M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-10-21


families were thus robbed of their
driven away from their
homes and compelled to fly from their
Territory, About two,thirds of them
from Linn county, where every local
officer was and is q Free.State man,
after providing places Of security for
their families, some Of the men, mad
dened and desperate with the treat
ment they had received, returned to
seek revenge, and perpotrated the
bloody and unjustifiable act OF the
Marais Ges Cygnes. This was fol-
lowed, on the part of Montgomery, by
setting fire to Fort Scott in the md
die of the night, while the people
we're all asleep; aid then pouring in
yolleys of riAe-balls to prevent the
people from extinguishing the flames.
Although no serious consequences
resulted from this act, though several
persons escaped very narrowly, yet in
its inception, | know Of nothing worse
in the whole history Of Kansas. If
such an act had been committed by a
band Of hostile Indians, it would have
sent thrill of horror throughout the
whole country. Slch have been
some Of the troubles in this Territory,
and yet the perpetrators are running
at largo without an effort to arrest
them, in counties where the Free
State men have all the local officers,
upheld by a portion Of those calling
themselves Free State men. Among
the most active Of whom have been
the hired reporters of the Eastern
newspaper press. If any further dis
turbances occur in this Territory,
these are the people who will be
justly responsible for it, The Pro-
slavery party have abandoned the
contest. The Free, State men have q
majority in every county in the Terri
tory, and they have the Sheriff and
all other local officers in all but two
or three of the counties, and there is
no county in which the Sheriff cannot
preserve the peace if he desires TO do
so.
You make another complaint against
the President, that he has twice post
poned the sales of the public lands
II | mistake not, last spring you com
planned because the sales were ordered
for July. The first postponcment was
made at the urgent solicitation OF the
people in all parts OF the Territory,
and 50 anxious were they to have it
done, that they sent on a committee
Of three to see the President Or the
subject, and the result Of their inter-
view was published by you. The
second postpoEement was more nee
essary than the first, for money had
become more scarce IL the Territory,
the rates of interest had gono up to
five and ten per cent. per month, and
there was a good deal of sickness
throughout the whole country. BY
adhering to the second order for the
sales to take place in November, the
settler would be placed at the mercy
ofthe money lender, when to postpone
it the settler would have another year
within which TO obtain the means to
secure a home, without having to give
away one half of his land for the
money with which to enter the other
half. No good government would
knowingly impose such terms on her
citizens, and hence the second post
ponement of the land sales until July
next. 1t was measure demanded by
tie condition of affairs here, and of
which | have heard no one complain,
except such as were determined to be
dissatisfied with anything and every
thing the Administration might do,
and a few money lenders whose per
centage has been greatly reduced by it.
BY giving publicity to this you will
correct some erroneous impressions
conveyed in the article alluded to,and
Oblige yours, respectfully,
(SirnQd) j. w. DENVER.