The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-01-15
A Review.

ern par. of the Territory, are now rejoic- =
ing over the fact that the Quasi Gen.
Lane has written a letter to Gov. Me- .
DAIRY, informing that gentleman that il
will invest him with author
ity for that purpose, he will go South,
take Montgomery, Brown, or any of their
command, and bring them to Lawrence,
or wherever the Governor may direct,
and that without the aid of posse, or any
assistance whatever. How this may ap-
pear to others, we cannot say, but to us
it is conclusive evidence of the completely
of Lane in those disturbances. He com
naissioned Montgomery upwards of a year
ago, and set him to work in southern
Kansas to fight Pro- Slavery men. Lane
visited that quarter in person, and pre-
tended to be the "Commander-in in Chief of
the Military forces of Kansas" There is
not doubt but that he directed the original
movements in that quarter. 8 Many of
our readers will remember his celebrated |
coup de etat on the evening of the 22d |
of December, 1857, at the Territorial |
Convention then in Session in Lawrence,
when an express from Lanes army en-
tered that Convention, and announced, al
most breathless, that "war has actually
begun" "Why will you stand here
said he, "and talk about voting for of
fcers under the Lecompton Constitution,
thinking thereby to defeat it, when your
brethren in the southern part of the Ter
ritory are already in arms? 1t is the
duty of every man here to rush at once
ITO the scene of the contest and. Shout
der to shoulder with Gen. Lane, and
his abe associates, Capt Montgomery and
others, drive back the invaders of our
Territory to the State from which they
came" And with peroration worthy
OF Patrick Henry in the most trying hour
of our revolutionary history, his arm ex-
tended to heaven, his voice gently raised,
and every gesture adapted to the sublime
occasion, he declared Il would sooner cut
off my right arm than cast vote for any
officer under that Constitution"
1t was then, when the excitement was
at 10 hight, and linton stood on tiptoe,
swinging his hat, and hallooing with all
his might, and the lesser lights, such as
Thacher. Phillips & Co., were echoing the
shout, that S. N. WooD, ESQ.,, stepped
forward, his patriotism apparently swelled
to the sticking point, and called for vol
unteers to start the next morning towards
Fort Scott, to stand by Gen. Lane and his
brave comrades, in their extremity. The
messenger reported the men as suffering
for the necessaries of life They needed
guns, and munitions of war of all descrip-
tions, and at that hour mostly provisions
Said he, Il divided my last biscuit with
some of these men this morning, and have
rode eighty miles without hardly getting
out of my saddle to bring you this start
ling intelligence" Mr.. WooD was more
enthusiastic in calling for volunteers thar
usual. He recapitulated what the mes
senger had said. That whole convention
consisting of what pa,ported to be dele.
gates from every part Of the Territory
called together at an inclement season tc
consult upon the destines of the Territory
with freedom or slavery before it, wa,
suspended in its action while these wa
incidents were being enacted, but Mr.
WOOD could get mary" volunteer. DR.
ROBINSON, who was chairman of the Con
vention, and for merely suggesting tina
the whole thing was ruse gotten up Il
effect the action of theConvention, becam,
seriously involved with some of the Into
faction, and for time it seemed probable
we might have a fight in the Kansas Val
ley.
The Convention finally decided not +
participate in the election, and the mex
day after, Lane appeared in our streets
and his friends laughed at the successful
strategem employed to bring about the re
suit.
From that day the excitement Sout
has gone on. In February or Marcel
Lane issued his memorable letter to Mont
gomery, ordering him to disband bu
Montgomery has stated, to gentleme
whose veracity cannot be questioned, tbs
while he was in receipt ofthese letter
for the public eye, he was in the receipt {
PRIVATE letters from that same Gen. Ian
applauding him for his acts and advisir
him to push matters to even greater e1
treems than he felt justified in doing. "
have not the most remote doubt but ever
p important movement of Montgomery
from the destruction of the ballot-box
Mound City, on the 4th of j anuary, a ye
ago, down to the release of Rice at Fo
Scott, who was indicted for murder by
Free State Grand Jury, was advised ar
directed by Lane; aud his letter to Go
MEDARY is all the proof needed to esta
lish that he is a partioeps criminis in all tn
has been done thus far
The rebuke which Gov. Medary b
given Lane, was well merited. Had t
Governor added, that he did not feel jus
fed in employing those whose hands w
yet wet with innocent blood, to arr
other men guilty of similar crimes, I
reproOf would have been none too seye