The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-11-23
From the ktnsas Herald Of Freedom.
VenttIatinG Kansas History.

A gentleman remarked the other day, ina
the time had come when the history Of KansaI
should be thoroughly ventilated. During the
disturbances of 1856, it was not to be ex
pected that the politicians on either side would
expose the wickedness oftheir own party. They
could not do it, had they desired, from the fac
that 1t was impossible, with the then state o
the country, to understand the real facts trans
piring around them. Their stand point took il
but small portion Of the then political horizon
Now, with good lens, they can look out upor
the whole field, on each side, and can understand
not only the action, but the motives which LED
to such action. ii
! The Eastern presses at this time are attempt
ing to recapitulate some of the incidents o
1856, and are offering them in mitigation of Ole
John Browns recent outrages in Virginia; but
instead ofgiving the facts as they transpired
they are only giving exaggerated and partizar
statements, made in selfexculption at the time
those "exeesses"--as Mr.. Buchanan had the
medesty to call them-were committed.
The N. Y. Tribune and Herald each gave q
sketch ofOld John Brown. From careful ex.
animation of them, we venture the assertion
that do articles of similar lenth could have been
| published which would have embodied more
statesments at variance with the truth
| The Heralrs article was either written, OF
the substance was furnished, by G. P. Lowry
who was private secretary to Gov Rcedcr, or
seme person who derived his information from
him.-The statement is only partially correct,
as far as it relates to Browns connection with
the Wakarusa war, but the moment it enters
into an account Of the difficulties OF 1856, it is
false in detail and in fact and the ideas are
principally copied from the partizan article Of
the same week in the Tribune Mr.. Lowry left
Kansas the last of March or the first of April,
1856 hence his information was second handed
at best, and probably much worse.
Our article of last week, on Old John Brown,
is a sufficient refutation of the HeraN's and
T'abuae's statements as pertain to that individ-
ual, but they make additional statements, which
in the language of our friend, need "ventla-
ting"
The n Y. Herald makes the following state
ment:e a..
"One Of his [Brown'sJ sons, who was elected
to the Legislature in February, 1856 was sci
zed and taken from Ossawotomic to Lecompton
in chains distance Of thirty miles. His feet
and hands were chained together with a large
heavy chain, the size Of that used upon OK
teams. He was compelled to walk the whole
distance beneath burning sun. The irons
wore the flesh from his ancles; he mas attacked
ao'h the brain fcUe'', agas neglected, and died in
too or three days."
The Tfbuae's statement is about verbatim.
We copy from that journal: E
"Under that [the Topekal Constitution. one
Of his sons was elected to the Legislature, and
about the same time that Gov Robinson and
others were indicted for high treason the son of
Brown was arrested at Ossawatome under a
similar charge, his feet and hands were chained
together, heavy OK chain being employed for
that purpose, and he was compelled to walk the
whole way to Lecompton under burning sun.
the iron wearing the flesh from his ankles. Fa-
tigue, excitement, and bad treatment brought
on a brain tever and, as no proper attention
was paid to him, he died a ftao days after. The
Vi laWTenCe lOllOWeu.
Our acquaintance with John Brown, Jr., com
menced in the autumn Of 1855, and was contin-
ued without intermission, until the middle or
latter part of September, 1856. For three and
half months he was an hourly companion a
prisoner with US near Lecompton, and since
that period we have been in occasional CORES
pondence with him. Unless recently removed
or deceased, his present residence is Linden
vile, Ashtabula county, Ohio. r-.
AS stated last week, he raised company
of his neighbors and friends, and arrived at Pal
myra on the 22d of May, 1856, the day after
the destruction Of Lawrence. After looking
about that vicinity for day or so, on the 24th
of May he marched towards Ossawatomie, and
arrived near the town, where they encamped
for the night. Old John Brown, the father
stepped out in front OF the company, and said
IF there are any braUe men here let them fol-
low me-" John Brown Jr., replied: II have
the honor of commanding this company. Who
ever leaves it does so at his peril" But Old
Brown succeeded in getting seven men to join
his company, one of whom was Frederick
Brown, a son of the old man. who was subse.
quently shot while on his way to Ossawatomie,
on the morning of August 80, 1856, and not af-
ter he was taken,prisoner as has been alleged
Some of the surviving seven OF Old John
Browns party still reside in Kansas. The
curse Of Almighty God rests on them, and
we have no disposition to expose them at pres
ent to the public. 3E.t 4
On the morning. May 25th, one of the hea-
Wy broadswords, alluded to by us last week,
which Old Brown brought to Kansas, was found
leaning againsta tent, wet with blood and COW
cred with hair. 1t was pronounced dogs hair,
but soon after intelligence was received in camp
of the massacre of the Wilkinsons and Doyles,
on Pottawattamie creek. John Brown, Jr.,
immediately mounted his horse in the greatest
possible excitement, ordered his company to
disband, and rode towards 0ssawatomie. ~ ,
The news Of the horrid murder alluded to
had preceded him. aad the people were so shock
ed on his arrival there, because Of it, and sup
posing John Brown, Jr, guilty of the outrage,
they turned from him, He went from there
to the residence Of his uncle, Rev. Mr. Adair,
where he had sent his wife and boy. The re-
ports of the awful murder of his neighbors, the
consciousness that his father, brother, and six
other friends had been guilty Of that terrible
outrage, and the treatment he had received at
Ossawatomie from his own political friends, era
zed him. He sought the woods, and wandered
about for days, with only an occasional CLEAN
Of recollection. He became tangled in the