110 
KANSAS. 
bloodshed, and of the necessity that he and the rest of the com- 
munity be defended from similar threatened attacks. Mr. Bran¬ 
son then made his statement. He is an elderly man, of most quiet 
and modest deportment. He was much moved, the emotions of his 
heart, broken by the death of his friend, almost’ forbidding utterance. 
Now the laceration was made yet deeper by this wanton assault 
upon himself, and there was the thought of the terrible suspense 
as to his fate, making the hours long and weary for the desolate 
wife in that lone cabin. All these things tended to crush the spirit 
of the man, unused to such barbarities; and, with tears at times 
stealing down his weather-beaten cheeks, he said he had been 
requested by some friends to leave Lawrence, to seek some other 
place of safety, so that no semblance even of an excuse could 
be given to the enemy for an attack upon Lawrence. He said he 
would go — Lawrence should not be involved in difficulty on his 
account. If it was the decision of the majority, he would leave. 
He would rather go to his home, and die there, and be buried by 
the side of his friend. This statement, full of feeling, touched the 
hearts of the men, who felt they, too, might soon be battling in the 
death-struggle for their own hearth-stones, and cries of s ‘ No ! no ! 
resounded through the still room. 
Gf. P. Lowrey, Esq., then proposed a committee of ten should 
be appointed to advise for the common defence. He had not hith¬ 
erto acted in these matters, but the threatening aspect of affairs 
now demanded action upon the part of all our citizens. The meas¬ 
ure proposed was purely defensive. Mr. Lowrey’s remarks met 
with a warm response in the feelings of all, and his proposition 
was adopted. 
Mr. Conway said they were on the eve of important events, and 
they must have a care to take every step properly. They ignored 
and repudiated the Legislature which held its session at the Shaw¬ 
nee Mission. They would never give in their allegiance to such 
a monstrous iniquity. To the United States authorities, to the 
organic act, to the courts created under it, and to the judges and 
marshals appointed by the President, they would yield obedience. 
They might oppress them, but they would submit and seek redress 
for grievances at the United States Supreme Court, which would 
