Demoine courier., 1856-06-05
From The St. Louis Presbyterian.

Mr.. EDIToR:-Haying arrived NJ Your
city 10 day, directly from Kansas, | vas
not a lille surprised to observe 80 many
Jdfse statements IN your city papers, re-
spectilg the obstruction OF La reuce :"
t.As one well acquainted with the hole
lamentabie event. | hasied 10 Law before
your readers the jacfs, in as few words as
possible, without noie or comment. Some
three weeks ago sheriff Jones having been
unable TO make such arrests as he desired.
succeeded in obtaining authosiiy TO call
out the u. > troops, 10 make arrests. lie
csme with about IL soldie 8, and without,
the least opposinon, made such arrests as
suited his fancy. / never saw men give
themselves W more readily. This Yas
simply ucing up TO what they have been
asserting from The first, viz, That they
would not oppose the US authority
Alter this event, the soldiefs were cent
back to The For,. The u s. Marshal
and Gov. Shannon then commenced en-
listing a militia for the purpose. as they
asserted, of making arrests. These con-
sisted Of Georgians. Alaba mans. Mis-
sourIans. DC. With these they contInu.
ed occasionally TO make arrests, and by
These, | know for certain that The, shot
two "unolfending" mel, who were ling
'out on their claimes." Thus things cor.
tlnued until Wednesday 2ls:, when i, was
observed that the Marshal and his forces,
according TO their own estimalion70O
m1n, were stationed on n hill adjoining
town. they Immediately enauired of him
rs design in bringing such a force there
lie replied that it was for The purpose OF
making arrests, and he .had feared oppo
siilop. They assured him that such would
no., beihe case, aud begged Of hiln not TO
bring these men into town. But all re
mons!ration was vain. He then sum
moned a posse Of his best menand march
d into Lawrence. made arrests d. all he
had writs for. and then turned the COM
lmand over into Jones' hands. and left.
Jones then rode up in front Of the Free
State Ho'el and ordered Gen. Pomeroy
10 Stack out in the street all the annou
and Siiarps' Rifles, which they possessed.
This he did. lie then ordered Them to
leave the Hotel. After allowing a short
time to remove some property from ibe
Hotel, he opened his a~rullery on il. This
having bat little effect upon II, the men
set Gre 10 it, which did the work
of destruction for them. They mex, de
s,royed two printing Offices, and all thai
they contained.s Then commenced The
work Of pillaging houses taking what.
ever Of arms they could find; helping
themselves freely to edibles, especially
TO liquor, and also to some money
They closed The scenes OF the day, by
burning Gov. Robinson's honse, library.
papers, &c. They said thai they would
proceed 10 destroy Topeka The next
day. Whether ,hey did SO or not ] do
moi know.
The people OF Lawrence "did noimake
any resistance" II may be askee why?
The ans wer is simply this. The militia
bad been under The u. S. Marshal. con
sequenily they had no, made any prepar-
atoms for defence, and had %enjoined The
surrounding companit s 10 remain al home
! conclude by asking one question. Why
was It tina, our country has been but to
the expense Of getting up such posse,
when the u. s. soldiers had proved TO
be efficient fof The work Of arresiing.
IN EYE WITNESS.
IMM| &E - HHH AHtHAN atN AAN#E