The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-05-31
Correspondence Of the Ninnesotian.
From Kansas.
LAWRENCE, K. T., May l3.

FRIEND OWENS The reception of your
paper this morning reminds me that it
might not be unisteresting to your readers
to hear from Kansas through an eyewitness;
and, feeling that events are taking tide in
this Territory that will soon bring us and
the whole country into a situation at once
critical and exciting, have thought best to
give you short account of our condition at
this time. 1t has long been understood that
the North and the South were alike con-
scious that tie decisive battle between SIa-
very and Freedom was to be fought upon
the plains of Kansas: Situated as it is in
the very center Of our vast domain, posses
sing richness of soil and sa.ubrity of eli
mate perhaps on the whole unequalled in
the country, and being the key that would
forever close or throw open Utah, New
Mexico, Northern and Western Texas, to
tn, institution of Slavery, both parties
have, as natural consequence, made strenu-
ous'efforts to gain footing here, and tie
organization of the Territory upon the
principles of popular Sovereignty" seems
if possible to add a new incentive for its
rapid settlement, growth and development
came here, as you well know, believer
in the principles of popular Sovereignty"
and also in the Kansas Nebraska Bill, which
secured the privileges guaranteed by those
principles to the settlers of this Territory
These principles are correct, they arc demo-
cratic, and had they been properly carried
out here all would have been well. But,
sir, they have not been carried out. People
from another State have, as you well know,
been permitted to invade our country, muir
der our citizens and as if we were base-born
slaves instead of American citizens, drive us
from the ballot-box. Had | been in St.
Paul and heard the reports of doings here
which you doubtless have heard, should,
like many others among You, set them down
as the eXagS rationo of hot hoadod fanatics;
but can safely assure you that all is true,
and the half not yet told, and the report of
the Kansas Investigating Committee will
sustain my statements.
During the exciting scenes here, have
ever made an effort to act upon conservative
democratic grounds, and as much Us posi-
BILE sustain the National Administration
but have long since become fatigued and
disguised; and | submit to all Democrats
of which l am one myself that such Dem
ocracy as Pierce and Douglas have planted
and maintained in Kansas $50 far is it from
being true democracy would have been
frowned upon by the sterling democrats Of
old as the weak policy Of INSCRIPTIONS des-
pots.
The Democrats here waited with great
anxiety the report CT Senator Douglas upon
Kansas affairs, believing that we should be
set right but imagine cur surprise to find a
document which would lave done justice to
any legal gentleman as defence of Missouri.
Then again examine lis last speech in the
U. S. Senate, where lie says that in l l of
the l6 precincts there was no illegal votlrg.
The report of tie Kansas Investigating
Committee will show that rot one of the
precincts were allowed to do their own vot-
: ing. But cannot stop longer to discuss
general topics. / must inform you Of affairs
as they. now stand. You have doubtless
before this heard of the various attempts
made by Sheriff Jones to arrest citizens OF
this place and of his being shot. Since
then things have been moving along towards
crisis which is almost reached.
After Jones was shot, the United States
troops continued to hover about the town
! and scour the surrounding country-their
headquarters. being at Lecompton, II miles
from this place. Nothing of Importance oc-
Cured until about week since, when a
free state man, by the name of Mace, was
shot at twice near his own residence in the
night-the last shot taking effect in his leg.
When he fell, some one near by was heard
to say " there is another id abolition
wolf shot,"
On the next Monday the Grand Jury for
| this district met at Lecompton, and were
f charged by Chief Justice Lecompte, that the
persons that Lad combined here for the pur-
pose of forming State Government, prepa-
ratory to admission into the Union, were
guilty of high treason, inasmuch as they is-
nored the laws of the Terr torial Legislature
which Legislature was established in pursu-
ance of an act of Congress and Of course,
said his Honor, they have resisted the laws
J, of the United States
) Upon this the jury proceeded to business.
! On Wednesday or Thursday Of last week
they served a summons on Governor Rceder
| to appear before them as witness. The
| Governor paid no attention to the summons,
believing, as every one else did, that it was
: a plan to get him away and assassinate him,
as they have long threatened to do.
On Thursday, a detachment under the L.
States Marshal came into town with war
, rant for Governor Rceder for contempt in
not appearing before the Grand Jury. The
officer entered the room where the Investi-
eating Committee were holding session,
and proceeded to read the warrant to Gov
ernor Reeder with view, to his arrest.
Governor Reeder then said he would not 90,
t at he did not believe his life was safe
~