Freeman's champion., 1858-06-10
They Don t Want Peace.

The Pro Slavery organs have been
clam orous against the Free State par
ty, and particularly vindictive against
Montgomery, charging him with pro-
longing the bitter strife waged in the
counties Of Lynn and Bourbon, and
SO faithfully has this cry been fol-
lowed up, and passed along, that we
are sorry to see q few Free State pa
pers ring in the chorus, and demand
his arrest. The proceedings OF the
past week induce us to thhk this
all a farce dnd the call ior meeting
at Fort Sc6tt is d farce OF the biggest
kind, and that the citizens OF that
place do not intend to act in good
faith.
Our reasons for this are: Last week,
Captain Sam. Walker, deputized as
acting u. S, Marshal, paid visit to
the scene fthe murder at Chouteau's
Trading Post. After proper investi-
gatioh, he was led to think that G..
w. Clark, of Fort Scott, as also two
other citizens Of that place, were ac-
ceSsories to tho murder. He accor-
dinghy summoned possee of forty
five men, and entered the place, and
upon writ issued from a justice of
the peace, attempted to secure the
parties. They first sought to arrest
Clark, who refused to be arrested
said he would fight frst-and with
some twenty-five citizens, armed with
Sharp's rifles, guns, pistols, knives,
ETC., sought to intimidate the officers.
Had it not been for the wife and
daughter of Clark clinging to his arm,
the probability is that the Marshal
would have shot him before he was
secured. AT length the arrests were
made, and the prisoners lodged in the
hands of the officers at Fort Scott
From the behavior evinced by Clark
and his associates. citizens of Fort
Scott, it is evident, (as our informant
states, who was one Of the posse of
arrest, that not less than the number
would have made the arrest. This
then is the place which is loud through
its paper and posters, proclaiming a
desire to ferret out robbers and mur-
derers, and when you 60 there to Sc
cure them you are obliged to take
force enough to whip the town. The
ScoundrelS do not want peace. Their
dry is false. They lie to you. They
only seek to cut Free State mems
throats, or otherwise brutally mur-
der them, and then have troops sta
toned there to shield them from the
vengeance that must follow their
deeds. While the posse were ma
king the arrests, 1t was noticed that
M6ntgomery had made his appear
ance in town. This was hit upon as
u prctcxt to resist the officer. Mar
Shal Walker at once stated that were
there a writ issued against Montgom-
cry, he would serve it. One was got
out made returnable at Lecompton.
Montgomery peaceoOly and quietly
submitted to his arrest, The Fort
Scott worthless tried hard to have the
writ made rctunable there, in order
to secure Montgomery, and thus throw
him under their kind protection, But
Capt. Walker preferred to take him
to Lecompton accordingly he start
ed out and arrived nearly at Moneka,
when an express arrived bringing the
news that as soon as the Marshal had
left, Clark and the two Others were
set at liberty, The citizens immcdi-
ltely demanded the release Of Mont
yomcry, which was complied with,
lnd SO the matter stands. They were
anxious to secure Montgomery to
Warder Inn, but when the villain
Clark was taken, after having to re-
strain nearly the Pro Slavery force
in town. he must be released. We
feel assured that it is not peace they
want. They have been used SO long
to murder and rob Free State mon,
they are not content to carry out the
law except on one side. We hope,
however, that the Governor will fol-
low up the murderers at the Post, and
if CLARK Is implicated, or any one
else there, TO secure them and bring
them to justice, notwithstanding he
may be obliged to take force enough
with him to whip the town 0se-