Article-1855, September 22

Gov. Shannon.

   We stated in the last number of the Herald of Freedom, that Gov. Shannon had passed this place the day previous, and had gone to the Lecompton, not condescending to call at Lawrence, the oldest and most important settlement in the Territory, as well as the most populous. By some means it was reported that the Governor would return on Saturday, and pay us a visit on his return trip to the Shawnee Mission, where it is understood his head-quarters are established. The people determined on giving him a public reception, and appointed a committee of fifteen to make necessary arrangements.

   In the afternoon the masses from the country began to assemble, and by evening there was a very large collection in our streets, waiting with anxiety the Governor’s arrival. After four o’clock P.M., it was reported he had arrived.— The crowd made their way to the Cincinnati House, where he stopped, to extend to him and enthusiastic greeting, each one determined to do his best toward making the Governor feel himself at home while in Lawrence. His apparent slight in passing the place the day previous, without deigning to notice the town, was forgotten, as was the fact that he accepted of a public reception from the invaders of Kansas, while in Missouri, on its way to the Territory.— It had been represented that Gov. Shannon, while addressing the people of Westport, declared that every law, whether right of itself, or otherwise, enacted by the late mock Legislature, should be enforced to the letter, and that he had expressed a desire to see the institutions of Missouri extended over Kansas. It was but natural that those who were to be influenced by such remarks, should hear from the Governor’s own lips whether he had thus disgraced his official position—they wished for a confirmation or denial of the rumor, and congratulated themselves that the time had come when the line of policy marked by the new administration should be submitted to the public.

   The committee, with the Hon. J.H. Lane as chairman, called upon the Governor at his room. The committee were severally introduced by Mr. Lane, who was an associate of Gov. S’s in Congress. After the ceremonials, the Colonel informed the Governor of the object of the visit, and the desire of the people to address him, and to listen to a response from his Excellency. The Governor replied that “circumstances had placed it out of his power to comply with the request.”— Col. L. assured him that the entire time consumed would embrace but a few minutes; that the Governor had expressed a desire to go to Franklin, three miles distant, that night, if his party desired they might go on, and he—the Colonel—would carry him down in his own carriage that evening, or in time to regain his party in the morning, if he preferred.— Gov. Shannon preemptorly declined the honors, but promised to return on the 23d of October, when he should visit Lecompton again on the occasion of a sale of city lots.

   These facts became known to the masses, several hundred of whom were collected in front and around the Hotel, and produced a desided impression. Many felt indignant that the Governor should refuse this mark of honor at their hands. They recalled to recollection the pleasant time they had a year previous, when Gov. Reeder first called upon them, and accepted a pioneer dinner at their hands, and contrasted the kindness and urbanity of the one with the coldness and incivility of the other.

   As Gov. Shannon entered his carriage and cracked his whip to depart, we were pained to observe that several persons, joined by a few boys, commenced groaning rather loudly, which was restrained with great difficulty by the more cool and sedate. No circumstance can occur when such indignities will be justified toward a public officer. Our citizens felt that Gov. Shannon had grossly insulted them, as well as the people of the Territory at large, in accepting a public demonstration from an adjoining State, and refusing it at the hands of those he was sent to govern; but this was no excuse for the outrage, and can hardly be offered as a paliation.

   Gov. S., drove to Franklin that night, and on the following, Sunday, made his way to the Mission, accompanied by his honor Rev. Thomas Johnson, late Speaker, and we believe Chaplain of the Council, and who joined in the memorial praying for Gov. Reeder’s removal from office, urging as one of the principal reasons that Gov. R. caused labor to be done upon the public building at Pawnee, on the Sabbath, in order to fit it for the accommodation of the Legislative Assembly, which he had convened at that point.

   We trust Gov. Shannon will return to this place on the 23d of October, and will then be satisfied that if his former reception was not as cordial as he had reason to expect, that the fault was partially his in rejecting the hospitalities so generously tendered to him. We trust too, that our people will convince him that however much cause they may have had for unpleasantness, it was not the intention to insult the Governor of Kansas; that on the contrary, it was only designed for the Demagogue, who had mistaken public opinion in Missouri for settled convictions in Kansas, and who

“Bent the supple hinges of the knee
That thrift might follow fawning.”

The Herald of Freedom, September 22, 1855, page 2.