan and n. G. doom:
GENTLEMEN: Ny attention has been
called to the last half of circular pub
lished in The Missouri Republican of Sept.
2, 1856, to which your names are subscrl-
bed as endorsers. Atchison d Co, your
principals, having long since placed them
selves beyond the pale Of those who can
be recognized as gentlemen; and therefore
l address you.
If this half of the circular conveys any
idea of the spirit or tenor of the whole ar
ticle, venture the assertion that in reck
lessness of veracity and bald Justification
it would be difficult to find its parallel.
have never enlisted an army, nor even
single soldier, to march into Kansas. l
travelled through Iowa in company with a
large body of peaceable citizens, each Of
whom ayowed, with the greatest apparent
sincerity, their determination to become
bona fde settlers of Kansas, and, so far as
my knowledge extends, have actually made
good their professions, and are now max
ing homes for themselves and their fami-
lies. Fearing my presence might be seiz-
ed upon as a pretext for attacking them by
the United States troops, l left the COM
pany onthe east side Of the Missouri Riy-
er, and travelled into Kansas alone, taking a
different route from theirs, so as to be en-
tirely disconnected with them.
On my arrival in Kansas I found the
border papers teeming with infammatory
denunciations of our citizens, and boldly
proclaiming against them a war of exter-
smination; and in response to their excite
ments, hordes of depraved, misguided des-
peradoes entering the country, many Of
them having inscribed on their hats, ''Death
to Abolitionists, and NO quarter mo
ther and daughter, in the presence of the
husband and father, ravished by nearly one
hundred fendish men; :, the gifted Major
Hoyt who gallantly served his country in
the Mexican war, brutally murdered while
totally uparmed, his body hacked to pieces,
and few sods thrown over him, leaving
his arms and feet projecting from the earth,
q prey for wolves; prisoners murdered in q
manner exceeding, if possible, even the
shocking barbarity of savage tribes, and
afterwards scalped-one man scalped while
alive, and who yet lives. to exhibit his skin
less head to an outraged world; dwellings
being burned over helpless women and
screaming children.
In the state of confusion and indigna-
tion resulting from those ontrages, the peo-
pie of Kansas sought my aid and counsel ;
and took command of the forces rallied
for their defense as. an imperative duty
which the promptings of humanity forbade
me to refuse. Instead offollowing the ex-
anples of your associates, we determined
to wage and honorable and only a decisive
warfare. To this end, the first order issued
guaranteed protection to the settler with
out reference to his politics, compelled hu-
name and courteous treatment to pris-
oners, forbade the burning of dwellings
or the destruction of property, and infict-
ed the penalty of death for its violation.
This order was republished the morning af-
ter your associates had burned seven
dwellings near Lecompton, in sight of the
Dnited States troops. No buildings were
destroyed at Franklin, and the attack was
made under the impression that the can
non loaded and used to frighten Free State
men was the one taken from Lawrence.
q The houses destroyed at Saunders and
Bull Creek-although in themselves mill
tary Notifications and occupied but a few
minutes before their destruction by our in
vaders-were burned contrary to orders,
and by persons having no connection with
my command. The house of Gen. Clark,
the Indian Agent, charged as he was with
the cold-blooded murder of the lamented
Barber, with its valuable contents. was
spared by our army, which reached it but q
few moments after the invaders. who had
fust burned the seven houses alluded to
had deserted it and fed to Lecompton.-
At Lecompton express orders were giyer
that not shot should be fired al the house
occupied by Widow Brooks and her gallan
sons end accomplished daughters, although
the building was at the time occupied b.
the very men who had kindled the fires Q
the then smoking ruins of the houses o
our friends. To Capt Scott, Gen. Rich
ardson and other prisoners, refer you 70