Gen. Cramer, and I am satisfied that he is acting under authority of the U. S. House of Representatives, and should pass unmolested. "WARREN D. WILKES, "Of South Carolina." This is a South Carolina pass; and the party who arrested Mr. W. claimed to be from South Carolina. Wilkes is one of Buford's men, a lieutenant in the band of ruffians. He is one of the selfconstituted regulators in the territory in the affairs of actual settlers; was one of the destroyers of Lawrence, and was afterwards the leader of a gang of brutal men at Leavenworth, who arrested peaceable citizens without authority, and at the point of the bayonet. On the 16th May, as Mr. Stowell was coming in from Kansas city to Lawrence, passing through Franklin, his wagon was stopped, and some boxes of guns broken open, and contents taken. Also a wagon-load of flour was taken possession of by the marshal's posse. About the same time, Dr. Root and Mr. Mitchell, only a little time in the territory, having been down below Lawrence to look after some teams which they thought were delayed unnecessarily, on their return to Wabousa, left Lawrence on the afternoon of the 16th. On passing an encampment of Marshal Donaldson's, it being already dark, they were fired upon by a company of fifteen or twenty men, who rushed from a small cabin near the road, shouting and firing as they came. They were taken prisoners by them, while two gentlemen ahead of them, on fleet horses, escaped the whizzing balls. Hence the intelligence which went over the country that Dr. Root and Mr. Mitchell were killed. About the same time, Judge Conway and P. C. Schuyler, returning to the territory from a tour in the states, were taken off the William Campbell by a mob. Their appeal to the officers of the boat availed them nothing. They only learned from them the simple fact that the affair was a "matter between them and the mob." The mob pretended "these gentlemen were endeavoring to leave the territory, and that writs were out against them." Their coming into, instead of going out of, the territory was sufficient to show the falsity of such a pretence, and they expressed their willingness to answer to any charge before any court. The gentlemen preferring to trust their safety in the hands of friends, turned a deaf ear to the suggestions of one of the border ruffians, "that they were better off where they were than in the territory; for there was a heap of trouble there now, and, from what they believed, would be much safer in Parkville." Some of the more respectable people in Parkville interfered, and procured the release of Judge Conway and Mr. Schuyler from the ringleaders. On the night of the 13th, Mr. Jenkins and G. W. Brown, of Lawrence, were taken prisoners by a band of ruffians, half-way between Westport and Kansas city, on their way to Lawrence. Travelling was unsafe in the territory, bands of these ruffians being encamped at many points. About the 18th, armed men were camped on the "Big Stranger," waiting for the water to abate before they could cross with their two brass six-pound howitzers, and their ammunition and provision wagons. There was the camp of desperadoes at Lecompton, and bands of armed men infesting the usually travelled route from Lawrence to Kansas city. People passing on the highways were stopped, searched, and robbed of anything which pleased the invaders. These highwaymen and freebooters were called into the territory by the marshal's proclamation of the 11th, and their expenses were to be defrayed by the general government. Our people were annoyed beyond endurance. Their property was destroyed, their lives in jeopardy, and their rights trampled upon by these vile minions of a viler administration. United States muskets were put in the hands of these Carolinians and Alabamians, not one month in the territory, by Gov. Shannon, thus making himself a tool in the hands. of the President, to consummate his infamy. The following pass is proof positive that Gov. Shannon is implicated in all these villanies: "EXECUTIVE OFFICE, LECOMPTON, K. T., May 17, 1856. "The bearer of this is Jesse Newill, an acquaintance of mine from Ohio, who is now in this territory with the view of looking out for a situation to locate a saw-mill. He desires to examine the country and select a place well provided with timber. He is accompanied by his son, John Newill, Joseph Fitzsimmons, hist brother-in-law, and a Dr. Gamble. "They are no way identified with the present troubles in this territory. 'Now, therefore, I have to request all persons to permit the said Jesse Newill and his comrades to pass and repass throughout the territory without molestation. "WILSON SHANNON, "Governor of Kansas." The following pass also deserves preservation, as it emanated from the executive department of the territory. There are many more of the same kind afloat: "let this man pas for i no him to bee a law and abiding man. "Samuel Salters." Gov. Shannon's pass was given under these circumstances: Mr. Jesse Newill, recently from Ohio, after having been arrested several times in going near Lecompton, at last entered the town, and, seeing the governor, rode up to him, saying, "What does all this mean?" The governor, falling back on his dignity, of which he has no small share when he is enjoying a sense of security, both from friends and foes, said, "There is no use of complaining. The territory is under martial law, and a civil war is inevitable." The governor seemed uneasy to get away from being questioned by an old friend. His conscience, although of the gutta percha kind, might have given an occasional twinge, when pressed by the close queries of a man of sense. On parting, he gave Mr. Newill the above characteristic pass. Thus, while the people of Missouri arrest the leading men in the territory, Gov. Shannon accepts their services; while several are actually indicted upon a charge of high treason, - while the marshal has called in these Missourians to meet at Lecompton for siege upon Lawrence, the Washington Union is out,, with the bloodthirstiness of the border papers, for the extermination of the free-state men in Kansas. It expresses its hopes “that an example will be made of some of the ringleaders," and says, "It is high time that rebellion and treason should be brought to the bar of justice." What could better express the purposes of this administration, whose real head is Jefferson Davis and Caleb Cushing & Co.? White servitude is the order in Kansas; but the more galling the bondage, the sooner will its reign be over, and the chains which bind us will drag down eternally, deeper than plummet hath ever sounded, our infamous oppressors. Let the Union talk of "treason and rebellion" to a tyrannical usurpation being brought to justice. There is no justice in Kansas. Let Douglas say, "I will subdue you," and let this subjugation be accomplished by President Pierce's "army and navy" at the point of the bayonet and the murderous rifle. Death, too, may come at his hands; but with it the soul wins immortality. The "traitor" may expiate his love of freedom on the scaffold of his building; but the world will see in it the pedestal of honor. "For humanity sweeps onward; where to-day the martyr stands, CHAPTER XVI. THE ATTACK UPON LAWRENCE. SURELY the web has been woven around the little city of eighteen months' existence. Its prosperity has excited the envy of the spoiler, and gradually now the vile men under J. B. Donaldson, United States Marshal, are drawing nearer; the circle about the beleaguered town is continually growing less. They come with United States authority. The President seeks renown in the bombarding of a poor little town on the farwestern prairies; and his hordes, suggesting to all beholders the idea of a resurrection from the infernal regions, or a sudden leap into Dante's Inferno, are gathered here. Gov. Shannon lends his servility to the scheme. But let the facts be stated; let the documents which passed between our people and their (?) governor be proof in the matter. Rumors, well authenticated, were afloat in the community that large companies were gathering into the territory at different points; that they were drilling and preparing for an attack upon Lawrence. The last rumor was that a demand would be made upon the town for Reeder and Robinson and others, both of those named already being absent; that, if these were not given up, the town should be sacked. It was stated, further, that a large posse would enter the place, and, after making arrests, the posse would be disbanded to sack the town. The marshal's proclamation was issued on the 11th. This was not sent to Lawrence, nor any means used to acquaint the people with the designs of the officers. The people, however, acting upon the continual threats of invasion, called a meeting, and appointed a committee of three to wait upon Gov. Shannon, and apprize him of the real state of |