From Kansas

    Source citation
    “From Kansas,” New York Times, 29 December 1857, p. 5.
    Newspaper: Publication
    New York Times
    Newspaper: Headline
    From Kansas
    Newspaper: Page(s)
    5
    Type
    Newspaper
    Date Certainty
    Exact
    From Kansas

    Adjournment of the Legislature – Laws Ennoted and Repented – The Fort Scott Affair.

    Lawrence, K. T., Saturday, Dec. 19.

    The Legislature adjourned at a late hour last night and the members have gone home. The following bills were passed:

    A bill submitting the Lecompton swindle on the 4th of January.

    A bill for the organization of the Kansas Territorial Militia.

    A bill for the punishment of fraudulent voting and for the protection of the ballot-box.

    They repealed the Rebellion Act, under which so many were indicted last Summer for “treason,” “constructive” and otherwise.

    The only act of much importance to the Territory except this is the one for the organization of the Militia. The Governor has no power or authority to call the army of the United States to repel invasion, if the Militia are adequate to accomplish without their assistance. There is no doubt that Jim Lane can organize a Territorial Militia able and willing to do this work. At all events we are willing to risk the chances, and will never call upon Uncle Sam to assist in any emergency, however embarrassing it may be.

    The Legislature decided to adjourn to Lawrence immediately after convening at Lecompton on the 21st of January.

    Stanton, on receiving intelligence of his removal, said he came to this Territory a Pro-Slavery man; that all his affiliations and sympathies were with the South., but he did not think he was obliged to make a tyrant of himself or a border ruffian to remain in the Democratic Party. Every Governor has come to this Territory a Democrat, and all have removed for their lack of fidelity to the South.

    Reported Troubles in Kansas Confirmed.

    A messenger arrived here last night from the seat of war, and brought a dispatch from Major Abbott to Gen. Lane. The major is an old settler here, and has been through the wars. What he says can be relied on as correct. The dispatch has no date, and was evidently written in a hurry. The battle was on the little Osage, near Fort Scott, and came off on Thursday, the 17th inst. I subjoin the note from Major Abbott to Gen. Lane, that you may better understand their condition:

    General Lane – Dear Sir: The bearer, Mr. J. Clark, will state to you in detail our position. We are in need of your counsel, also of reinforcements of men. We have no information of the doings of the Legislature, and fear our action may not be satisfactory to our friends.

    Rev. Mr. Stewart, of Waukarusa, and five others, are prisoners at Fort Scott. We have with us about sixty men. We were attacked today by United States Marshall Little, with a posse of about seventy men, and we drove them from the ground. The Marshall is mortally wounded.

    Dr. Kilpatrick is here, and joins with me and others in appeal to have you come to us immediately. Get all the information you can about United States troops. Bring some Sharpe’s rifles caps.

    Yours, in haste, J.B. Abbott.

    The messenger informed me that at the time of the attack they had ten men in a block house, against about seventy-five Missourians. He reports that the Missourians lost four men, including U.S. deputy Marshall Little, who was shot through the breast and was though mortally wounded.

    One company of horsemen went down last night from this place and a messenger will be sent immediately should any further trouble ensue. Gen. Lane is in town, and will order out the artillery if necessary.

    Stanton has been called on by the Pro-slavery men for a detachment of troops. He has also sent a messenger to ascertain the extent of the melee.

    S.C.R.
    How to Cite This Page: "From Kansas," House Divided: The Civil War Research Engine at Dickinson College, https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/index.php/node/634.