The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-06-22
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
NO. 4.
LAWRENCE, Kansas, June 18th, 1872.


Pacific Railroad of IS miles brought me to
Lawrence, the beautiful young city of Kan
sas, of twelve years growth, occupying
site for beauty, fertility of soil and health,
three requisites to comfort not easily
obtained-seldom met with. As business
point, Lawrence is the terminus of several
railroads, and the substantial appearance
Of many of the public and business build
!ngs of the town denote that lack of thrift
and enterprise are not among the charac-
teristics of the people of Lawrence. The
town has about $4,000 inhabitants The
streets are broad and regularly laid out,
planted with shade trees, and the main
street laid with wood pavements. law
renee was founded by one of those Free
State colonies, that emigrated to the new
territory of Kansas, some twelve or four
teen years ago, between whom and the
Missourians, or "Border Ruffians," such
bloody contests took place, and which pre-
cipitated the shareholders rebellion
Lawrence was originally settled by New
England families, as well as other colonies
in the State, against whose abolition pro-
clivities the Missourians manifested so
much hatred that an armed organized
effort was made by the worst desperadoes,
to drive out the Free State settlers.
The effort to drive out the Free State
men by the Border Ruffian'' element,
was IN ado with fro and c1vord. .,J in tho
strife thus inaugurated, Jim Lane and
Old John Brown acquired a world wide
fame. Mr.. Simmons, proprietor of the
Lawrence Tribune was one of the earliest
settlers Of the colony, and has witnessed
the early trials and tribulations and sub
sequent growth and prosperity of the
State. He related many instances of the
cowardly brutality of the "Border Ruff
fans From the heights round the city
of Lawrence lie has seen the blazing farm
houses in all directions over the prairie,
fired by concerted raids, made by what
were Familiarity termed in those days s'Bor-
der Ruffians.'' Reused by such cowardly
incendiarism, the attempt to strike terror
into the Free State men, had the opposite
effect, and rallying from their burning
homes they attacked and drove out the
ruttians-the Hulk of that day, whose
cowardice in the face of danger only
equalled their cruelty to the unprotected
and alone.
1t will be remembered what thrill of
Indignation and horror ran through the
loyal States, when the news of Quantrell's
of Lawrence during the rebellion, was
announced. This brutal act was prompted
by thirst for private revenge growing
out of the early troubles i'll Kansas
Quantrell, with three hundred guerillas,
crossed the Kansas border between the
Union pickets and entered the town from
the South before daylight. The raiders
spread like fan over the town, shooting
every man they saw and firing the houses.
About 1870 were murdered, and many fall
ing within the burning buildings were
roasted, and the CHASTITY sight of charred
corpses and smouldering ruins were left by
the tiends, a heart-rendipg sight to the men
and women who had through SO much toll
and tribulation built comfortable homes in
the wilderness. The frontier of the State
was picketed with companies of troops
stationed at distances from each other suf-
ficient to guard against incursions from
raiders.
Quantrell's band was discovered by the
nearest company of troops half an hour
after they had crossed the border, but the
officer was incompetent, and in place of
sending couriers to alarm the citizens Of the
nearest towns-kansas City, Topeka, and
Lawrence, of which was certain to
be the point of attack, he neither followed
with his command or sent couriers to the
threatened points, but to the next post,
and before reinforcements could arrive the
mischief was done. The officer whose
inef1iciency and want of resolution which
permitted the massacre is heartily despised
by the Lawrence people to this day.
But this city of earl trials and triumphs
has risen from its ashes, and possesses the
air of substantial prosperity, and is con-
trolled In its municipal and business rela-
tions by a class of people whose culture
and refinement would do credit to the best
New England town, for the Lawrence peo-
pie are essentially a New England people.
hrn ~ 10 e.
towns, which recommends itself to the best
class of society everywhere, is the facili-
ties which they provide for education. In
this respect Lawrence is peculiarly fortu-
nate. Here the State University is located,
for which new building that will cost,
when completed. about 100000 honestly
expended. is in course of construction
The new University building is erected of
native limestone, which makes a hand
some and substantial etifice. The origi-
nal building was found to be too small,
built, which has capacity to accommodate
1000 students. The University stands on an
eminence north of the city, and commands
beautiful view of the town and surround
ing country. With Primary and Gram
mar schools, which would put TO shame
the academies of our State, the people of
this young State have a University where
a free collegiate education, can he obtained
by every child, if he but possess the
ability to reach the college classes. Law
renee is lot peculiarly fortunate, as a
Kansas town, in the matter of education,
but other towns have almost equal adyan-
tages in this respect. The Western States
are fortunate in having land grants for
school purposes, which insure them album
dant means in the future to give every
child, if he desires it, classical education
Soil, climate, agricultural resources of
the State, etc, will be glanced at in my next
letter. E.E.E.
READ THE ADVERTISEMENTS Zion
adj, is quite original and striking in its
way-a model of its kind. One of the
L.