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1berc is a sixth and final peculiarity PROPAGANDISfS FUR A FREE-STATE KANSAS: e '1IO!'k I COIllcmplale, and thai is the NEW YORK TIMFS' CORRESPONDENTS liooale band of lhe native lICJl]. Carl :er was on the right Irack, but he left AND BLEEDING KANSAS, 1856 rc be mew the half of it. l11iS Dew by Erik S. SchmcUer ry I'm talkiJlg about, 10 be enLitled , Old KDnsas after Becker's famous With the paIi& March, potentially damaging events to the the "legitimate immigrants" from the Free-Slale cause were overshadowed by aoolilionist aid companies back PBs!. Ibe sack. of Lawrence in M "legitimate immigranlS" from the image of the pro-slavery aid companies, Such colorful de5Ctiptions certainty :.parked i1i1ionist aid companies back East. Hutchinson suggested that they were interest back East, and during (he winter :lCbell, who was aClive in bringing ami managed by clandestine lodges that months. of 1856, all wrile~ really could do 9 ely selliers to Kansas, wa.'i one of the required oaths of silence. was eitber predict upcoming atrodtiea Of ~ dirc:ctcm of the American Settlement With the coming of spring in 1856, rehash old ones. After reading npany, one of many anlj-sla~'ery aid Hutchinson focused his allention on a Hutcbinson's description of tbe rowdy 1panies that heavily subsidized Free specifle group of immigrants from the immigranu. and Border Ruffians, readers It t.eUlers.6 Hutchinson was C'.'eD more Soutb tnown as 'Buford',/; Company." could onty conclude that the South bad ~ involved when during the winter of Under tbe direction of Major Jefferson notbing positive 10 add 10 Kansas. ;&.51 he returned to his borne state of Buford, tbis group was the only soutbern Journalists onen contrasted pro rmonl 10 raise and bring a party of immigrant aid company mentioned by slavery immigrants witb anti-slavery :lers rock \0 Kansas. Along "";lh lheir name in the nevr.;papcr articles. immigrants, but they did not limit tbeir :rest in bringing in sell]ers, both HutChinson questioned their Matus as criticism to one side or the other when IlChell and Hutchinson ViOrked [0 immigrants by attributing 10 tbem such. money was concerned. When a party of ber donations for the Free-Slate cause. inflammatory statements as "We bave seulers from New Haven, Connecticut, voting members of the Kansas State sworn to make Kansas a Slave State and arrived in April of 1856, they were mal Comminee---a fund raiser for the wipe out Abolitionism. If we cannot do it described ag being in good health and well :e-State mavemem··bolh Winchell and fairly, we shall by force of arms."lO Major armed wirh Sbarpes Rifles to be used in :lchin~on were appointed as Buford, or Buford of Alabama, did work defense against Border Ruffial\ll. The mmi:;sioners with tbe expre.'iS purpose very hard 10 gath.er men from pro-slavery correspondents always stres.sed that Free ovi3iting New York 10 raise capital and states. How he did this is not complete~ Staten abhorred violence and onty D.8 The correspondents' other activities clear; bowever, according to Noble L. intcnded to use their modern Eastern :side of reporting for the New York Premis, Buford "i.s.~ued a call for 300 mcn, Abolitionist·funded weapons for self· V! were never mentioned in their offering by way of inducement, defense. On Ihe olher hand, the Border lings, but there is lillIe daubt about transportation, support for a year, and tbe Ruffian was piClUred as a dangerous al side they supported. satisfaction of a chance at an abolitionist." Bowie-knife- ",,;elding fiend.13 When The anti.slavery correspondents On Ihe olher hand, Alice Nichols in hcr mailers turned to money, bowever, both used the pro-slavery forces of trying to book elaims "he wanled 300 settlers who sides were criticized by HutChinson. uence the status of Kan~ by sending were, he said, 'industrious, sober, discreet, Buford's company came under fire for l(Xlrary pro-slavery sealers with their reliable mcn, capable of bearing arms but im:urring debts in Kansas City thai it lilies to the territory and using Ihe not prone to use tbcm wickedly or could not pay. Thc.sc debts were deseribed Inierous Missouri "Border Ruffians." unnecessarily.'"ll The ullimate purpose of as "a lax or several hundred dollars upon ese seulers were criticized for being "Buford's Company" is not evident from the people." The New Haven party was mben of immigrant aid companies Ihe sourees, but it secms that Hutchinson guilty of paying out a tolal of len ere money was collected and divided was more interested in prc.scnting the thousand dollars in supplies in St. Louis oog immigrants to pay for land and negative side of the pro-slavery and Kansas City. Hutchinson editorialized, ler expenses. The abolitionisl aid immigrants. "I disapprove the policy in any pany of npanies served essential~ the same The correspondents, however, left paying to Missouri so liberally for articles