Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-06-12
The Occupation of Lawrence-The True
Starry

public opinion and excite false sympathy
in reference to the troubles in Kansas
Never, in all the excuses of journalism
has there been anything to equal the inter
minable and inexhaustible flood of falsehood
which has been poured upon the country
through those sewers of everything that is
bad and corrupting in our politics, the Black
Republican journals, in regard to the facts
of the recent attempt to coerce and over
come the lawful authorities of the Terrific
ry of Kansas. 1t has been a perfect Mis-
sissippi of lies.
A thousand laboratories of falsehood APP
pears to be engaged in throwing off the
base coin, which is disseminated with the
rapidity of lightning. The most common
transaction is misstated, distorted and ex
aggerated, so that no honest man is safe il
hazarding an opinion on any subject les
the next intelligence compcls him to reyersC
and change such opinion.
Thus land this is the worst feature il
this whole scheme of systematic lying) on
ly one side of the story is ever given--al
the violences and excuses of the opposing
party being set forth with elaborate exag
geration, whilst, on the other side, the pic
ture is unstained and undarkened by sin
Gle fact of discreditable or criminal char.
acter.
Read the New York Tribune, and the
papers which follow and initiate it in this
Kansas business, and the conclusion is that
the Free State, party is the worst used
the most shamefully outraged party thai
ever was set upon =; III, IL ;.;";@ns Ct des-
potism,' and that the other side has been
guilty of every crime condemned by the
decalogue, that the pro slavery men are
numbering and rSbbng the Free State men
constantly. But i. is never mentioned that
thus Far there have been just as maryland
if the last news about the killing of eight
pro-slavery nfen be true, there will be twice
as many of that party that have been killed
as of'lA Free Stale men, But who would
ever discover this in the columns of these
PAPERS.
These fabrications, however, have culmi-
mated into one grand epic of lies. in the mar
rative adopted by the Black Repulicans, Of
the occupation of the town of Lawrence,
which is represented as being marked by
murder, confiagration, robbery, and every
excess that a licensed soldiery could per-
potlate on a long beleagured town.
In the New York Tribune, Our Own
Correspondent writing from Leavenworth
gives a most terrible picture Of the affair,
in which the booming of cannon the lu-
rid flames of the houses, the varied work
of destruction searches Of houses 'ar-
rests of citizens horrible imprecations,
'disgustingly drunken men lying in the
Streets men running about TO hunt up ABB
oitionists to kill Them the loss of life, and
other outraees perpctrated Oh helpless men,
women and Children which (the writer
very pruden,ly savs) will never be known
This is the material of the story which is
presented TO the people of the North rela-
tive to IN event in regard to which i; is de-
sirabie among ali honest men, that the facts
should be faithfully and truthfully set forth
The whole narrative is a string of unvar-
nished lies, eoncocted to deceive, delude
and impose upon the people. 1t is a shame
upon the country that there should exist
among us such machinery of falsehood-
hurtful, dcceiving aud betraying falsehood
for it is through this means our people
are deceived into the bestowal of something
like sympathy upon cause and party ELI
titled unworthy of either; a party which is
setting itself up against the Government
and the lawful authorities in revolution
AIRY and violent manner.
We have obtained, from a gentleman who
arrived in our city yesterday, a full nara
ton of everything that occurred at Law
renee, which we believe will be found truth
full in every particular. 1t presents YER
sion of that affair, the very reverse Of that
given TO the world by the New York 7rib
unc. Our authority is Mr.. A. J. Wessen
ger, formerly Of Kentucky, brother Of the
former proprietor of the Louisville Journal,
a gentleman known to every body in Mis-
sissippi, and respected for his honesty, his
mildness and his high moral standing.
Mr.. Messenger is a settler in Kansas,
and has returned with view Of removing
his family to that country. He was at Law
renee, and constituted one of the posse or
dered out by the United Marshal to aid in
the execution of arrests against certain par
ties there. Mr. Messenger states that be-
fore the entrance by the Marshal into the
town, and while the posse called out by the
United States Marshal were assembled at
Franklin, near Lawrence, several armed par
ties rode out from Lawrence and fired upon
individuals and smaller numbers of persons
connected with the MarshaPs party. One
body of five rode toward sentinel station
ed at a bridge near the town and fired their
rifles at him. Two men of the Marshals
party, named Cosgrove and Branton, were
met by five men, armed with Sharpc's RI
files, near the town, and was asked what
party they belonged to. They answered
that they were of the pro-slavery side
Then, Shapes rifles is the word for you,
boys was the reply, and forthwith the
whole party began ito fire upon Cosgrove
and Branton, who narrowly escaped with
their lives, the balls passing through their
clothes and hats. Cosgrove and Branton
quickly returned Tie fire, and one of the
party fell dead from his horse and the 9th
ers galloped back into Lawrence.
These and other occurrences, indicating
a settled purpose of hostility and determin-
ed resistance, produced no little excitement
in the c,mn of tho limited States Marshal