Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-02-07
EARLY KANSAS HISTORY.
An Interesting Letter Written by
Governor Robinson.
The War Governor Makes Some Plain His
10rica1 Statements-Eis "reminiscences
Of War Times-Lane rs . Leader
Spicy Reading.

war Governor or Kansas. recently wrote
u letter to the Kansas City papers in re-
ply to criticisms made upon his address
delivered before the Loyal Legion Al
Lsavenworth a few weeks previous, in
which he spoke in very plain terms Of the
part acted by Senator Lane in early Kan
sas history, and other matters incident tc
those stormy times. Following il Gov.
ernor Robinson's letter.: 81
Perhaps an apology or explanation is duo the
reading public and my critics for the paper
prepared for the Loyal Legion. and read al
Leavenworth. Two requests were made fol
such a paper ami in both the subject named
was "Reminiscences Of the War" S4pposins
That a general outline OF the experiences and
observations OF the State Executive was de-
died OUT if they ever existed. the paper was
prepared d1SpaSsionately and truthfully to the
hest OF my recollection Had known that
such paper was not wanted. none would have
been prepared upon that subject, rs will write
nothing unless as viewed from my standpoint,
and have no desire to be discourteous. That
the matters referred to were relevant in q
paper OF "reminiscences" is not denied il the
paper was 10 be Of any historical value; neither
IS their truthfulness successfully questioned.
An fact the picture is far from being overdrawn.
Go-critic SO far as seen disputes the facts
My attention has been called to q letter from
Colonel William A. Phillips in which he says
that have reflected on the character of Sena-
reflect on no one unless q statement of facts Is
n reflection. Has it come to this that certain
facts must be ignored to avoid reflection upon
public men acting in q public capacity? no
facc these gentlemen with nerves too delicate to
have facts stated of their pets have no scruples
IN stating ISLANDERS about others. So far as
know or believe I have said nothing, but etae
truth OF any act in Kansas affairs, either be-
fore, during or since the war, and do not in
tend to say, nor have said. aught In malice or
Tor any other purposes than that the truth in
history might be indicated. Colonel Phillips
attributes the reflection to the wrong source. 1t
Is the fact and not the one Who states it that
casts the reflection. If General Lane
murdered Jenkins that fact Is the reflection
H II and not my statement of 1t. II he
induced Edward Clark to attempt the as
sassination OF j. N. p. Wood by firing q
Shapes rifle into his house whore his family
we're sleeping, it is the fact that reflects and not
Caark's. statement. II he tried to instigate
several parties to kill the Governor of his State
this fact is the reflection and not the telling of
II Oy the several parties. II James Redpath
told the truth in his Crusader when he wrote
the following, it was not Redpath that reflected
Out the facts Read them and see:
we are ready TO swear in any court of JUS
f1ce. or to make solemn affldnvit OF the fact,
HnAt General Lane intimated to us that il Gov
ernor Denver challenged him he would have
MIN put out OF the way by the secret order
known Danites.
We thought he could not be in earnest but
subsequently ascertained con-
vnsced us OF our error. 1t was the oorrobora-
e1on OF this intention that determine us at
whatever cost to throw the human viper or
1t will cost us every thing we possess in Kan
Sas. press, landed property and business pros
Eects; but we prefer to be free and poor rather
1S1R remain in the power OF an assassin. AS
kew weeks before he had tried to make me the
agent for assassinating Robert S. Kelly az he
WIS pursuing Mr.. Shepard. with whom he
<1aarreled when he could not make him a tool,
With mahgnity it would be euphony to charac-
terize rs Internal peremptorlly refused to
do so.
Lane organized club Of Danites in DON
apnan county. became member of It. AL
though he could have attended it and was ex-
'Nscied to attend 1t. he attempted on the second
nIght OF It's meeting to make me the agent to
induce the club to kill Bob Kelley .
L never hated Lane till he asked me to do this
Iced did indeed despise him from the bot
eSsm OF my soul, but did not believe him capable
OF a scheme so diabolical as to invoke q young
snsn without any cause In O criminal act OF pri-
vafe revenge. It was so cowardly contemplate
and hellish that I left him without saying
'Bcord-
Il am not the only young man whom he has
tried to use for his cowardly schemes of secret
and criminal revenge. nnd he may find, too that
he has reckoned without his host In more cases
Ehan in mine. go
But beware Lane, beware! for have not
told all that know yet"
xNOW, whoever else may 0lSCroQ1t o statement
from Mr.. Redpath, Colonel Phillips will not
and will he say that this statement is the re-
xfection upon Lane or are the facts stated the
II. when the Free State men had the control
sof the Territorial Legislature in 1853 he gave
60 the Generals OF the Military Board orders
as he said he had. to massacre all the Pro
Slavery men in the leading towns. and called
upon the citizens OF Lawrence to attend to
f~ecompton. if it was good thing to do. re-
Er<RP fSnfr 49,
10 report it would not change its character or
he character Of the man who gave the orders
When he wrote the letter to the Secretaries
of War and Treasury to withhold all moneys
due the State for war purposes, the treason
and reflection consisted in writing the letter
lsnd not in procuring official COPY Of it by the
xate lamcnted d. C. Haskell. When. from cor
7rupt practices woue Uniled States Senator he
Hound he was likely to be expelled and killed
himself rather taan suffer the disgrace OF ex-
Yuision, the rejection upon his character II
any, was not becsuse Of the report, but because
OF the facts, and when Horace Greeley said his
East act was the most meritorious OF mis- life. it
did not make it SO, as that act will forever
stand on its merits regardless of what Horace
Greeley or any else may say.
Colonel Phillips says now he never was o
partisan friend OK Lane. This is news to me-
and think must be news to many old Kansans.
In an old scrap book find o report Of u county
convention in which it says: ..William A.
Eor the United States Senate" 1t is singular,
TO say the least. think his desire to have it
understood that he never was q partisan friend
OF Lane very creditable and as he has volun-
aeered some advice to me would pay him with
the advice to hunt up old scrap books, news
paper files and other evidence that he was
seemingly a partisan of this man and destroy
them. am glad to find my letter to General
Fremont quoted by him, as it is In accordance
with my recollections and agrees with my paper
read at LeavenwOrth. The statements OF that
letter are true and to the point The driving
back of the thieving expedition to Kansas about
chat time was precisely what was predicted
would happen il the work was not stopped.
The officers at the Fort understood
the whole thoroughly. II General Price
had 1900 men, as reported by Colo
mel Phillips, and Lane but a,OO0, and he had
-tcountermarched" from Fort SCOTT to his
slaughter pen called Fort Lincoln. Why didn't
Price take Fort Scott! The reasons plain: he