From Edward Fitch to Mr. Editor
I suppose that today oratories through all the country have been descanting on our glorious liberty and independence, but I think if some of them had been in Kansas and seen and known what I have here, they would have been less ready to talk of independence as at present enjoyed in a part at least of this country.
Things have been done here in Kansas, within the past year and under the sanction of government, that would make the Austrian Haynau blush, and yet we live in “ Free America,” glorified so much for being the freest government on the globe. For proof of these facts, I need only refer to the , burning of the hotel, destruction of printing offices, and imprisonment of Robinson, Jenkins, Brown, Deitzler and others merely because they were prominent Free State men. I blush for my country, when I think of the enormities perpetrated by the government here in Kansas. And yet I have read in Northern papers, statements saying that these accounts from Kansas had been exaggerated. It is not so. The half of the enormities perpetrated here, and for which Pierce, Douglas, and company are responsible, has not been told. But not content with seizing our leaders and imprisoning them on ‘trumped up’ charges of ‘treason’ or something of that sort, they must today put a veto on mens expressing their thoughts in speech. The Free States legislature was to convene today at Topeka, so Colonel Sumner was sent there with his whole effective force to prevent their meeting. He stationed his men in the street near the place appointed for meeting and as the roll of the ‘House’ was being called, he said he had orders from Washington to disperse them and should execute those orders. He then commanded them to disperse in the name of the United States, and they dispersed. He was asked the direct question whether that was to be taken as being dispersed at the point of the bayonet and he said they might take it as they liked; they must disperse. The Senate fared in like manner. What a Free Government this is! What harm could these men be doing, even supposing they did call themselves a Legislature, to meet and talk over our position and difficulties? It seems to me that this is abrogating the liberty of speech much more than is called for, and that the time for the U.S. to interfere was not when we were making laws, but when we attempted to execute them in the face of U.S. authorities. But enough of this, the end is not yet, and probably is not very near; for unless the North awakes and men (not fools) are placed in the Presidential chair this fall, Civil War must follow. We have some other things to keep us stirring. We have been troubled for about a year now with rum selling; we have tried various expedients to rid ourselves of the curse, and finally, by buying out, we had but one grocery left among us, and in the absence of any law touching the case, the ladies of the town took the law into their own hands, and on last Wednesday morning about twenty-five or thirty of them made a descent on this place and took possession of the Liquor, which they spilled without mercy. They turned out all there was, and broke up the bottles and kegs. I understand that the owner threatens to prosecute them under the “Bogus Legislature” and at the same time he pretends to be a ‘Free State’ man. What will come of it, I don’t know. The women say if they are arrested, they shall all go and take their babies along with them, and they declare that they will not be bailed out, but stay until they are satisfied with keeping them, and will be glad to get rid of them.
We had a Sabbath School celebration here today, and considering that two years ago all the inhabitants of this place were the untutored savages, I think the exercises were very creditable and would have done honor to an older town. The singing by the children was excellent and the toasts good, and taken all together we had a very pleasant time. The weather here is very warm but we have a good breese almost every day so that it is not as uncomfortable as I have often seen it in Mass. Farmers here are getting in their wheat, most of it has done very well, some fields are light but most that I have seen looks well. Corn looks finely, much of it being now as high as a man’s head.
Yours for Free men, Free speech, Free Kansas, and Fre-mont, E.P.F.
Mr. Johnson
Editor of Hopkinton Patriot
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