Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-03-24

horrors greatly intensified. Civil war was
ragiEg with more than iicnd;.h fcrocity
and ak ca dcc0,at 81 siarery Men wcrs
fiockinG from all parts of the South. Of ,les-
peratc character, with passions intlamed TO
the highest pitch, and with the express and
avowcd purpose OF making Kansas sldrc
State by any means, however .tai, o,' fo7tl
And these again were resisted 10y actual set
tiers and new comers from the free States,
equally ms determined, though aot so brutal
and ferocious. The iicrccst passions of
human nature, with all their dreadful conse-
qucnces, were visible on every hand. Tbs
smoke of burning buildings blackened She
air; fields of grain were laid waste and des-
olatc women and children were driven
stsrviug and naked from their homes to
perish on the desolate praries; and the dead
bodies Of murdered men were strcwn along
the waysidc. Chaos reigned supreme
pandemonium had poured forth its denons-
| and crime, in all its most hidcou3 forms, ran
rampant through the land.
! Such was the gloomy prospect that pre-
sented itself to the new Governor 4 man
of less nerve would have looked upon it
with amazcmcnt, and with dismay fed from
the scene, as did two of his predecessors,
aud many Others. But Gov. Ccary was not
| the man to be easily intimldated. lie had
passed already through many fiery ordeal.
he took in at glance the entire situation.
From this dismal chaos from this hell Of
discord; from all this terrific and confused
mass OF conflicting passions, lie was expect
ed to produce order, peace and harmony.
he faltered not, heweYcr, but buckled on
his armo", and in good earnest applied him
self to the difficult task. And so earnestly
and etfectually did he devote himself TO the
work, that as early as Scptcmhc- 30lh, he
was enabled truthfully to write to tho Sec
retary ct State, saying: "Pgacd noto 7eignS IL.
Kansas. Confdcnce is gyaRitaNy being restoYcG
Settlers are rctHraing u their claims. Citizens
are reSuming their orduary purSuitS, and a
general gIadneSS pcrcadcs tie c0mmunity.' lie
had arrested criminals, driven brigands from
the roads, disarmcd and disJandcd invading
armies, and insured protection to all PEACE
able citizens
But this state OF tranquility, thus effected,
was precisely the reverse Of what the pro-
slavery party in Kansas and the administra-
ton at Washington desired. Governor
Geary's course, instead of receiving their
approval, met their decided condemnation.
1t was intended that the agitation and eX-
citement should continue until the Free
State men were either dEnMildted or driren
from the territory, aud the pro-slavery party
could bavc every thing in their own hands.
Hence the,Governor's reports to Washington
were coldly received, and if answered at all,
as. coldly answered. There was no mistak-
ing the .enor and spirit Of their communi-
cations. In the meantime the leading rut-
fans were becoming more and more embolt
ened by The encouragement they received
from the seat of the general government
1t the Lecomptcn PostCffce, the Governors
letters and papers, both private and official,
were opened and their contents scrutni2eG.
TNe few troops that had been left to guard
his person and official documents, werG
gradually removed by ordc" u jeff. Davis
then Secretary of War. PrD-slavery mp
dercrs whom he had caused tC be arrested
were liberated by order Of Chief Justic'
l.ocOmptc, and public meetings were hello
III which he WAS denounced Us IN Abolition
ist for refusing TO give his sanction and q
sistance to the vile plots to force the insti
tuition of slavery upon an unwilling pcople'.
One villain, actuatcd and aided hg Others
less bold, WAS foiled in an attempt TO assas
sna:c him on his departure from the Legis
latiye Hall end almost in sight 0! the metn-
bers there assembled
To crown all, the pro slavery men Of all
parties, the great majority, however, being
old line Wings, mostly from the South, me
together in convention at Lecomptou, ape
organized the "National Democratic Party.
There was much discussion in regard to the
adoption of this name, the leading men o.
the Convention declaring they could no,
| swallow the word "DehtocyQt," having beel
lifelong "Whigs." But this objection wa
overruled, by the argument that the nan
would not change positions. while it wouc
assure them the support of"the Washington
Democracy" The platform of the Natione
Democratic Party" Tins adopted, is clearl..
expressed in the following unanimous res
olution of its Legislature:
"WHEREAs, Ne believe that on the SUE
cess of our party depends the perpetuity
the Union; therefore,
BE it rss0!red, BY the House of Represes
tatiyes, the Council concurrinS therein, the
it is the duty of the pro-slavery party, th
Union loving men Of Kansas Territory,
know but one issue, SLAVERY, and that pp
party making or attempting to make ar
other, Is, AND sRoULD BE HELD, As AN ALI
OF ABOLITION AND DlsUYioS.'
In carrying out this doctrine, all the Fro
State democrats were excluded from mep
bcrship with the "National Democrat
Party" not one Of them being received int
fellowship or allowed to take part in il
proceedings. This platform was indorsc
by the democrats at Washington ut III,
time, end was subsequently adopted an
carried out by tue President to the fl
measure of perfection, SO for 40 lie hs
! the power he ostraciscd all Free State der
Scrats, no matter how long or how iaithiU
~ they had served the party.
She National Democratic Party" beip
thut organized, the next movement was
! conp iit Governor Geary to its policy. 4
cora ngly, the chairman Of the Centr
Committee called upon the Governor, wi
Z. me assurance that ii he would coanect hiI,
self with the party he should he one Of ~
two United States Senators soon to
chosen. The chairman urged the mat
with snch determined pertnacity that q
crnGr Geary ordered him our of hs ottl'
and declared that II he should dare az,
approach him with so vile an otter he woL
toss him through the window.
Soon after these proceedings Consti
tuition, known as the "Lecompton Consti
tion," was received in Kansas by the ",
tional Democratic Party" direct fr
Washington, where 1t had been careful
prepared; and agEeeabiy TO the drectiG
accompanying it, an attempt was made
have it adopted by an improvised cony
J tion and returned to Wnshinpton in