Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-19
How to Make Kansas a Slave State

LETTER FORM SENATOR BROWN, OF MISSISSIPPI.
STEAMER EurREss, Nov, 81, 1854.
Long and anxious reflection has satisfied nj
that the Southern people owe it to their own
safety to use all the means in their power to
introduce slavery into Kansas, and protect it
after it gets there. The Northern Free Soil
Emigration Aid Societies are actively engaged
to exclude slavery from the Territory. Their
efforts ought TO be met and promptly repealed.
The most efficient means for us to use in the
accomplishment of this purpose is the proper
question for our consideration. Our decision
must not be long delayed, if We mean to defend
our rights.
The late movement in Georgia in favor of
individual subscriptions to raise money in aid
OF pro-slavcry emigration TO Kansas, has alrea-
dy attracted considerable attention. But the
backwardness with which our people approach
that proposition seems to indicate that it will
not be embraced with unanimitv. Every slave
holder has q direct interest in the question and
every one should contribute in prop0rtion ia
his interest. This, [ I'M satisfied, all, or near
ly all, would willingly do, if proper guarantees
were given that the money so contributed was
to be judiciously applied. To secure this, and
at the same time to obtain speedy and decisive
action, will it not be well for the Legislature
to take the matter in hand ? A tax of one
dollar per head on slaves would raise at once
three hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
In such an emergency the people would not
grumble if it were assessed in March and col
lected in May. This sum-, judiciously laid out.
would buy ut least three hundred slaves, and
leave a surplus sufficient to defray the cxpen-
ses of three hundred cmigrants to Kansas.
Ny plan would BE thus for each State to
purchase the slaves in her own name, and send
them in charge Of reliable persons into the Ter
ritOry, to be held there as the property Of the
State, and used for the benefit Of the persons
having them in charge. Mississippi is certain.
ly part owner of the Territory, and the power
that could rightfully confScate or eynol hcI
property from the Territory would have to be
something greater than an equal think great
er than those of an individual. The point gain.
ed by this movement would. as | think, be to
plant slavery in the Territory, backed by the
sovereignty Of the State, and thus place it up
on the most solid and certain basis.
The persons going out in charge Of the slaves
could be chosen by commissioners, to be ap,
pointed for each county by the Governor, and
these commissioners could also purchase the
slaves.
A young Mississippian, thus made the mas.
ter OF a slave by his State, and sent, free of
charge, TO such a Territory as Kansas. would
do the necessary voting, and, if needs be, the
fighting also, required to sustain the acts of his
State in the Territory.
In short, my proposition is for the State to
COLOMBO three hundred slaves, and appoint
three hundred of her young men to defend
them ballots, and, if necessary, with bullets
To do this will cost one dollar a head on every
slave in the State, and no more. If all the
slave States will follow the example, in twelve
months we would have a slave colony in Kan
sas that all the Abolitionists in the Union could
not expel.
If you think well of this proposition, put it
in such a form as will arrest the attention of
the Legislature.
1t will not do to rely on individual enter
prise. The interest involved is too great to
be left to such uncertain defences. The per-
sons interested are too numerous and too wide
ly scattered, even, to act in sufficient concert
to procure the best and speediest results.
4. G.. RROWS