Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-08-28


to be the truth of the matter, that the
cause of all the difficulties in the Territory
of Kansas, from its organization down t.
5 the present time, is to be found, first, as
before stated, in the various organizations
Of members of Congress, and in the north.
| ern and eastern States, with the avowed
5 purpose of colonizing the Territory with
persons Of anll-slavery sentiments, to the
! end of making Kansas free State; second
| ly, that finding themselves defeated and
thwarted in their purpose of electing a lqg-
islaturc i'll favor of making Kansas free
State, as is shown in former part of my
report, being chagrined and mortified, they,
the anti-savelry party in the Territory Of
Kansas, in a. of desperation, determined
to set themselves up in opposition to, and
in resistance Of the laws passed by the
Kansas legislature, and to resist them to a
"bloody ISSUE" if necessary to their de-
feat and utter subversion. Indeed. the un-
dersigned affirms that even before the leg
islature convened, there were propositions
made to form an organization of a military
character, to resist any and all laws which
might be enacted by that legislature, by
force Of aims, even should such resistance
result In the subversion of the government
of the Territory, and to the peril of the
Union itself
In proof of this allegation. the under
signed begs leave to refer to the testimony
of DR.. J. n. o. p. Wood, which is as fol-
lows
ii came into the Territory first abou,
the 1st of April, 1854; l located perma-
nently In Lawrence about the 7th of O Ito
Der; l resided there until some time the
last OF March, or the lst of April last, and
then l went to Lecompton About the
time came there, there was considerable
difficulty between what was called the Law
renee Association, OF which DR.. Robinson
was president, and the settlers that were
not members of this association. The mem
bers of the association held a meeting two
or three evenings after | got there, an
elected a judge, ant a Mr.. Grover marshal
and organized company, which l think
they called the shot gun battalion,' for
the purpose of preventing persons that did
not belong to their association from settling
about the place, and taking timber and
stone from the claims of those who did
live there. They said there was no law in
the Territory; that the organic act was
unconstitutional-made SO by the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise; and that thev
intended to form an association, and make
and enforce their own laws, irrespective of
the laws of Congress, until there could be
change in Congress, by which the Mis-
souri Compromise could be restored, and
the organic act set aside
"There was no open opposition to the
execution of the laws until Governor Reed
er appointed justices of the peace, and one
or two members of this association were
arrested. They refused to recognize the
power of the justice of the peace, and re-
fused to attend as witnesses, and would on
ly attend their own provisional court, as
they termed it.
"When !the Legislature was about to be
elected, they held a meeting and brought
out their candidates. After the Legislature
was elected, and before they met, there
were several meetings held at Lawrence,
and at those meetings they passed resolu-
tions declaring they would submit to no
laws passed by that legislature. This was
what was called the Lawrence association,
different from the town association |; was
composed of men sent out under the auspi-
ces OF the Emigr Aid Society, and DR.
Robinson was AT tie head of the associa-
ton. Many belonging to this association
lived in different parts of the Territory
They were allowed to vote at the meetings
of the association, which L sometimes at
tended, and those who were not enrolled as
members of the association were not allow
ed to vote or debate at their meetings.
Some of them lived at Ossawatomie, To
peka, Manhattan, and other places in the
Territory They resolved to obey the
laws that would be passed by the legisla.
ture, and only obey their own provisional
laws until they could form a provisional
government for the Territory
"The first general meeting, while the
legislature was in session, was held in
Lawrence in July or August, 1856. Before
that time their meetings bad been Of the
association: but this was the first general
meeting, at which reccllect hearing Col.
Lane take ground in opposition to the laws
that the Legislature. then in session, should
pass. All the public speakers that heard
there, said that they did not intend to obey
! the laws that should be passed but intend