The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-07-03

4
robbing of Wells store at Willow Springs,
followed by similar outrages at McKin-
ney's, in this county. No person pre-
tends that either of those men had been
in the neighborhood of Fort Scott, or
were in any way concerned in the troubles
there. They may have been in the past,
and probably were. bad men, but for the
last year or two they have been quietly
pursuing their own business; and if to be
punished at all it should have been in the
courts of law, not by an irresponsible
mob. S. D. Williams, who resides near
Osawatomie, Free State man, though Of
the bunker stripe, was also robbed by a
party claiming to act under the direction
of Montgomery. Mr. jackson was also
robbed; but neither of these men were
even remotely connected with the Fort
Scott affair. Any number of names, of a
similar character, who have been visited
by Montgomery's bandit, could be men,
toned, if necessary, but these are suffi-
cient for our purpose, to show that Mont
gomery has not limited his warfare to
those concerned in outrages upon Free
State men, or that he has acted only upon
the defensive.
The defender of Montgomery, in writ
ing his vindication, should be less general
in his statements. The Captain may be
doing good work, as other bad men have
done Inadvertently. The crucifixion Of
the Son of God was crime of the greatest
magnitude, and yet it is generally con-
coded that it was permitted for the most
glorious of purposes. Though good grew
out of it, as a ransomed world attests, yet
few, We apprehend, feel disposed to APP
plaud the Jews because of their agency
in the matter. On the contrary, the anath-
emies of all ages are pronounced upon
that people because their hands are stained
with immaculate blood.
Montgomery's crimes may be overruled
for good, as frequently is the case with
bloody contests between nations; but q
fearful retribution awaits him, and those
concerned with him in these excesses.-
Years may intervene, and the event may
be forgotten; but Heaven has wisely or
dained that every wrong, the world over
shall be redressed. It is law Of oul
being, and it is just as impossible to escape
it as it is to avoid effect following its nat
ural cause.
| 1t is only two years ago that some
thirteen Free State men, under the lead
of a certain person whose name has be-
come notorious in Kansas history, visited
the residences of five Pro-Slavery men,
living On Pottowotomie creek, in Lykins
county, and at the hour of midnight
while wrapped in slumber, or watching by
the bed side of their, sick wives, were
called to the doors of their dwellings
enticed or foreibly taken from thence into
| the streets or ravines, and basely murdered
in cold blood The assassins, with theil
bowie knives and sabres wet with the
blood of these men, heard the cry which
sounded so loud in the ears of Cain, after
he had slain his brother; they fed to the
States, were received as heroes, feted, and
the charitable contributed literally oil
their means to reward them for their SER
vices, and time passed on. Who shall
say that the atrocities of Pro-Slayery
ruffians, which followed these crimes
the brutal scalping of Hops, or the sub
sequent shooting down of eleven innocen
men at Chotteau's Trading Post, FIVE o
whom went up to heaven to give an &C
count of the hellish brutality of tina
affair-are not attributable, to some extent
to those high-handed outrages on tn,
Wilkinsons and Doyles?
/ If Free State men 20 in the hour o
midnight and commit such awful crimes
let the pretext or extenuating circum
stances be what they may. a day of retri
button will surely come, and the penalty
will be as great as though the outrage
were perpetrated by Pro-Slavery men,
God is no respecter of persons, Tn
same law which governs one party gov
ems all. We firmly believe that tn
recent murderers in the southern portion o
the Territory were goaded on by the ex
cesses of Free State men under Mont
gomeEy; and we believe, too, that thes
owe their origin to the excuses of Pro
Slavery men; that the whole thing is re
solvable into circle, and that the crime
are increasing in atrocity as the distanc
Increases from the starting point, and $
will continue until different spirit shal
|. be introduced into the public mind t
divert attention from the incidents of tn
past. While the father swears the son 3
retaliate on his enemies. we can neve
expect the restoration of public tranquil
| ity.
| We may be permitted to say, that al
the crimes now being perpetrated in Kan
sas-the ro5beries, murders and villaihie
of every grade-aTe but the natural pro
| ducts of germs planted two. three AM
four years ago. when our virgin soil Wa
so susceptible to external impressions
The penitentiary and the gallows. year
hence, viii bear fruits of these times; ant
the influence will extend on from genera
ton to generation. Mournful indeed i
; the dark picture which is presented to til
person of disernment who IS capable 0
Il l. 49, A.