Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-01-03
Gov. Shannon and the Kauzas Dis
tnrbance.

IOOV. OnannOn ana the haauZaS DlS-
turbance.
A corespodsn. of the NJ. Y. Times has
had an interview with Governor Shannon,
of which he gives the following account:
| On learning the fact of BIensons res
cue, as detailed to him by the Pro-Sayery
nstruu ents concerned in his arrest, he
had directed the Sheriff (Jones) to call out
a posse for the purpose Of capturing all
concerned in the rescue, and retaking the
| fugitive: In the meantime, the most ex-
aggerated statements had gone through the
country, and all Missouri was Ibeing arous.
ed. BY the mail and telegraph and pri-
Vate hand, stories the most infiam mable ia
| their character had flown from town to
town, aud hsndreds had prepared to pass
over the border for the purpose of protec.
ting Pro-Slavery people in the {rerritory,
supposed to be in danger. and taking ven
geance for imaginary injuries already in
flicted. These volunteers had offered their
services to the Sheriff, and been accepted;
he being empowered to call out any man
found within his county.
At the same time, the Governor fearing
that this force would be uncomfortable in
their excitement, by any means within Ibis
power, had telegraphed the President for
authority to call ont the military stationed
at Fort Leavenworth, and has to-day re.
ceived full power to do so. He has accor-
dinghy issued orders to Col. Sumner, the
ICommandant, to meet him tomorrow at
the Delaware Ferry, on the Kanzas River,
some fourteen miles above here, with the
whole force under his command, (some
seven hundred men as | was to day in
formed by Capt. Lyon,) for the purpose Of
proceeding at once to Lawrence, with the
double object of bringing that refractory
town Gas he supposedly to terms, and Of
protecting it against the fury of the force
gathering near it under the command of
the Sheriff.
In all this, Gov. Shannon speaks most
fairly, and but in one point do l aPpre-
hend serious danger of collision. The
men he seeks are not in Lawrence, and
no objection will be made to any search
he may cause to be instituted for them
there.
But SO profoundly has he misunderstood
the character of the Squatters of Kanzas,
the wrongs and insults they have, sus-
State movement. AMI so unfortunately has
he been situated in the midst of Pro-Sia-
very influences, for getting an impartial
account of facts, that he entertaias the
idea that the Territory is actually in a
state of qctiyc insurreetion.
He has been made to believe that the
men OF Lawrence are voluntary traitors to the
Constitution and country; and, laboring
under this alarming mistake, he has de-
termned to demand Of them, and sustain
the demand by physical force, The surreade,
of the Sharp's RITES sent them from the East
And here is the rock on which | fear We
may split; for so sure as this is made al
utimatum on his part, so surely will ne
gotiatons be succeeded by the hortOrs o
civil war.
Rather than be, stripped of tAeir sole
neans of defence against the barbarou
border inroads to which they are subject
and left powerless only an Executive guar
antee, sustained by a few hundred hire
muskeis, Letween them and the powerful
State within days drive, which has pro
we'd herself so cruel and relentless foe
l. rather than this, the citizens of Lawrence
p reinforced as they are by the country u
r round, wilk.see their town beaten to tn
t ground, will themselves perish in th
e Eruins. M
e The position of Governor Shannon
consistent with the ground he has assume
n that the laws Of the bogus Legislature mus
's be cbeyed; and, admitting him to be sin
le eere in his belief that he ought to execui
lie those. laws, it is reasonable and fair, sd,
e, in respect to the dsarming Of the people
le | am disposed to give him credit for bet
ar ter intentions than most do: and thin
lie that if the leaping FreeState men had ia
70 aen more opportunities of expressing moo
I'd crate views and left him less to the sol
de influence of his rabd Pro- Slavery adviser.
n, the most dangerous feature of the presen
" crisis would not have existed. But, Will
the Free State movement ssis an apparen
i- ne sessity, and seems 10 be our only ealyt
on tioH, can never enough regret that it hu
to fallen, to the e1tentit has, into the hant
es OF the demagogues like Colonel Lane an
all his immediate followers, who have bee
he far more anxious for the Instant creatio
on OF officers whose .honors and emolument
ng as it is their especial care to monopoiz
ne than for the real quletude and prosperit
ii they have transformed into political huntin
de ground.
- One thing, in the interview with Il
o! Governor, which gave me particular sati
ri- faction, L must not omit to mention, nam
re ly, the admission eli his part, that Thea e
la pecially oflencive laws Of The Legisatu
to are Ito us his own words-a dead lett
ed there exists no intention to enforce then
Die -
ito 0~The Democratic aparty will nev'
tx be without statesman capable of proper
ce. filling the great station Of President :
tx Wash. Senftnes. 10
ny Then why is IL, that your Democra,
u, n party is perpetualy foisting upon the pc
'ii w pie your Poks aud your Pierees! II y
Tue have good men bring them out.-Bufa
Oh Erprsss.