The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-11-08


yet man holding a commission under
the seal of the United States, and exer-
cising the office of Chief Justice in
that Territory, has decided that the
persons who accepted Office under the
State Constitution are guilty of treason.
Under his instructions, the State off,
cers have been indicted, arrested and
bail denied them, under the pretense of
judicial proceedings, but without tri-
al or hearing of any kind. An armed
POSSE has invaded the town of Law
renee, and destroyed printing presses,
private dwellings and a hotel. Human
lives have been sacrificed, property to
large amount has been destroyed, cit
izens have been driven from the Terri
tory by violence, and anarchy and dis
order everywhere prevail.
Among the sufferers have been form
er citizens of Iowa, who went to Kan
sas in no spirit of propagandism, but
with the intention of becoming perma-
nent residents of that Territory. Three
of them have been slain by arms said
to have been placed by a Federal Off
Ger IN the hands of a band OF outlaws
from remote State. Some have been
compelled to flee from the Territory for
no ofense save that of having emigrated
from free State, while others remain
there, stripped of their property, and ap-
peal to their fellow-citizens of Iowa for
sympathy and protection.
liz my conviction, their appeal should
not be in vain. They went to Kansas
relying upon, and had right to expect
the protection of the General Govern
ment. In this expectation they have
been disappointed. Citizenship has
been virtually denied to them. Their
right to defend themselves and "to keep
and bear arms" has been infringed by
the act of the Territorial officers, who
have wrested from them the means of
defense while putting weapons of offense
into the hands of their enemies. They
have been oppressed by code of laws
unequaled in atroeity In modern times.
The character and conduct of the Ter
ritorial Judges have shown that an
appeal to the Judicial tribunal is worse
than useless.
The Central Government having fall
ed to perform its duty by protecting
the people of Kansas in the enjoyment
of their rights, it is manifestly the
right of each of the States to adopt
measures to protect its former citizens.
If the people of Iowa are not permitted
to enjoy the rights of citizenship in
that Territory, they retain their former
citizenship in this State, and are as
much entitled to protection from the
State while upon the public domain, as
they would be if the General Govern
ment failed to protect them in foreign
country.
While / write an army raised in the
State of Missouri is marching into
Kansas with the avowed purpose of
driving out all those citizens of the
Territory who emigrated from the
Free States, and who express a prefer
ence for a Free-State Constitution.
Another armed body of men have plac-
ed themselves on the emigrant route
from the State of Iowa, to prevent at
the point of the bayonet, any further
emigration from this State.
The State of Iowa cannot be an in
different spectator of these acts of law
less violence. She demands that her
citizens shall be protected in Kansas,
and stand upon an equality there with
the citizens of other States. She will
not submit to the closing of the emf
grant route through her domain into
that Territory,
AS the Executive of Iowa, / demand
for her citizens in Kansas protection in
the enjoyment of their property, their
liberty, and their political rights. I ask
that the military force on the line of
emigration into the Territory be dis
persed.
A compliance with these reasonable
requests will tend to restore peace in
Kansas, and quiet the public mind Of
this State. In the event of a non-com-
pliance, in my view, a case will have
arisen, clearly within the principle laid
down by Mr.. Madison in the Virginia
Resolutions of 1913, when it will be
the duty of the States "to interpose to
arrest the progress of the evils " in that
Territory.
I am, very respectfully, your obedi-
ent servant,
JAMES w. GRIMES,
GoueSmor Of IoscG.