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flicted by a man named Gibson. Poor Brown lingered long enough after the fatal blow to suffer yet more exquisite refinements of cruelty, whilst the ruthless savages kicked him, jumped upon his fallen body, spat tobacco-juice into his eyes, and barbarously mutilated his body.

This murder was again on the right side of politics, and no attempt therefore was made to bring to justice the perpetrators of the foul deed. Many, however, are well known. Some were officers of the law; one of the most refined in cruelty has already been mentioned in these pages as the United States Deputy Marshal; and others were of "the most respectable" inhabitants of the place.

It is difficult to believe that, after acts of such enormity, the President declared in his message on Kansas, that "no acts prejudicial to good order have occurred under circumstances to justify the interposition of the federal government."

CHAPTER XXIV.

Change in Popular Feeling after the Destruction of Lawrence. -Retaliation.-Massacre at Osawatomie.-Personal Experience.-Battles of Black Jack and Franklin.-Sack of Osawatomie.-Road-side Horrors.-Hanging. — Repulsion of Northern Immigrants.-A Barbarous Wager.-Murder and Scalping. The Atrocity Completed.-August.-Murder of Major Hoyt.-Burning of Pro-slavery Forts.-Colonel Titus Seized and Liberated.-Treaty of Peace.-Militia Called Out.-Proclamation of Rebellion." The Army of Law and Order in Kansas Territory."-Second Fight at Osawatomie.-General Lane's Free-state Army.-Expulsion of the Free-state Inhabitants of Leavenworth.-The President's Messages.

THE events described in the preceding chapters bring the history of the contest in Kansas down to the spring of 1856. The still more stirring events which succeeded have already been described in the chapters of personal narrative, with which this volume commenced. The later history of the territory claims a brief notice.

The attack and burning of Lawrence wrought

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a great change in popular feeling. Of this many evidences came under my own observation. "We will stand it no longer," was the substance of what I heard on every side from the Free-state adherents. Before I left, it had become the universal conviction, alike of the Pro-slavery and the Free-state party, that a civil war had fairly commenced; and this conviction was shared in even by those in authority. The territory was placed, not under martial law, but under territorial law maintained by the United States forces; and the well-mounted dragoons from Fort Leavenworth might be seen stationed at various points along the valley of the Kaw, to sustain the authority of the governor. At the same moment came the news from Washington of the outrage committed in the Senate chamber upon the person of Mr. Sumner. I well remember the effect this had upon many, who concluded that the rule of force and violence had been fairly inaugurated even in the highest places of the land, and was no longer restricted to the lawless inhabitants of the frontier. Bands of men under military command paraded the streets of Lea

venworth; others guarded the points of egress from the city. They held lists in their hands, containing the names of Free-state men, whom they made rapid work of seizing and placing in confinement. The Committee of Investigation, although holding appointment from Congress, found itself compelled to interrupt its sittings. Every hour brought intelligence of some fresh deed of violence or wrong.

The exasperation, however, wrought in the minds of the Free-state men, led to many acts of retaliation. Convinced that a civil war had begun, they ceased in many places to hesitate, and boldly met the sword by the sword, violence by violence. The marauding bands of Pro-slavery men, who had been long scouring the country and committing inhuman outrages upon all who were politically obnoxious, were met by guerrilla parties on the Free-state side, whose repeating fire-arms frequently proved more than a match for the heavy, long-barrelled Mississippi guns of their opponents. At Osawatomie a horrible massacre took place, of which the actual circumstances will probably never be known. I was at Leavenworth when

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it happened; but as far as I could ascertain, a fight had occurred between half a dozen Proslavery men and as many or more of the opposite party. Every Pro-slavery man was left dead, as well as three of the Free-state men. At the time when this took place, the spirit which pervaded the minds of both parties in that district, was one of war even to extermination. As long as I remained in the Territory, outrages and bloodshed were of daily, frequently much more than daily occurrence. were easy to fill many chapters with the details.

It

There was not unanimity, however, in the Free-state councils; for, whilst one portion engaged in open warfare, especially with a view to the recovery of stolen horses and other property, others* adhered to the last to their former policy of non-resistance, and held meetings, made speeches, and passed resolutions, condemnatory of the active measures of their brother Free-state men.

Thus ended May, 1856, and June came in with a continuance of the same measures of

* And much the larger portion, including all the original leaders of the Free-state party.-AM. ED