The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-28
BROWN REPLIES.
Pioneer Kansas Editor Comes to
Own Defense.
Tells Of Money Borrowed From
Emigrant Aid Company.
HIS EARLY TROUBLES
Says First Issue of His Paper
Cost $500.
Induced to Come to Kansas by
Eli Thayer.
HIS EARLY TROUBLES

The following letter from DR.. George
w. Brown. one of the Kansas pioneers
and editor of the Herald of Freedom at
Lawrence in the dark days of the hfti6S
is in reply to charges contained in an
article read before the State Historical
society:
I was greatly astonished to find in
Vol Of the Kansas Historical COllec-
riOns a statement from Prof. Carruth,
saying that though The Herald OF
Freedom was equipped by money bor-
rowed from the (Emigrant Add COM
pany, IL considered it policy for a time
TO deny all connection with the New
England propagandists-'
Further on in his statement, Prof
Carruth says, I borrowed 1000 of the
En- lgrant Aid company, which 1 paid
in territorial scrip which was never re-
deemed.
Whatever the facts. let me promise
that my business transactions with the
officials of the Emigrant Aid company
were matters between ourselves and,
SO we were both satisfied it was no
business Of other parties. But a paper
whose first issue appeared in Law
renee on the 10th of January, 1855.
and dated January SO as to make
il appear an earlier publication than
the Herald of Freedom, which was
printed and distributed to its Law
renee subscribers January g. but was
dated three days later, to wit. January
6. three days after ii went to press, as
claim that the Emigrant Aid company
paid my passage to Kansas. and that I
was "a tool of that company.
These claims I denied as I do now
But a professor in a Kansas university
forgetting for the time his true position
as "a teacher descends from his high
pedestal to retail at this late day the
libel of a rival publisher.
What are the facts2
Three months and over. before the
repeal of the Missouri Compromise May
80 1854. I declared in the columns of the
COnneautville Pa) Courier. which I
founded in 1S4T and still published. that
IN case the kausas-N ebrasza bill be-
came a law, by which slavery should be
permitted to extend itself over that fer
tile region, ] would take a press with
me and remove to that territory; that
establishing myself near its eastern
borders I would call on the free north
to join me, and there on Kansas soil
we would again erect a bulwark
against the entertainments of the slave
When that Kansas Nebraska bill be-
came "a law I had upwards Of two hum
dred enrolled to go to Kansas with me
Not until the middle of June did 7
know OF any oEher organized move kan
sasWard. Then I learned for the first
time of Mr.. Thayers movement. and I
placed myself at once in support with
him
In the interim I set myself to work to
close out my book store and publishing
business. I owned the building in
which I conducted business; had stock
Of books of between So. 900 and $4,000 in
value on my shelves. NY paper had q
circulation double that of the united
circulation of the other four papers
printed at Meadville, the county seat.
Ny power press, costing $3.50 in New
York, was the first power press in
Pennsylvania west Of the mountains
outside Of Pittsburg.
I soon found it was impossible to re-
allze ready money, so essential in re-
mOVal- In August met Mr.. Thayer
in person at Saratoga, n. Y, and told
him how difficult it was to close up a
large business of seven years standing
and replant myself in a distant terri
tory
Mr.. Thayer said it was very import
ant press should be established there
at once. The ploneer party had already
located in Kansas and D. r. Anthony
one Of the men befs Of that party had
just arrived at Saratoga to report TO
him its success. lie said eco home,
arrange matters as fast as YOU can
sell your place on credit and we will
loan you s5vvu paya Bile in one year.
and take security on your power press.
If any accident befalls it the debt viii
be liquidated, and we viii be the losers;
not you"
I went home as directed I disposed
Of the printing office and most Of the
material less the power press. boiler
and steam engine to two Of my appren-
tice boys. About one-third of the books
were Sold the residue were boxed and
shipped to Kansas. Cal destroyed May
q, 1850
Our party was collected ard we made
arrangements to go forward via canal
10 Pittsburg; thence down the Ohio,
and up the Mississippi and Missouri to
Kansas City.
got out on the 21st of September the
nrst issue of the Herald of Freedom
printing 81, 600 copies, at a cash cost tC
me Of more than $500. This paper was
scattered broadcast over the country
and was delivered to passengers OF
western hound railroad trains. without
one farthing of return, until the edi.
ton was exhausted save a few hundred
saved for the first subscribers.
-Four parties negotiated with me for &
partnership. Among these was the lat.
lamented @. K Holiday 1t was WITT
the expectation that a contract woult
be completed with some of these parties