The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-08-08
rs. y.s,e,arv Of Kansas.


The Government of the United States
is doing itself and the future of Kansas an
irreparable wrong by its unjust and pro-
scriptive course toward portion of our
populatiop. Four-6fths of the inhabitants
certainly, and probably nineteen-twentieths
never look to our Judiciary to settle any
difference of law or equity that may arse
amongst them. The Courts have been SO
VIGOROUSLY partial and partisan that the
Free State men look upon them with the
same contempt they DO uPon border
ruffian mob, and would as soon appear 10
the one as to the other.
During the first ofour settlement, every
thing went on well, crimes. were not COM
mitted up to the time of the saeking and
burning of Lawrence by pro-slavery mol,
headed by the United States authorities.
property was safe left anywhere-in the
streets, on the prairie or by the highway.
Stealing was unhear.l of. After that, the
country was flied by guerriilas from the
South who attempted to drive ont the
Free State settlers. No settled part of
the Territory but what was paralyzed or
devastated by them, appeals were made
to United States officers, both civil and
military. for protection and redress; in
every instance without suecess-and in
most instances the applicants were rebuff
cd with rudeness and insults rs outlaws.
The effect has been to force the people,
Individually and in companies to rely up
on themselves. If one man Injuries an
other he retaliates or forgives according to
his moral standard. If one trespaSses on
another's rights the remedy is to shoot
him. The idea of going to bogus court
is hooted a. by the masses. And the
U. S. court, with Lecompte as Chief JUS
tice, has sunk as low in popular estima-
ton as the other. His court is held by
the people in utter contempt. The result
is that almost every man has been driven
! to consider himself his own judge and
/ jury, and to carry his revolver and bowie
knife to execute his will. whatever that
may be. The exceptions to this rule are
the men of steady habits from the old
States, who are aware of the evil oi
such state of things, and are using theiI
influence to keep society steady till il
can be fairly organized, politically and
Ijudicially. Ii Mr. Buchanan has any re-
gard for the interests of Kansas let hin
give us new Judiciary. If he sets an!
value upon his reputation as fair ant
impartial President, let him remove from
our midst those Instructions to fre
expression of the popular will which hav
been SO long sustained by Federal none,
and federal bayonets. Let the Genera
Government go on here three years long
er as it has done for three years passed
anu " HEtG Cdn AllluCI IfI4o 1cIllFOEf lIOU
becoming nation of bandits? Wha
can hinder them in their desperation
from joining the wild Indians and tn
Mormons, in self-defence, against tn
tyranny of the slave power that has S
long goaded them to desperation? LIE
us have laws of our making-officers c
oursown choosing judiciary above re
proach and suspicion, and in one mont
Kansas will be as quiet as Massachusett!
But SO long as the United States govern
ment attempts to enforce a code of law
upon the people of Kansas, enacted b
the State of Missouri, so long will ther
be resistance, confusion, strife, bloodshet
and lawlessness in every conceivabl
shape. Justice to the people, and justic
only, will settle our difficulties.