Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-03

son, a man against whom no definite charge
is preferred; SO far as we can Judge from
the exparte statements Of the defenders of
the action of Shannon and his crew, is taken
prisoner and marched off to Lecompton, the
county seat. Reports also of house burn
ings and the driving out of defenceless wo-
men and children into the bleak prairie un-
der midnight sky, have reached us; but
again, if these did occur, of which we have
only vague and most unsatisfactory rumor,
there is no proof whatever that they were
accomplished through the agency of the
men of Lawrence or any of the Free State
party,
AT this period Of the troubles, the mag
unanimous and valiant Shannon appears up
on the stage. He issues proclamation,
which would do honor to Bombastes Furio-
SO or to the heroic knight of La Maucha.-
His vision becomes troubled with images Of
heavens Redeemed with the blaze of mid
night confagrations, and an earth drench
ed with fratricidal blood. He sees in the
fact that the citizens of Lawrence, having
good right to apprehend expulsion from
their homes and iresides, had made formi
dable preparations for defence, and were de-
termined to fall, if fall they must, be-
side the hearths and affairs whose sancti-
ty they were protecting. He calls the mi
litia of the Territory 'to arms in defence of
law and order words which seem to have
acquired in Kansas luous non lucendo
meaning. The Geographic wires thrill and
throb with a message to the President, in
voking the aid of the United States troops
, stationed at Fort Leavenworth, to quell the
. fearful rising.
The restless and dissipated of the ad JON
, ing border counties in our State cannot re-
sist SO eligible an opportunity to indulge
in the luxury of fight. They are ready
to die of peace; for since the latest demon
, stration at Parkvile, not single chance fol
the display of their characteristic ruffian
ism has occurred. They break into the
| United States arsenal at Liberty; seize up
on the arms and ammunition there stored, and
rush across the border. Atchison is among
them and takes an active part in their pro
, &C e1ings. They invest Lawrence, and anx
lousy wait the word of command TO com
mencc the massacre of the damned Yam
KEGS. With an aping Of the pomp and cir
, cumstances Of glorious war, which would
be ridiculous, had it not resulted in whole
f sale wrong and rapine, Shannon, Stringfei-
low and Atchison beset the highways with
their liscensed footpads and banditti, I'm
der the facetious names Of patrols, who way
lay the wagons of peaceable farmers and
tradesmen going to Lawrence, and at the
mouth of the pistol compel them to give up
re contents of their vehicles, which the
miscreants appropriate.
In the meantime the men Of Lawrence
calmly await the attack, strong in the JUS
tice of their quarrel, and in the conscious
ness of brave adherence TO what with
them is a principle. They are seven hun
dred strong, while two hundred more will
be forthcoming with the first crack of fire
arms. Their weapons are the famous
Sharpe's rifles, which carry ball with
deadly force and precision farther than any
other rifle now in use There are among
them savage shouts and wells, and mid
night orgies. They look forward to the re-
suit with no apprchensions ofdefeat, though
regrctting the possible necessity Of she'd
ding human blood.
A battle has become imminent and is mo-
mently expected. Shannon finds he has no
braggart towards to deal with, and discov-
ers how much easier it is to raise a storm
than to quell it. He IS in fear of his own
men, whose turbulence and recklessness
have no bounds, now that their appetite
for blood has been rendered keen by a de-
lay they did not anticipate. He is forced
to mediate between the parties whom, along
with his choice confreres Stringfellow and
Atchison, he has been principally instru-
mental in bringing into hostility. The prop
osition to treat comes from him.
The Lawrence people are asked to give
up thier arms, and they refuse Finally
the state Of warfare is terminated by the
promise of the people of Lawrence that they
will obey the laws, which they maintain
they never broke. The valiant borderers
withdraw; without reaping single ono out
of the blood stained laurels Of the battle
field The air is filled with their curses OF
Shannon, for robbing them of an opportu-
nifty of showing their pluck. Shannon,
Stringfellow and Atchison realize again the
poets graphic description of milita? el'ser-
gy and prowess:
The King OF France with forty thoussnd men.
, Marched up hill, and then-marcked down again.
We believe that this narrative of the
events Of this emesefe|is far inside of the