Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-03-06
Correspondents ef the Cincinnati Gazette.
Kansas Affairs.


idly bringing It's work TO a close. During
the past week several measures Of the
utmost importance have been introduced,
many Of them exceeding in .wickedness
and extrayagant metropolitan features
the legislation Of last session.
One Of the most singular acts ever en-
auating from anything pretendingto be a
law-making body OF this country, passed
two days ago, almost unanimously, and
has gone to the Governor for his signature.
1t is entitled Gan Act to Punish Rebel
lion" 1t defines what it calls rebellion,
and the amount Of evidence necessary to
prove 1t against any party. ~
Sec LIST provides that il two or more
persons ehall combine by force 10 asurP
the government OF the territory, or any
department thereof, the person shall be
deemed guilty.of rebellion. and shall suffer
death. By this section none Of the bogus
officers, imposed on tho people By this
Legislature, must be resisted, or they will
be liable to death penalty. II even the
sheriff should act in the outrageous man.
ner in which Jones and others have acted
formerly, and the citizens, in self-defense,
should resist them, those thus resisting
will be liable to be indicted and tried, and
executed as rebels.
The second section is still more liable to
objection, as it makes it rebellion for
twelve or more persons to eonspire to levy
,Oar on any part of the citizens of the ter
ritory. Asall Of the pro-slavery and bor-
der ruflians belong to the militia, aud are
subject to be called out by their officers,
they will not fall within the meaning Of
this act, and when in arms will be por-
ton OF the Territorial authority" Only
the much abused settlers will have this ex-
ira milestone tied about their necks, in
case they should be driven by outrages to
defepd themselves.
| The other sections Of this outrageous
law are not less enormous. One of the
provisions is, that if two or more shall con-
spire to remove any portion Of the inhabi-
tants from their habitations, it shall be re-
bellion, and so punishable. Thus mere
quarrel about claim, than which nothing
is more common or probable, will give the
pro-slavery men, through the aid of the
pro-slayery courts and officials, the power
Of driving any Free-State man from the
country, or of hanging him as rebel il
he stays. In order to secure punishment,
in cases where it would be difficult to in
flict the death penalty, the courts arc al
lowed an alternative in their discretion Of
sending the offender to the penitentiary fol
, twenty years. This is the most infamous
enactment that ever disgraced a republi-
can country. 1t is squatter sovereignty
} carried out.
r A not less infamous law is one to pun.
!, ish mobs and sedicious assemblages.-
: There is also law regulating assault
r cases, which is of dangerous partisan
: character. Several other laws of The
f same kind have been framed-all of then
are intended as traps to catch Free State
+ men, and we may expect that legal perse
!. cution will again be resorted to in orde
e to keep the Territory clear Of frec-soilers
1 A most dangerous power has been con
' ferred on the County Courts. Thes
r Courts have been created and the Judge
Q appointed by this Legislature. They hav,
e got extended jurisdiction, to an amount a
regards civil cases, that will embrace nine
f ty-nine out of every hundred cases.
They have also got criminal jurisdiction
# in all cases where the death penalty is no
I to be inflicted. Thus, without jury, the,
can try and sentence to imprisonment o
K fine any persons brought before them on
4 charge, and the party thus tried need no
ever be indicted, but shall be put on tria
n at once, on the charge Of any one, and tn
bogus judge, without a jury, shall try an,
q sentence, and there is no provision for ap
a peal from these decisions. There are +
I be public prosecutors appointed by thes
g courts in every county. The act for tax
IT ing the census, and providing for the el
a ection of delegates to. the Constitutions
o Convention has passed without amend
!. ment 1t has gone to Gov. Geary for hi
il signature. AS it strips the Governor c
10 all influence and power in the manage
p ment Of this important matter, it is tho
). by some that he will not signit. If h
IF does not, it will be passed over his head.
is Capt. Walker has been induced to sun
"a render himself to the deputy marsha
lie with dragons, without resistance, at tn
p request of Gov. Geary, who is found fau'
J. with by the Pro-Slavery men for not hay
ing Walker arrested. The Governor ha
promised Walker that he would see hin
: bailed out. He was accordingly admitte
to bail by Judge Cato, the bond bein
:. $4,000 He had been charged wit
=, murder, amongst other things, CROWN
: out of the battle at Fort Titus last Angus
- A ferry at Quindora and railroad fror
that place to Fort Riley have been cha
e. tered. CARRAWAY.
y Feb. is, 1857.
a. A fatal ARRAY has occurred at LecomI
as ton this afternoon. A Gov. Geary meo
ing was broken up by Mr.. Sherrart
Sheriff Jones, and Others, in a fgh
at The meeting was called by the friends {
D. Gov. Geary to sustain his course. Effor
10 were made by these to get men frol
:. Lawrence and Topeka, favorable to Geary
:! II is stated that several carriages were hi
'lr ed, the money supplied by Gov. Gear,
n. TO bring them here. The Governor ha
n. threatened he would resign if he was nc
% sustained. The meeting began at tw
O'Clock, in the open air. More than
On hundred persons were present. Mr.. She
to rard was there with some twenty or thi
O. ty of his friends, all armed with revol,
:, ers. AS the meeting had been called 0
~ account Of the Sherrard outrage on ii