184 
KANSAS. 
soon tried a, warm bed, leaving me to dry their clothes, papers, ana 
money, which were all thoroughly soaked. 
After Mr. N., who arrived here on Monday, left “ Fish’s,” the 
brave Scotchman started for the mission, to bring his grievances 
before the governor. He was not at the mission, and, hearing he 
was at Westport, he followed on, went to the hotels, but could find 
him nowhere. He learned there, however, that Gov. Shannon had 
received instructions from Washington, authorizing his proceed¬ 
ings, and that many more are going to his aid from Westport; 
large numbers having already congregated there from the border 
towns. He heard many of their plans thoroughly discussed, as he 
sat by, the substance of which seems to be that there shall be a 
war, that the rescuers shall be delivered up, that all arms shall be 
given up, the leaders lynched, and the others driven from the coun¬ 
try. He heard men high in authority say, that “ now was the 
time; the river was just about to close; no reinforcements could 
arrive for the free-state men ; there were only some thirty-five hun¬ 
dred of them in the territory, and if they were not cut off now, 
they never could be; that slavery must and should go into Kan¬ 
sas ; that they would have Kansas, though they have to wade to 
their knees in blood to get it; that they should fight, and let the 
Union go to the cl—1 ! ” Judge Johnson, and a young man who 
recently came with him, had been arrested, and the threats were 
not few that they would be lynched in a few days. 
Learning that the governor had left Westport, our friend pur¬ 
sued his journey towards Kansas city; and, when about half way 
there, was again arrested by a band of armed men. They said, to 
his query, “ By what authority am I a prisoner ? ” “ By Gov. 
Shannon’s orders.” They seemed a little puzzled at his pertinent 
remark upon this information, “ You forget, gentlemen, that we 
are in Missouri; ” and, in the moment of wavering which followed, 
our friend hoped that the scales would turn in his favor, and he 
be allowed to go quietly on his way. But the fiat had gone forth. 
No one but a known pro-slavery man, or the territorial authori¬ 
ties, who are given over, with all their interests, to the furthering 
of the nefarious schemes of Atchison and Stringfellow, can travel 
safely in the territory, or in Missouri. Our friend was conducted 
