The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1858-11-27
For tie Asrsld Of Freedom.
BLUHHILL. Me. Nov. IL. 1853.

now about four years since inst set foot
in Kansas. At that time I think you had
not arrived in the Territory. You had
proposed to, and were making your ar
rangements to emigrate. You had issued
the first number of the Herald of Freedom,
which you then proposed to, and soon
after did establish, on the far famed "bat-
tie ground" of Kansas. I met the first
number of the Herald in Buffalo, New
York, on my way to my adopted home
I read it with great interest," as the first
banner of liberty, and equal human rights
in that I" fair land" which the "Nebraska
bill" was designed and adopted to con-
sign to slavery. continued to read it
while I remained in the Territory, a
period of three years, save for the short
time that it was stricken down by the
hand of despotism which, though it
originated in the midst of professedly
liberty loving people, and was backed up
by the executive Of the "freest nasion
upon EARTH" was indeed the most cruel,
and heartless that ever cursed the earth,
or was hated by the lovers of liberty
You too, Mr.. Editor, fell with your
Herald, under the iron heel of oppression,
and for time were incarcerated at Lee
compton, that shot bed" of infamy, and
birthplace of the most consummate folly
and wickedness.
But though you fell, it was to rise
again, despite the inveterate hate and
rage of petty tyrants. Yes, You rose up.
and are up still, with the Herald of Free
dom, carrying to the ends of the earth the
glad tidings that liberty has triumphed
over slavery in Kansas, despite all the
fraud and force of "border-ruffans," a
base dominent party, corrupt admins
tration and United States dragons.
This is worth, we'll worth heralding far
and wide. It cheers the hearts and
strengthens the hands of the lovers of
freedom, and is calculated to make ty-
rants and oppressors quail.
The struggle between freedom and
slavery in Kansas, has been long and des-
perate. Never can slavery contend for
the palm of victory with fairer prospects
of success. All the officials of the Terri
tory were decidedly pro-slavery. Men,
appointed by the executive, because they
were known to be good men, and true"
to the interests of slavery in the Territory.
The two first delegates to Congress from
the Territory, were the most base and
servile tools of slavery. The whole of the
first Territorial Legislature were deter
mined advocates of human bondage. By
that Legislature code of laws were en-
acted, more base and cruel than those of
Draco. Every restriction, and disability,
which could be devised, was heaped upon
the Free State people of the Territory, in
the form Of test oaths, foreign voting by
the payment of one dollar, and by the
most unfair districting of the Territory
More still the administration and the
dominent party ofthe United States, gave
their whole influence with that of Con-
gress and the United States troops In
favor of slavery in Kansas, and against
the Free State party.
And yet, strange to tell, freedom has
triumphed, signally! You we'll remem-
er, Mr.. Editor, that many of the Free
State men hesitated in regard to going
into the election on the fifth of October,
1857. l confess that was one of the
number. Such were the disabilities
which they had heaped upon US in regard
to voting, and such the gross and whole
sale fraud which it was fully believed
they would practice in relation to returns,
we saw no rational prospect of success
Still We finally decided to go to the polls
to make the attempt. You, with your
Herald, ! think, advocated going into the
election from the first. Well, we went
into it somewhat generally enough, any
how, to whip the enemy out and out
We got almost the whole Legislature.
But in this, you well remember the vile
minions of slavery attempted to foil us by
the barefaced, wholesale frauds of Oxford
and MCGEE. But for the justice and
equity, Gov. Walker and Secretary STAN
ton, for which they lost their stations, the
fraud would probably have succeeded,
and we had been again trampled upon.
By the way, Mr.. Editor, the chapterin
the history of Kansas, which will treat of
the Governors of the Territory, will be a
matter of no little curiosity. It is not yet
four years since the first, A. 81. Reeder.
Esq, arrived in the Territory. Four
years and yet withir t lime, We have
had, how many ? c.. .<ount them ?
Reeder, Shannon, g :, walker, Stanton,
Denver; SIX, and all in full sympathy
with the administration when appointed,
and went to their station, resolved to carry
out the purposes of the government, and
establish slavery in the Territory.
And yet, lot all of them save two,
when they arrived on the spot, and saw
things as they were, took sides with the
Free State party, and dared to do right,
though the loss Of their Office was the for
FIXTURE.
On the 21st of Oct, 1857. just after the
election Of the 9Th of Oct, referred to
above, I left my home in Kansas, for this
place in the far east. Providence has for
bid my return as soon as then expected.
When left, asttersd myself that the
victory which we had lust won at the