The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-03-05
Letter fson Dr.. Robinson.
LAWRENCE, March, 1th, 1885,


answer. 1t has been a rule with me to
use the same weapon in kind, in repelling
an attack that is used in making it. If
attacked by the tongue, and l make any
defence at all, it is with the tongue; if
attacked by the pen, then the pen is my
defence, or nothing. Blu. yesterday I
alighted from my wagon near the post
Office, and engaged in conversation With
an acquaintance in front of the building.
As / turned to enter the Office, blow
was received on my head from some per-
son unseen by me. On turning to
learn the cause, behold there was his
honor, NJ. F. Conway, with club uplifted,
pale and CHASTITY and with the look of q
maniac. Having just read that his init
mate friend and eulogiser Mr.. King, had
become insane from disappointment and
committed suicide, my first thought was
that Mr.. c. was affected in like manner,
from like cause, and had turned assassin.
Accordingly, thinking if left in that con-
dition he might hurt somebody, l seized
him as soon as / could overtake him, and
was about applying small dose of as
phyxia to his wind apparatus, which is an
excellent remedy for certain kinds Of ma
mia, when his brother interfered and re-
leased him. Mr.. C. then, for the first time,
spoke, and / found, to my surprise, that
this free use of his cudgel was only in
tended as an answer to my letter in the
HERALD OF FREEDOM. Now the question
with me is: how am I to reply to this
answer? If steal upon him unawares
and break in his skull with club, tUlich
1 could not avoid if 1 struck him, every
body would call me cowardly assassin,
and it would be true. Should / give him
notice of my intention to answer, that he
might be provided with his shillalah, his
physique is such, that it would be but little
less cowardly to touch him. Believing
as do, that all resort to physical force,
except purely in self defence, is low-live
and cowardly, l fear 1 shall be unable to
give the chivalric gentleman suitable
reply to his last demonstration and must
acknowledge myself beat, used up, cup
set"
Mr.. c. said he would not permit me to
speak of him as l have done. Now this
is very big language for small finite be-
ing to use. l have said nothing of the
gentleman that canhot be proved to be
true; he ought to have learned by this
time, that Yankees will talk what they
know or think is true, oit]lout permission,
if necessary. In Yankeedom, people
have notion that truth is omnipotent
and ask no favor of any one. The mar
who utters it may be struck down, but the
truth remains the same nevertheless
This attempt to crush out free speech by
southern chivalry is nothing new About
quarter Of century since the Baltimo-
reans concluded they would not permit a
certain VIM. Lloyd Garrison to tell some
unpalatable truths about their domestic
institutions, and they thrust him in Jail
Moreover, the truth told by him remained,
and has since been proclaimed by him
and Others to the utmost bounds of civiliza.
ton. A certain Mr.. Brooks, at one time
concluded that he would not permit Mr.
Sumner to tell some welcome truths, bul
his striking down Mr.. Sumner Ia Con.
way, only served to stamp ineffacibly those
truths upon the page of history. In the
early settlement of Kansas, some gentle
men said they would not permit free speech
upon the subject of slavery, but free
speech was INDUCED in, nevertheless
Now a gentleman belonging to the chiv.
airy of the assassin order, says he ,oill
not permit free speech in self Defence
Well, / am sorry, but think must use
it Notwithstanding. Now, valient Mr.. c.
do you not know that we Yankees regard
any man who will exchange his pen for q
cIdsol as coward, and any man who
will lie m wait and strike his opponent
unawares, as a cowardly assassin? l am
sorry to inform you that such is the fact
and it will remain a fact even, though you
do not permit it to be said, or assassinate
me for saying it. 1t is impossible for a
man of true courage to shoot down an
unarmed man, or strike him with any
weapon, and no truly brave man can be
murderer, assassin, robber or thief.
Mr. Editor, where are we and whittier
are we drifting? The next day after my
return from the East, saw a company Of
peacible law abiding, and well disposed
citizens, Free State men, n,guilty of no crime,
so far as it is known, set upon in the
streets of Lawrence, shouted at, brick
batted, stoned, fired at and robbed. After
the robbery had been finished, the affair
was claimed by the leader of the mob, to
be brilliant Republican vancouver, in
accordance with Republican principles, /"
and all the mob shouted amen.
, A few days afterwards, l was in the
street relating what had been told me by
Others, and was told, by peace officer, that
l was in danger of being mobbed, if did
not leave. was given to understand
that free speech was not tolerated is Law
renee, except for certain persons. Lastly,
Mr.. Conway. who is an Apollo with the
pen, drops that weapon and resorts to the
bludgeon, where boy is his equal, if not
superior. Are such proceedings indorsed
by the people of Lawrence and of Kan
sas? II So, Border Rufian rule would be