The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-04-25

i duties.
If the citizens of Lawrence submit
themselves to the Territorial laws, and
assist the Marshal and Sheriff in the
execution of process in their hands,
as all good citizens are bound to do
when called on. they, or all uch. will
entitle themselves to the protection oi
the law. But SO long as they keep up
a military or armed organization to
resist the Territorial laws and the off
GERS charged with their execution,
shall not interpose to save them from
the legitimate consequences of theii
illegal acts.
/ have the honor to-be yours with
great respect, WILsoS SHAxSoS.
Messr. c. w. Toplif,
John Hutchinson,
w. Y. Roberts.
The proclamation of the U. s. Mar
shall was sent into the Border Counties
of Missouri, and into the pro-slavery
settlements of Kansas. No copies Of
it were given to Free State men. BY
accident one fell into the hands of our
citizens, and a public meeting was
called on the morning of the 18th, at
which Judge Wakefield was appointed
Chairman, and John Hutchinson, Sc
eretary. The following resolutions
were passed unanimously -
WHEREAS, by Proclamation to the
people OF Kansas Territory, by I. B.
Donaldson, U. S. Marshal for said
Territory, issued the 18th day of May,
1856. it is alleged that certain Judi
ceal arrests have been directed to him
by the 1st District Court of the Unit
ed States, DC, to be executed within
the county Of Douglas, and that an at
tempt TO execute them by the United
States Marshal wa, violently resisted
by large number of the citizens OF
Lawrence, and that there is every rea-
son to believe that any attempt to ex-
ecute these writs, will be resisted by a
large body of armed men. Therefore,
Resol0ed. By this public meeting oil
the citizens of Lawrence, held this
18th day of May, 1856. that the alls-
cations and charges against us con-
tanned in the aforesaid proclamation,
are wholly untrue in fact, and the con-
clusion entirely false which is drawn
therefrom. The aforesaid Deputy
Marshal was resisted in no manner
whatsoever, nor by any person what
ever, in the execution of said writs,
except by him shose ar1cst the SAID
Deputy Marshal was seeking to make.
And that we now, as we have done
heretofore, declare our Willingness
AMI determination without resistance,
to acquiese in the service upon us OF
any judicial writs against Us by the
United States Marshal Tor Kansas
Territory, and will furnish him with
posse Tor that purpose when SO re-
quested, but that we ar: ready to resist
if need be, unto the death, the ravages
and desolation of an invading mob.
Wednesday morning the 18th we
received information that 1,400 men
had assembled in and around Lecomp-
ton. and reported themselves in read
iness to assist the Marshall. All was
excitement and confusion. Outrages
were perpetrated on the neighbor-
hood by the mob. of all descriptions.
Horses were stolen. wagons loaded
withgoods stopped and overhauled and
the goods contiscated. Men were ar
rested whenever caught out and taken
to the camp of the mob in the woods
near Lecompton. Travellers were stop
ped on the highways, and their horses,
and arms and money taken from them.
Threats of the destruction of Law
renee were made. We understood
they were to come with the Marshall as
his posse. make arrests, to be dis
banded in the streets. They would
be an irresponsible mob. Yet we made
no preparations. We were few in num-
bers-we had no leaders-had been
charged by Gov. Shannon with being
in hostility to the U. S. Government.
Douglas had repeated the charge in the
Senate of the U. States. We deter
mined to give the lie to this charge,
and suffer the Marshall to enter town
with as large a posse at his heels as
he choose to bring. Every man who
came with him could be deputy U.
S. Marshall. and ii properly was de-
stroyed by them we would seek re.
covory of the Government. If Law
renee had TO be demolished, we GER
tainly preferred that it should be done
by the U. S. than by a mob. although
the posse was nothing more nor less
than mob OF unprincipisd, irrespon-
sibls ruf6ans. seraped up from the
scavengers of Slave cities. Yet it
was the posse of the o. S. officer. and
the q. s. Government would bs re-
sponsible for its acts.
ARRIVAL OF GEx. PoxERoY.
Gen. Pomeroy arrived in Lawrence
on Wednesday morning. lie was
chosen chairman of committee OF
Softs. and i; was thought affairs would
be managed satisfactory. A portion
of the citizens were IN favor of sub
mitting to all the demands of the o. S.
MISUNDERSTANDING him to come into.
town with his whole posse. &c. 9th
ers were decidedly opposed TO any
such arrangements. They were Will
ing that the Marshall should make 81
the arrests he wanted-they could
even furnish him posse for that
purpose-bu. they we're not willing