Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-23
SOUTHERN KANSAS TROUBLES.

The telegraph brings news of fresh troubles
in Southern Kansas. Its report Is rather H.
coherent; nothing is told clearly out there
is probably something afoot in that quarter,
of which the government officials are giving
exaggerated accounts. The course OF the
government in pressing a sale Of the New
York Indian Lands" so called, in Bourbon,
Allen and Madison counties, probably, has
something to do with whatever trouble has
now arisen in that region These lands were
in reality never taken by the New York
Indians, for whom they were set apart, and
settlers located there some time previous TO
the passage of that act of congress which
formally opened them to presumption. Much
of the previous trouble in Southern Kansas
arose from the systematic and persistent at
tempt of the Missouri "border rufians" and
others to drive from these desirable 'New
York Indian Lands" the Tree state men who
had settled there and nothing but the organi-
cation known as "Montgomery's men," or
"Jay Hawkers," has prevented the complete
success of this attempt. Not free state man
would have been left alive in Southern Kan.
sas, probably, if this organization had not been
in existence. Nowhere in Kansas has there
been government protection or justice, in any
form, for those who opposed the attempts to
forcesslavery into that territory.
The land sale, which was ordered, and
which the president has refused to postpone,
is regarded by the settlers as a tyranncal pro.
ceeding OF the government intended to do
successfully against the settlers, what "border
rufianism" failed to accomplish. 1t is scarcely
nine months since the lands in question were
opened to presumption, and, according 10 es
tablished usage, several years should pass be-
fore the sale But II there were no other rea
son why the-ale should not take place now,
the existing famine in Kansas is reason sufh
Gent The failure of the crops has deprived
the settlers of the means to pay for their
lands, at present. 70 force these lands into
the market, at this time, seems to them like
robbery. 1t takes from them, without an
equivalent, not only their claims" but also
all they have laid out in building houses and
making other improvements A bare state.
ment OF this case is enough 10 indicate very
clearly what must be the present mood of the
settlers in that part Of Kansas. 1t is not 4
pleasant mood. 1t is not the mood most favor
able to orderly ways and peaceful intentions.
1t certainly would not be the most atrocious
thing that has been done in Kansas, if the
people whose rights and homes are SO serious
ly threatened, had formed a scheme TO prevent
this land sale, or get it postponed. One of the
dispatches connects the land sale with the re-
ported disturbance. There may be something
more than this but the probability is, that
when all the falsehoods and exaggerations
contained in the dispatches are corrected, and
the actual state of things is shown, it will ap-
pear that there is nothing more than a desper
ate attempt of the settlers to save themselves
frem robbery and ruin, by preventing such
sale of tler lands, as that announced
by the government. The sale ought
not to take place at this time. 1t is
wrong; it is very unjust and oppressive to
press it now but, in the dealings of the fed
eral government with tile free state men Of
that territory, since it was organized, outrage
has been the rule and failure TO Cypress the ex
ception. We shall soon know what has given
rise to these exciting reports from Southern
Kansas, but we shall not get the exact truth
from any political friend of the "border ruff
fans" nor from any pro-savcry official of the
government.