The Kanzas news., 1858-05-01
aEMPORIA, KANzAS, MAY ], 1858.


Executive In prostituting their functions in
this unholy cause, The most powerful
branch-the one more powerful than all the
rest beside, the subtlest engine always and
everywhere, when prostituted to base pur-.
EPoses, that can be brought to bear against
the Liberties of civil society," mean the
I judiciary-was particularly conspicuous in
its Infamous zeal. The Chief Justice had :
In fact. already violated propriety, as well
as his oath of Office. by deciding, in advance
OF any case in favor of the validity of the
laws. i-
Now, he ruled that refusal 20 acknowl
edge the binding character of the local leg
isiat1on was treason against the United
STATES This Judicial solecism was practi-
| calls applied. Grand .iuries, packed for
the puapose by the United States Marshal,
flooded the country with indictments. Scarce
ly an honest man escaped. The process of
the court went forth to arrest the multiplied
offenders. New mobs, levied from foreign
States, cruised about the Territory, under
color of the United States Marshal's posse
conaitatus, destroying printing presses, burn
ing hotels, sacking towns and yillages-in
short, in a general career of rapine and rob-
berry, in the name of law and order, as de-
fined by the Chief Justice. whose edicts
they enforced, and by whom they were in
their turn upheld in the commission of in
calculable villainy. One instance, which
fell under my observation, Twill give, as an
illustration of the infinite inhumanity, the
varied and outrageous cruelty, commonly
practiced under the pretext of serving writs,
as well as the writs themselves.
- =
against two men. They were forthwith
seized by deputy Marshal and his posse,
their limbs loaded with heavy iron chains,
and themselves dragged, literally dragged,
along the earth distance of more than fif-
ty miles. Bail was declined and they were
committed to prison. Term followed term,
yet no Indictment was found. After many
months of weary confinement, sick and i'm
poverished, they were reluctantly discharg-
ed, no one appearing to prosecute them
This instance will serve to show that the
process of the court was mere pretext to
get possession of the persons whose influ-
ence the Government had reason to fear
The President of the United States cheered
on this diabolical business, with special
proclamations, with money, with arms, and
with men. The surveyor generals Office,
under the auspices of Calhoun, was used as
recruiting station, and the Government
funds to pay the recruits. A system of es-
poinage was instituted in the post offices,
the mails habitually ransacked, and often
sive matter not unfrequently pillaged and
published. Batteries of cannon on the banks
of the Missouri river, the ordinary route to
the Territory effectually closed it to emigra
ton. The route through Nebraska, the on
ly practicable one left, was guarded by
squadrons of dragons. Trains of emi-
grants, irrespective of their character or
Intentions, were stopped, and both persons
and property seized and detained. Mean
time rendezvous was opened at Oxford
since so prolific of election returns-to re-
| cruit militia force from Missouri, with
which to desolate the obnoxious settlements
of the Territory, while in this enfeebled
condition, beyond the hope of recovery
| This army, when, after several weeks, it
| took up the line of march for the interior,
numbered twenty-seyen hundred men, well
armed, and fortified with eight pieces of can
| non belonging to the State of Missouri
About this time, August, 1856, the most
| frightful scene of all our history occurred
the sack of Leavenworth. A mob, under
q
still one, assisted in the command by 9TH
er persons, who have since, by virtue of
their services on this occasion, been reward
ed with lucrative places under the present
Administration, took possession of the city.
Innocent men were butehered by daylight
in the open streets, women and children
were forced, at the point of the bayonet,
to fly from their homes; larger num-
bers of citizens were constrained to
leave the country in order to save their
lives; the stores, warehouses, and private
dwellings of, the city were forced open, and
their valuable contents distributed among
this rufian band Some persons, with their
families, sought shelter in United States
garrison, close at hand. They were short
" ordered away. 1t may be well imagined
with what feelings of modification this lit
tie baud of sufferers turned away from the
flag Of their country, ample indeed to pro-
teet an American citizen from indignity in
any part of the world. save his own. The
whole country was infested with rowing bands
of rufians Manifold and most foul MUIR
ders were committed. Long afterwards,
the bodies of missing men were found IN
buried where they fell. This desperate con-
dition of things forced the rural population
to abandon their homes, and seek safety in
fortified camps. The industrial interests of
the country paralyzed. want became wide
spread I have not time to note particular
y the many affecting and deplorable Incl
dents, that mark this reign of terror: 1t
was protracted through many months, aba
ted somewhat to meet the exigencies of a
pending Presidential election, but renewing
itself with more or less fury, after that mo-
tive for modified action had passed away
These occurrences, which l have rapidly
glanced at. make up what the President, in
his annual message, is pleased to style "the E