Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-06-25

I of yourselves and your children TO bc usurped
and cursed by the blight of niggerdom But,
said he, this is not all it may be enough but
/ not all. There is another aspect in which to
regard il. We are already talking about tho
Pacific Railroad. We are in pursuit OF the
/ East India and China trade, and look forward
hopefully TO the time when can stand
among our fellow-citizens by the waters that
lave the shores of those lands. This great in
terest is to be accomplished over Kansas
Make this Territory free and the time will
soon come. In fifteen years the North can
and will accomplish the end. Make il into
Slave States, and it viii not happen for fifty
years. Ifyou want proof, go 10 the parched
aud dried fields of North and South Carolina,
to the decayed State of Virginia. Read their
history, note their progress and prosperity.
and tell US when it VIII be accomplished. Go
down the Ohio river, or down the Mississippi.
and note the difference on the banks On the
right, in Missouri, land is worth from So to SIS
per acre, snd on the left, in Illinois, II is val
ued at SIS to $50 per acre. On the one hand
all is bhghted, and the other all is thrift:
and progress. Illinois has 1000 miles OF
Railroad, and Missouri only 100. YetMissou
ri is inferior TO none of the other States in
natural advantages, and if in the hands OF free
men, woula become one Of the first States in
the Union. 1t is subject which interests us
all. Who is there not interested in develop
ing the resources fthe States and Territories
instead OF booming them to Slavery? But if
we do not take care Of the out-posts the time
will come when shall have to defend our
wives aud children by our own heartessness.
The ruffans hands that have murdered the
peaceful citizens, and thrown the three press
es OF Kansas into the river Will at las. attack
you. Do you doubt that they will do it p
When have you known the South to refuse
political advantage which was offered, OF which
could be had at any price Ifyou do not un-
derstand the stake involved in this matter the
South does. They made the first compact as
to this Territory and broke it. In 1864 they
made another, and before the ink was dry they
violated that. Emigrants went out under the
solemn pledge of the nation to protect their
rights, and when they ask for the fulfllment
of these pledges they are answered in words
which, like the fruit of the Dead Sea, turn to
ashes the lip. The Slave population ofthe
border enters the lists and resorts to acts of
violence 10 secure their aims. They marched
in 5000 or t 1000 strong, and took possession
Of the ballot-boxes and declared themselves
ready for any emergency. He said he desired
in his place TO meet the allegation, made by
some who would justify these wrongs by say
ing that only minority of the Legislature
had been so elected. He said that out of the
IS members of the Council, IL were Pro-Sla-
very, and of the 2e Representatives, % were
elected by the MissOurians f; and the fact is SO
proven before the Committee. The Free
State men were intimdated from contesting
the elections; and this, also, is proven before
the Committee. This was the first step
They next took that all Offices should be
filed by Pro-Slavery men. appointed by them
selves. And thus they perfected their power
This machinery Of the election laws was SO
arranged that the ballot box was virtually
closed against the rghtful sovereigns of the
Territory. The laws enacted b. officers thus
elected We're put in force. One who figured
largely in these elections was appointed Sher-
if of Douglas county, while aresdent of Mis-
souri and postmaster at Westport in that State
Juries were made up OF the same kidney, and
lawyers were excluded, SO that all peaceful
remedies in the courts were effectually cut off
Under th: arrangement men were shot down
and murdered in cold blood. He then procee-
ded to say that, after the Border-R Ruffians OF
Kansas had usurped the ballot boxes, and
made laws and appointed officers suited to
their purposes, they took another step. They
introduced military discipline, and paraded
armed mobS through the streets Of the princi
pal towns in Kansas These banis of marau
ders committed ali sorts of depredations and
crimes Dow man from Michigan, brave,
unriqh, citizen was shot He met by
,brao men. with whom he had some words
One of them drew revolver and threatened
70 take his life; Dow faced him and dared
him 10 put the threat into execution. The
bully was cowed down, and Dow turned away
from them When a short distance of, one
of the ruffians drew pistol and cowardly
shot him in the back. That murderer was
not arrested. At that time he kept misera
bic grocery, but has since been appointed
Justice of the Peace. They had an object IN
these outrages. They hoped to stir up the
bowed spirlts of the settlers TO retaliation, II
order that pretext might be had for their
driving even peaceable citizens cut of the Ter
ritory They did not succeed, and they a.
dopted other expedients. They issued war
rant for a friend o; Dow, who had threatened
TO punish his murderer. They seized him
and dragged him from his home under this
paitry charge; but before they had fully gos
him in their power, they came upon party
-. -. r-,sona-,s frieods who damende ed his