rpose, bUI unlike Ihcir pro-slavery their mG'it venomous attacks for the lbat can be boughl in Lawrence ~uile ag mterparts the anti-slavery immigrants' Missouri "Border Ruffian," whose only cheap, adding the cost of freights." -4 Anti a:rity in ereating permanent seHlements purpose was to create havoc for all slavery immigranls, usually praised, were ler was doubted. William HutChinson, civilized people. Ilutchinson wrote, "for in important but not atove reproaCh when "Randolph," claimed thai when Kansas no other civilized land ean Ihere be found money for the Free-State case was :arne a slave Male, the pro-slavery so obscene, dcpra~'ed, brutish race of involvcd. migrants planned to sell their land "and beings, ... who mlk of nothing sensible or Far oUlnumbering stories oC Free ne will remain longer in the Terrimry, moral--but e-~pecialJy of the laM few weeks, Slale immigrants were appeals for more cr accomplishing lheir object, unless Ihey talk mostly of killing Abolilionists in men and money. Tales of impending :"j ch(l(U 10." To larnish funher the Kansas, land] ravishing the women, .. :t1 d(X)m for Kan~ foJlCM'ed. by the 10 "destruction of the Union" were the tbe pro-slavery Territorial Government. At correspondents' strongest images, tbe time, President Pierce even labeled tbe HutChinson, for ~mple, predicted tbilt meeling of tbis "second" legislature 811 "the downfall of Our nation must date "treasonable," prompting Ibe newly elected from the conquest of KallSaS. The veil is Free-State Governor Charles RobifliOn 10 nOW' fully remoyed, and we sce elearly the empbasize once again tbe crucial hellish designs of our SOuthern enemy.~ importance of such a legislature. The Appeals sueh as this were usually follOW'ed Territorial Government, !;aid Robinson, by a call to arms sueh as this: ~the Soulh was an "instrument of oppression and if, leagued again:it you and us. How can lyranny unequaled in tbe hisLOry of Dur Dur appeal be resisled? We wanl Republic," He also belie'o'ed tbat "every thDu!;ands of brave men.~15 The election held under the TerritDrial correspondents illsa .... anled money. Government Wa.\ carried by armed Hutchinson himself lilter described his and invaders from an ildjoining slate, and for Winchell's roles as d~Lributing ilgents for the purpts: of enacting laW!> in opposition the National Cemrill Commiuee, which he to the knovm wishes of the people."18 said coHeeled and disbursed many Re ..i. 11 : pro-sIavery Territorial Government. At handing logelher to defeat the Free lbe same negative way, adding tbat lbe : time, Presidenl Pierce even labeled (be Staters. However, the Free-State forces, Colonel's sensitivity to public opinion: was :cling of lhis "second" legislature ali because of their noble and pure cause, direetly related to his desire 10 become a easooable,· prompting tile newly elected would ultimately emerge victorious. In this United States Senator. Uleral wenl on 10 ee-5tate Governor Charles Robinson La lighl, compromise or "dividing lbe glory" explain thar being truly devoted 10 the lphasize once again Ihe crucial was tantamOunt to defeat. Hutchinson Free·Slale cause, be could nOl JXl5Sibly _ponarx:e of such a legislature. TIle concluded tbal the faC! 'thai they ask us sUpjXIft Colonel Lane until be attempted :rrilOriill Government, said Robinson, to undo what we have done, is conclusive "lO pursue a line of rigidly bo~1 15 an "instrument of oppression and evidence Ihal tbey re~rd our presenl jXIliey."21 The correSjXIndenl's real 'aMy unequaled in Ihe history of out pooilion as formidable." The Free-Staters complaint with Lane related to biB earlier :publk." He also believed rnat "every recognized lbat, if tbey were 10 willingness to SUbordinate Ihe slavery issue, :dian held under lhe TerrimriaJ compromise and call off tbeir tegisLature's and as even Hutchinson said, "Lane is nol :wernment was carried by anned meeting, the progress lbey bad made so able to show a clean band wben driven 10 laden; from an acljoilling state, and fOr far would be loot. Therefore, only a total define bis position, whieb be generally : pu~ of enacting laws in opJXl\ition victory by tbe Free-State case would doe~ after all the rest have laken sides-so the known lIr1.sbes of lhe people,dB assure the anli-slavery status of Kansas. [hel can contrive to jump between them :aJizing thaI an accusation of treason by A~ide from retusin!! to compromise, and nOI flounder."22 Oddly, Hutehill.'iOn : Presidenl of Ihe United SLales cwld it was JUSt as important to maintain the ~rved on tbe staff of Colonel Lane during ~Il discourage some Free-State inlegrily of tbe Free-5tate Lesislature. To this timc in a capaeity tbat is unelear.23 In tlPOrters, Ibe correspondents empl1al;ized weed oul undesirables, Ibe eorresp;llldents bis later writings Hutchinson seems to : need for a 5ep Wcod, Sheriff Jones allempted to arrest Lawrence citizens in this case, Hutchinson Wcod, but not for his recent aclivity. The was considerably more caulious in his old warrant was a result of Woad's pan in rortrayal of an incident a few days later the rescue of Jacob Branson, a [llerner during which Sheriff Jones was Vo'Ounded and Free-Slate ~upporler, on November in lhe back by an unknlJ'olm aMailant. 