The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-29

=. notwithstanding that they mediate no
.;.,anee to the laws, that they will aid him in
60. -r,cipc judicial process-but he is implacabIe.
IN, must be subdued, disarmed. They ap-
-.ito Colonel Sumner-he cannot interpose-
7. Ia, no orders. They appeal to the Govern
and here is the answer:
a.. Geatlenaen: Your note of the 18th is re-
..;,ed and in reply have to state that there
= N force around or approaching Lawrence
r.-ent the legally constituted posse of the
It'd States marshal and sheriff of Douglas
.orntv. each of whom, am informed, have
',1nber of writs in their hands for execution
a-aipst persons in Lawrence. / shall in no
% interfere with either of these officers in the
E.cbarge of their official duties. If the citi-
rs of Lawrence submit themselves to the
territorial laws, and aid and assist the mar
.hal and sheriff in the execution of processes
i their hands, as all good citizens are bound
- Al when called on, they, or all such, will
sptitle themselves TO the protection OF the law:
Rnt 40 long as they keep up military or armed
d"r.nization to resist the Territorial laws and
,be officers charged with their execution. l
aLsn NOT interfere to save them from the legiti-
mste consequences of their illegal acts. have
"WMsON SHANNON"
This man knows that they are not organized
70 resist the laws-ne knows that Buford's men
and the Missouri invaders constitute the force
Of the Marshal, and that once in possession of
Lawrence, there is no help for the prescribed
peope-his answer is brutal.
AGAIN. we ask, does the President intend to
allow these atrocious proceedings to 60 on till
the reign of Terror pass into the reign of
Rhode Il is with him to decide-his is the
responsibility. A single word to Governor
Shannon and Colonel Sumner, and crimes
never to be forgiven, may be prevented.
Meantime, shall the lesson taught by this
fearful state OF things be lost on the People of
the Free States? Do they not see that the
question of Freedom or Slavery, Peace or War
for Kansas, hangs upon the action of the Fed
ERA, Executive? Do they not see, that had
the country now, just, firm, wise President,
peace, order, security, would be at once restored
70 Kansas, and our fellow-citizens there, now
prescribed and in danger of determination
would be saved from Oppression, and protected
in all their rights? Will they not lay aside all
their controversies, Subordinate all minor con
sideratons, and unite as one man to redress by
one act at the ballot-box, next November, the
the verge of Civil War? Let them ponder
these questions.
L. fotiO lat. off ba
from Kansas we take from the National hstelli
qsacer. We do so, because that paper is SO
conservative that nobody will suspect it OF
emitting anything that might tend to mitigate
the conduct of the Pro-Slavery party; but the
reader will find nothing, absolutely nothing, Of
the kind. Every act in the gloomy drama
demonstrates fell purpose to exterminate the
Free State men of Kansas, and the fact, that
the President is aiding aud abetting the bloody
conspiracy. The withdrawal of Colonel Sum
ner, the announcement of Marshal Donaldson
and the cold blooded, villanous reply of Gov
ernor Shannon to the People of Lawrence
show this. Colonel Sumner says he would
nterpose if he could, and could maintain
peace, but he is not permitted to interfere
Very well. For the blood shed, for the crime
committed, the President is responsible. Can
the Peoples Representatives do nothing? i
he will not use the United States army to pre-
vent the butchery of American citizens, to pre-
vent civil war; then let the House of Represent
aives refuse him the appropriations necessary
to maintain the army. If it is to be used only
when fugitive slave is TO be arrested, or other
interests of Slavery require its interposition
the sooner it is disbanded, the better.
WAR IN KANSAS
We have already published the proclamation
of Marshal Donaldson to the people of Kansas
alleging the obstruction of the law in the exc
cution of certain judicial writs, and calling upon
the citizens to aid him as a posse. 1t seems
that the resistance contemplated by the Free
Safe party was to the laws Of the Territorial
legislature. and not to those of Congress
They disclaim any agency in the shooting Of
Sheriff Jones, and condemn the outrage. The
occasion of the last difficulty seems to have
been the attempt to arrest ex- Governor Reeder
whilst attending the Committee of Investiga
iion, he claiming the privileges and immunities
81 member of Congress. A meeting of the
citizens of the town of Lawrence was held on
She 18th of May, for the purpose of answering
The allegations of the Marshal. We copy their
resolutions:
Whereas, by Proclamation to the People
Of Kansas Territory by j. B. Donaldson,
United States Marshal for said Territory, issued
The llth day of May, 1856, it is alleged that
certain judicial writs of arrest have been di
recied to him by the first District Court of the
United States, &c, to be executed within the
county Of Douglas; and that an attempt to ex.
ecute them by the United States deputy mar
Shal was violently resisted by large number
Of the citizens of Lawrence, and there is every
reason to believe that any attempt to execute
these writs will be resisted by a large body OF
armed men: Therefore it is
"ResOlred By 1tis public meeting of the citi
Gems Of Laurence, held this 18Th day of May
!sj6, That the allegations and charges against
us contained in the aforesaid proclamation are
wholly untrue ia fact, and the conclusion entire
" false which is drawn from them that the
aforesaid deputy marshal was resisted in nc
manner whatever, nor by any person whom
soever, in the execution of the said writs, ex
cept by him whose arrest the said deputy mar
shall was seeking to make; and that we now
as We have done heretofore, declare our willing
ness and determination, without resistance, to
acquiesce in the serving upon us of any judi
cal writs against us by the United States Mar
shall for Kansas Territory, and will furnish him
posse for that purpose if SO requested; but
that we are ready to resist, IL need be unto
death, the ragages and desolation of an in
vading mob"
No reply to this WA given, but guard was
placed around the town, which stopped al
passengers on the road. Upon the receipt Of
more threatening news, the Town Council was
called together. after which town meeting wsi
convened, and the following letter addressed tc
Marshal Donaldson.
J. b Donaldson, u. s. Marshal fer Kansas Territory:
DEAR Sir: We have seen q proclamation
,ssued by yourself, dated llth of May, and also