Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-08-27
Bq lust Nlobt' 4 5flniI.
LATEST FROM KANSAS.
Plot Of the Border RufIiaus to Murder and Drive
out the Free State Settiers---The Free State
Men now acting in seli-defeuce.


/ The Chicago Tri5uae, of the Goth inst. says
/, For some two months or SO, the Borde1
| Rufhans have been seemingly quiet. ssAll i.
| peaceful in Kansas they said. s<We have
news of order and quiet in the Territory re-
peated the st. Louis Republican. This was a
blind; all the while the Border Ruffians were
preparing to make a grand sweep over the
Territory, to band themselves together, and by
one descent murder or drive out of Kansas
the whole Free State population.
| l. BufoEd's men and the Georgians and the
! Iennesseeans remained in Kansas with the
| MisSourians and erected Notifications. calling
| them colonies, in different parts of the Ter
/ rltory. These fortifcations number some ten
| or twelve. There are three in Douglas Coun-
| ty, two at Osawattamie, one OF them comman-
ded by Coleman, who murdered Dow, and the
! rest extended along the Missouri River.
Z. The Missourians have been furnishing
the Carolinians, Georgians and their own men
with provisions, ammunition, &c.
3. When all was ready, the ruf1ians made no
secret Of their plan. They thought they had
| the Free State men in their power. They re-
solved to exert it. The question as to the time
OF attack was the only point, and this was to
be immediately after the adjournment of Con-
gress.
i. The river, meanwhile, was guarded at ey-
cry point, and no Free State man reached Kan
sas up the Missouri river or through the State
Of Missouri.
D. So certain were the RufIfans of success,
that on the 18th Mr.. Hoyt, of Mass, was shot
down on the ptairie by the Rufflans at the
6lockhouse, near Washington Greek, and on
the same day another Free State man was Kill
led by these brutal murderers.
Seeing this state of things, knowing that
life or death hung upon the issue, the Free
State men resolved to meet the crisis like men.
They could not wait, for to do that would be
to insure the success of the Rufians. They
dared not to do it, for not only would their
property be sacrificed, but their wives and
children ruthlessly violated and they murder
ed. They concluded, rightly as we think, to
meet the foe, and to show him that he was not
feared-they determined to attack him in one
of his strongholds.
Franklin was one of the dens of the Ruff
fans, where they occupied a block-house
which was attacked and carried The Free
State men had one killed and seven wounded.
The body of the Ruffians ran like troopers
four of them were wounded. Sixty stand of
arms, most of which were identified as having
been stolen from Kansas, and some as U. S.
4-SFAS'o, 'Oi4S Ssi!lLIoll, anu large a.
mount of stores, were taken. The story about
the sacking of Franklin, and the robbing of
the post Office there, is not true. The assault
was confined to the marauders' den-it began
and ended there.
No secret is made of their designs by the
Ruftians. On the 18th, a large meeting was
held at Kansas City, Git should be remember
ed that Kansas city is in Missouri and the cit
liens agreed to send their quota of 1000 men
to overcome Kansas.
The Rutians say they are ready, have men
and money enough, and will sweep Kansas
with fire and the sword. They talk of nothing
but blood. They swear they will kill the id
Abolitionists or drive them out of the Terri
tory, and are prepared 20 do so. The ruflians
cry, war to the knife The Leavenworth Jour
nal, one Of their papers, says :-ssLet as be up
and doing-let no quarter be giren, but let WAR
TO THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THE MIsCREAHTs, BE
THE WORD"
a despatch from Washington, of August 90,
says: The free State men of Kansas despatch
ed Mr.. Army as a special messenger to Wash
ington, to call upon the President for protec-
ton from the Buford men, as the Southerners
are called out there. We learn that the Pres
ident was too much occupied to see the Free
State agent when he called at the White Fouse
on the subject, and he turned over to Mr.
Sydney Webster, the private secretary of the
President, who informed him that it was his
opinion that the free State men would have to
take care of themselves; that the President
was just now so much engaged that he could
not attend to the matter. With this consola-
tion, Mr.. Army left his papers in the hands of
the private secretary, and took his departure
from the White House.