26, 1&.'i5.25 The appearance of Sheriff Reatil.ing how such an incident could Jones provided Hutchinson wilh an oppor damage the image of thc law abiding tunit)' to make the law of the Territorial Free-Slate movemenl, Hutchinson Government seem not only inadequate but Chaslised the cowardly auempt on the downrighl foolish. Referring to Jones as Sheriffs life. He also poimed out lhal this ·Shenff l?) Iones," Hutchinson suggested was the first time blood W'd.'i shed by the lhat the Sheriff's authority would nOI Of Free-Slale men and hastened \0 add that even should not be respected. the act was eommiued by ~some wreclr:less To further dj~edil Sheriff Jones, {sic] spiril" and lhal "he only should be Hutchinson related an incident held re~ponsihle. "29 The shlXlling of demonstrating the Shcrirrs ineptitude. This Shenff Jones could have been far more article was one of the beS! examples of damaging 10 the reputation of the Free lhe per50nal journalism of lhe time. Slale cause had it nOI been for the over Hutchinson declared lhal Jones, while reaclion of the Territorial Government, attempting \0 make an arrest, had his which was S£XJn 10 ove~hadow the weapons taken from him hy some nOI-so incident. innocenl byslande~--apr1JrenLlywithoul his The sack of Lawrence gave plenty of realizing it. Unable to carry out his dUlies, ammunition (Q lhe correspondents in their lones lost his temper and lhreatened (0 effons 10 show just what the pro-stavery arrest his man "even if it cost every life in forces under Ihe alleged direction of the Lawrence." The following day he returned Terrilorial Governmenl were capable of and allempled lO arrest S1Jmuel Tappan, doing. HUlehinson did not need lo a Free-Slale newspaper reporter from the elaboriJle on the events of May 21, 1856, St. Louis Democrat. nul Tappan was nOl for lhe action of the so-called "posse" in to be intimidated and "tx:gan lo revolve Lawrence spoke for itself. Only two arrests his fists, lelling Jones that he slood in no were made, and lhc force that had been fear of him." HUlehinson defended the called 10 quell Ihe uprising in Lawrence aCliuns of Ihe Citizenry and wrOle thaI the took mallers into its ovm hands under the whole affair was all Govcrnor Shllnnon's direction of lhe now recovered Sheriff faull since he sought lo force 1I Jones. Ullimately the Free·Slale HOlel, confrontation in from of lhe H~'ard IWO newspaper offiees, and Governor Committee in order 10 diseredit the Free Robinson's house were deslroo,ed.30 State movemcnt.U This Unitcd Slates Hutchinson's depiction of these evenLS is Congressional Committee was holding its consiMenl with the findings of later hearings in Kansas at this time in order 10 research. As he later said, Ihe sacking of determinc which Slale Governmcnt's Lawrence May 21, 1856, t:Jy a posse of delegates to the Congress to accepl as United States officers, will be ever legilimate.2"1 HUlchinson's Story of what memorable, and I slood n~ar General happened is very similar lO OIher repons; A\chinson when he pointed their cannon except for some overly dramatic dialogue, at the Free-Slate hotel. I saw and heard Sheriff Jones and the ci\Izens' behavior is all.,,31 The posse in fact was not able to fairly re1Jlistie. 28 deslroy the Free-Slale Hmel with a While defending the actions of lhe cannon and had 10 satisfy themselves with • 13 renee citizens in Lh~ ca 10. New York Times, 20 May 1856. 11. Noble L Prenlis., A Hisfory of Kansw (fopelca: Caroline Prentis., 19(9). 95; Alice NicholS, Bleeding Kilnsas (New York: Oxford UniversilY Press, 1954).85. 12 New York Times, 25 February 1856. 13. New YOI'k Times,26 April 1856. 14. New York Times,20 May 1856. 15. New York Times, 25 February 1856. 16. Hutchinson, "Sketches of Kansas Pioneer F.J:perience," 406. 17. Wilder, The Annols of Km!sM, 261. 18. New York Timex, 20 March 1856. 19. New York Times, 27 February 1856. 20. Zornow, lWnsas: A History of the Joyhawk Stale, 70. 21. New York Times, 27 February 1856. 22. New York Times, 29 March 1856. 23. Hutchinson, "Sketches of Kansas Pioneer Experience,' 406. 24. New York Times, 20 March 1856. 25. Prenlis, A Hiflorr of JWnsas, 90. 26. New York Times, 2 Mil)' 1856. 27. Zornow, lWnsas; A Hif/ory of the Jayhawk SlfUe, 72; Richmond, JWnsas: A lAnd of Conn-arts, 73-74. 28. Sara T.D. Roblnsoo., Kilnsas; Its Interim and &terior life (Lawrence. KS: Journal Publishing Company. 1899).229. 29. New York Times. 3 May 1856. 30. New York Times. 30 May 1856. 31. Hutchinson. "Skelches of lumsas Pioneer Experience,~ 393. 32. James A Rawley, Race and Politics (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 19(9). 130·131.