Freeman's champion., 1858-04-01
PRAIRIE CITY, K, T., APRIL l, 1858
Our Prospects are frightened.

uloucuItcHluS IcW Wochb NBVs HVI
nearly four years had the people Of
this Territory been contending against
an oligarchical government for the
dear enjoyment Of their liberties, and
those efforts had awakened for them
in the bosoms Of the friends Of civil
and religious liberty throughout the
world. their ardent sympathies. 1t
was supposed that such people who
were SO noblY vindicating those prin-
ciples upon which our government is
based would be the quintessence OF
patriotism, morality and political
honesty. They were supposed, as a
mass, to be incorruptible. Hopes of
bright future when they could bo
. pointed to with pride by the tue
friends of this Republic as the exem-
plary ornaments Of free institutions,
were entertained for them.
When the Free State party succeed
cd in obtaining possession Of the Ter
ritorial government last fall the friends
Of free Kanzas rejoiced. A new era
was sbOutfto dawn upon the harried
people. Their Liberties which had
" been so ruthlessly wreSted from them
" by that government to whom they
s. have such strong claims for its pro-
lection. were about to be restored to
them. The actions OF the first legal
ly elected Legislature would Of course
be TO the effect Of rebuking in as em :
/, phatic maaneras possible the con-
: duct of their despicable predecessors.
Alas for human hopes, there were
black sheep in our fold. There werA
; men who espoused the Free State
cause only through motives Of poll
E cy, who Stealthily crept into the good
! grAces Of the 'unsullied mem bers Of
the Legislature, and by their willy ar
tiGces, false-colored picturings, fiat
tering promises Of immediate pecu-
) mary gain, 'and shameful reas onings,
influenced them to deviate from the
path Of rectitude, and participate into
u scheme fraught with imminent dan
ger to the liberties Of the people Of a
free government, Every member Of
the Legislative body, with the except
! ion of eight, formed themselves into
o speculation monopoly, and brought
: to bear the gigantic influence Of the
power they commanded by virtue Of
their positions to operate towards ad-
vancing the interests Of their selfish
schemes. They abused the trusts the
people had reposed in them. Most
of the time that should have been oc-
cupied in enacting laws for the per-
3 manent good Of the whole people was
: consumed in concocting measures fol-
: their individual interests. They
Would not iegislate upon any matter
I that conilicted in the least with their
private nefsriouYroperat and in
some instances they were so tyranni-
= cab in their endeavors to carry Out
their aims as to wrest hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars from the pockets
; ofmaAy Of their constituents. Con
scious ofthc atfocious nature Of their
movements and fearful Of the results,
thsy endeavored to silence the inAu
snce Of the leading men and hush the
woicO Of the press. They were ap.
preached with gold, and some yield
cd, and had they oil done so, the pco.
} pie Iof Kanzas would this day bo liv'
ing undera government as monarch
icHlinits nature as any Of the Europe
dn governments. TO the untrammeled
press Of Kanzas which have efficient
ly posted and forewarned tho peopl,
ofths imminent dangers that hov
sredyovoIt them, may the, people o
J Kanzas fecl indebted for our preson
happy prospects. Through thci
Agencies the people became aroused
..9A keen sense Of their pcriculous po
sition; ana how Omphatically hav'
they sct their seal Of condemnation
upon the Legislatures actions! Th
pet offspring Of their production on
4ianeols i---has died q prematur