Record Data
Source citation
Sara Tappan Doolittle Lawrence Robinson, Diary of Sara Tappan Doolittle Lawrence Robinson, December, 1855, Kansas: Its Interior and Exterior Life, 4th edition, Boston, MA: Crosby, Nichols & Co., 1856, p. 366.
Type
Diary
Date Certainty
Exact
Transcriber
Michael Blake
Transcription date
Transcription
The following text is presented here in complete form, as it originally appeared in print. Spelling and typographical errors have been preserved as in the original.
-- It is no warmer yet. What will the poor settlers do who have no floors in their cabins? -- and there are many such. Will their hopeful, cheerful spirit, which has borne them through the dark hours now scarcely passed, sustain them against physical suffering, it may be actual want? The sacking of their granaries and open houses will cause untold ills.
Now, when New England hears of the destitution of her own children, fighting her battles, trusting their all in this dangerous strife, will she put her hands into her well-filled pockets, and send of her fulness for their necessities? Hungary, yes, poor, bleeding Hungary, sought aid and found it here. The nation's heart responded. Greece stretched forth her hands not in vain. Shall the imploring cry of destitute, starving Kansas reach no pitying heart?
Gov. Shannon has been at Lecompton for some time. He did not come to Lawrence, as he proposed, and it is said he is soon going home. The glory won here in his famous war will probably suffice him for the remnant of his life, and he may conclude to retire upon his laurels.
The circuit court should have met last week at Lecompton, but after keeping the prisoners there all of the week, the judge not then appearing, the court was adjourned until the March term. Some of the rescuers have given bail, but T. and S. still refused to do so, as it would be recognizing the Missouri territorial justice. Getting weary of waiting for Judge Lecompte's appearance, the patience of the border ruffians at Lecompton was exhausted. They even went so far as to threaten his removal, and cursed him in no stinted terms. S., with his love of a good joke, said,
"If you want to get him removed, I'll tell you how you may easily do it."
"How is it?" asked the renowned Sheriff Jones.
"Why, get him to join the free-state party."
Another outrage has been committed at Leavenworth. During Col. Delahay's absence, while attending the convention here, his press was thrown into the river. It looks singular, as he is a national democrat, and a personal friend of Stephen A. Douglas. He has also always been wonderfully conservative, and ever counselled no resistance to the laws. He was, with other leading men at Leavenworth, so fearful of doing anything to offend the border men, that he declined to do anything for the defence of Lawrence. Some of them said, "They have got into a scrape; let them get out the best way they can!" and one of them, a bachelor, said, "We must stay at home and defend our own wives and children." Col. Delahay, however, was a member of the constitutional convention, and it may be for this that the Missouri mob treated his press so rudely.
Now, when New England hears of the destitution of her own children, fighting her battles, trusting their all in this dangerous strife, will she put her hands into her well-filled pockets, and send of her fulness for their necessities? Hungary, yes, poor, bleeding Hungary, sought aid and found it here. The nation's heart responded. Greece stretched forth her hands not in vain. Shall the imploring cry of destitute, starving Kansas reach no pitying heart?
Gov. Shannon has been at Lecompton for some time. He did not come to Lawrence, as he proposed, and it is said he is soon going home. The glory won here in his famous war will probably suffice him for the remnant of his life, and he may conclude to retire upon his laurels.
The circuit court should have met last week at Lecompton, but after keeping the prisoners there all of the week, the judge not then appearing, the court was adjourned until the March term. Some of the rescuers have given bail, but T. and S. still refused to do so, as it would be recognizing the Missouri territorial justice. Getting weary of waiting for Judge Lecompte's appearance, the patience of the border ruffians at Lecompton was exhausted. They even went so far as to threaten his removal, and cursed him in no stinted terms. S., with his love of a good joke, said,
"If you want to get him removed, I'll tell you how you may easily do it."
"How is it?" asked the renowned Sheriff Jones.
"Why, get him to join the free-state party."
Another outrage has been committed at Leavenworth. During Col. Delahay's absence, while attending the convention here, his press was thrown into the river. It looks singular, as he is a national democrat, and a personal friend of Stephen A. Douglas. He has also always been wonderfully conservative, and ever counselled no resistance to the laws. He was, with other leading men at Leavenworth, so fearful of doing anything to offend the border men, that he declined to do anything for the defence of Lawrence. Some of them said, "They have got into a scrape; let them get out the best way they can!" and one of them, a bachelor, said, "We must stay at home and defend our own wives and children." Col. Delahay, however, was a member of the constitutional convention, and it may be for this that the Missouri mob treated his press so rudely.