Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-02-18

question OF freedom or slavery was being
agitated. Was slavery the rule, and free
dom the exception, or freedom the rule and
slavery the exception. Yes it was decisive
period, for good or i'll, to unborn
generations. The territories of Kan
Kansas and Nebraska had been thrown
open for settlement. BY the passage of the
Kansas. Nebraska bill, after a long and
desperate struggle against the infamous
provision of that bill which tore down the
barrier against human slavery made by
the Missouri compromise. thirty-four years
before. The success of this measure en-
boldened still more the aggressive spirit
OF the slave power and shocked and
alarmed every friend Of human freedom.
1t was evident that the great question,
'Shall freedom or slavery become nation
al?" was to be settled upon the plains of
Kansas. The spirit of liberty which had
seemed to slumber, if not really dead,
awoke, IVES resurected, and called her
sons to action. This call was re-echoed
through every village and hamlet in the
north. The result was the pioneers came
here, as it were. with their lives in
their hands to battle for freedom. 1t
was for show of fairness that slavery and
freedom were invited here to contend for
the mastery; but it was well
the Kansas-Nebraska bill expected
and intended that northern men
were to go to Nebraska, while the south.
with slavery, would have clear field in
Kansas. That the political party then in
power deliberately planned this result, 10
one acquainted with the history of that
time can doubt. The slave power had
controlled both Of the old political par
ties, wing and democratic, and at that
time had full control of the government.
Kansas was almost surrounded by slavery
slavery in Missouri, Arkansas. Indian
territory, Texas and New Mexico.
No sooner was Kansas opened to settle
ment than the minions of the slave power
swarmed across the border, seemingly de-
termined to occupy the whole territory.
Leavenworth, Atchison. Kickapoo, Iowa
Point Doniphan and other places were &C.
cupied. These were the pioneers of the
slave power. But another class
of pioneers were pouring into tn
territory. The emf erants from Ohio
Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and the rea!
emigrants from Missouri came largely in
their own wagons, with household goods,
seeds and farming utensils. They came
unorganized and unannounced. Thess
were the real pioneers of Kansas. They
prepared the way: and their coming in
spired those who followed. with confidence
and courage. The Kansas Nebraska bill
became law on May 80. 1854; and on tn
9th of June. with my family and team and
wagon, left my Ohio home and was ei
route to Kansas. My wife's parents ar,
family were already on the border; wait
ing US at Independence, Mo. We travel' d
most of the way by water, reaching Indie
pendence about June 90 Soon af,erwar,
! made a trip into the territory with III,
wife and eldest child, camping out. on til
way. We travelled and camped will
White and Va es, old settlers and pionccr
of Douglas county, who settled nea
Bloomington. The 18th of July. 1854
we spCnt in Kansas territory
On one Of these trips We wen
by way Of Westport and the Shawnee Nil |
we reached the site of the city of Law !
renee, where we found a solitary settler
Mr. Suarnes. western pioneer. ",
passed up the valley to what WAS ther
known as Coon Point. then down The Gal !
ifornia road to Miler's Springs. wh"re ~,
found in camp oar first squatter pioneer
judge, John n. Wakefield. from Iowa |
with large family. mostly boys. Also
Il. w. Miller and fumily, from lndiana |
and others. A of tkese settlers were for I /
free state, and | snail ever remember then |
as among the real pioneers of Kansas. Al
this early day emigrants from every ives
tern state were pouring in. We had no
yet heard of the New England Enlgran'
Aid society; and while | do not wish to
d-tract, in the least, from the noble work |
of this society, candor compels me to say
that freedom would have triumphed. and
Kansas would have been free state had IL
never been organized The pro-sIi,very
,ncn fir, m Missouri had met in Kansas
and adopted code of squatter laws and
the whole territory seemed staked into
claims. ThG had register of claims,
With an Office at Westport. Missouri. One
law of this remarkable co;i;. provided
that Nebraska was for the north
md Kansas for the south.
One provision was, that every white
lvered abolitionist who dared to set foot
in Kansas should be hung; and. that there
might be no mistake, they added. livery
man north of Masons and Dixon, lines
IS an abolitionist." But emigrants from
The free states poured in, and they came to
stay. A large number of these from Mis-
souri, were for free white state" T3y
wanted no negroes. bound or free. Our
first squatter meeting was hsd st the
mousse of S. w Miller. about two miles
southwest of the present city of Lawrence.
John A. Wakefield, as said, was our first
md only squatter Judge. Tie New Eng
and Emigrant Aid society was organized,
Ind the FIRST pioneers sent out by that
society reached the territory earl in Au-
gust. Hon. C. H. Branscomb wis the
eader, or pilot, of this first party They
pitched their tents on Mt. Orcod. where
he state university is now located. DIR.
CHARLES Robinson had selected this site
or city, and for the headquarters
# the Emigrant Aid society in Kansas
DR.. Robinson, himself. came with the
second party, which reached Mt. Dread in
and the city of Lawrence was
founded. l was then living on the Cali
ornia road, some three miles southwest Of
Lawrence on what was afterwards known
Is Judge Spicer's place. As soon as |
earned that this first New England party
II 4 4 4 |