August 28, 1863, The Missouri Republican,
“Spirit of the German Press”

The Westliche Post has the following article:

KANSAS AND MISSOURI.

The sorely afflicted people of Kansas threaten to follow up the band of robbers who invaded that State from Missouri and destroyed Lawrence, even into the heart of our own State. Who can blame them? They are in a state of self-defense; but a conflict between the troops of both States may likely result therefrom. This ought to be avoided, on account of the evil consequences which might follow. But how? There can only be one safe way of avoiding it. This is the, removal of those generals who, by their incompetency, have not been able to prevent the robbing and murdering expedition of Quantrill. This hits Ewing above all. His speedy removal, and the appointment in his place of an able, energetic man, who would pay no attention to the secesh sympathizers, and who would value the general interests of the people and of the Union more than the particular interest of some slaveholders, should be the very first step taken.

If such a horrible outrage as the one committed in Lawrence cannot convince the National Government that the political and military control of Missouri is perfectly insufficient, and rests in wrong hands, we would like to ask what more must yet happen to produce that conviction? Shall still more innocent victims fall? The National Government is in danger of losing the control over the war in Western Missouri and Western Kansas altogether, unless it interferes immediately, and unless it inaugurates thorough reforms. The Government cannot possibly expect that those citizens who depended on its protection, and have been so terribly aroused from their illusion, shall now again consent to be deceived, and once more expose their habitations to pillage and murder. They must and will help themselves until the Government proves, by the appointment of new commanders, and by energetic action against the guerrilla and robber bands, that its officers here can and will protect the Union men.

The Neue Zeit remarks on the terrible condition of affairs in Western Missouri:

The border war is again raging with all its horrors. The people of Kansas are less inclined than any other people to be quietly butchered. They want revenge for Lawrence, and unfortunately they must have it.. Blood has already begun to flow in streams, and we Missourians can this time scarcely complain, in view of Schofield's and Ewing's imbecility. In Kansas, the policy of Brown, Hunter, and Blunt lives in the hearts of the whole people. Misfortune hardens and excites to violence and self-defense.

In reply to the charge of the Union, that the radical agitation is not an agitation against slavery but against the emancipation ordinance, and that the Jacobins do not at all desire the abolition of slavery, the Neue Zeit says:

A real agitation against slavery, pure and simple, we indeed believe is scarcely necessary any more at present. Nobody dares to speak openly in its defense, even those who three years ago would have condemned every one to the gallows who had dared to say a word against it. Thus far the world is finally advanced, and it would be nonsense, therefore, to thrash such empty straw, and to masticate, again food that had once been digested. It is also certainly true that our agitation is against the lie or sham emancipation ordinance of the disgraceful convention. For it is on that very account that we demand a new convention. But are we, therefore, altogether against emancipation itself! Truly, an emancipation which does not even dare to show itself to the people cannot be worth anything; and an emancipation which begins with disfranchising the people, merely to save a semblance of life, can neither demand any consideration from the people. But as far as our demand for the abolition of slavery is concerned, a subject which Mr. Grissom never dared to speak about a short time ago, why, he will learn more about it when the next convention meets, for it stands written in the eternal stars that the Jacobins will elect a new convention. We will see then what grimaces the miserable rabble will make who now tremble at the mere mention of agitation, and who shrink from no lie which they can use against it.

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