Letter-1854, September 10

Kansas, Sept. 10, 1854

   One of the most determined bitter and unprincipled enemies to freedom in Kansas is the Rev. Thomas Johnson, superintendent of a Methodist mission in this territory. I think it important that the people of the East, especially those who intend to emigrate hither, should become acquainted with this man—his history and character. Something may depend upon being forewarned in regard to the prominent persons with whom they may have to deal in this territory.

   Rev. Thomas Johnson is a Methodist minister of the church South. He came into this territory about twenty years ago, poor in the world’s goods, but rich spiritually, as is supposed. His ostensible object was to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the benighted Indian,—to impart to him a portion of that spiritual wealth, in which he so much abounded, but of which the unfortunate heathen was destitute. We shall see how generous and self-denying the “good preacher” was in thus depriving himself of the comforts of society,—in thus exposing himself and his family to the cruelties of the merciless savage.

   Johnson is a Methodist minister and a missionary, once so poor that he had not money enough to get into the territory decently, now worth more than sixty thousand dollars, acquired upon the field of his labors of love. What will the Methodist of the country say to this? It is a matter of universal acknowledgement, that no class of persons in the world more thoroughly exemplify those principles of self-denial and of disinterested benevolence taught in the Bible, then Methodist ministers. They are almost invariably poor. They consider riches incompatible with a true preparation for the work of the ministry. Yet here is one of their number, who has made a splendid fortune, and that, too in the vineyard of his Master. Peter, a true disciple and well-beloved of his Lord, said, “Silver and gold have I none.” Is the Rev. Thomas Johnson like Peter? Or do our minds naturally recur to another individual, notorious in history, surnamed Iscariot, who sold his principles, his cause and himself for thirty pieces of silver, and who finally went, and hanged himself.

   But I wish not to prejudge. The mere fact of getting money is no evidence of want of principle, though, in a Methodist missionary minister, it is rather a suspicious circumstance. But the manner of acquisition is highly important in determining character. We will look at Mr. Johnson’s manner, and judge whether we are warranted in drawing a parallel between him and Iscariot aforesaid. One of his methods is this, as I have been credibly informed. He has had control of certain Indian school funds, amounting in the whole too many thousand dollars. His contract with the government has been that, for teaching and supporting each scholar for a year, he was to receive fifty dollars. Now it so happens that he has a few influential friends among the Indians, who, generally, however, dislike him on account of of his disposition to grasp and overreach. How he has ingratiated himself into the affections of these few, it is not for me to say, but it is well known that they have often received gifts from Johnson consisting of wagons, flour, &c. By the efforts of these few friends or their tools, Johnson’s school, at the beginning of the term or year, is very full. He draws pay for every one present the first day, and it always happens that after the first few days, the school diminishes wonderfully in numbers. No restraint is exercised over those children who wish to go, and some who wish to stay and learn are abuse to such a degree that they are obliged to go. Sometimes the inspector visits the school,—then the runners are put into requisition and the school is full—to be thinned when the inspector turns his back. What a noble exemplification is this of Christian and missionary love! Johnson had the control of the Delaware school funds for some years, and it is supposed that he made a good deal of money out of it. At any rate he told a Delaware chief, that if he (the chief) would get him control of that fund again, he would give him a thousand dollars and support him for life. The Delawares heard of this offer, and they told their chief that if he accepted it, they would shoot him dead.

   Thus you see the Rev. Thomas Johnson upon the theater of his missionary labors, laying up for himself treasures, whether of this world or the next, you can judge from the manner which you also see. But this is not all. The Reverend Thomas Johnson, minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who has doubtless more than once preached from the text, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” is a slaveholder,—a trafficker in human flesh—buys and sells men, women and children with all the appurtenance thereto belonging. As near as I can learn, he who was delegated to preach the Gospel in Kansas, was the first to carry slavery there. At any rate, he held slaves in Kansas in violation of the Missouri compromise, thus showing that he regards neither the laws of God nor the laws of man. Slavery is one of the sources of his wealth. He has one slave that nets him $1000 per year. He has a few at the mission, and others let out in different parts of the country. He once bought a family of slaves, promising them the privilege of working out their freedom. He worked them a long time, and then sold them, making money out of the operation, besides the profits securing from their labor.

   But this is not all,—Johnson is not only a slaveholder,—he is worse than that. If there is a detestable creature in the world, it is one who is thoroughly pro-slavery in his feelings, yet represents himself to the friends of freedom as anti-slavery. The Reverend Thomas Johnson is just one of that kind. He was in Washington all summer, especially busy during the discussion and passage of the Kansas bill,—was a friend to that bill, and did much in effecting its passage. While in Washington, he wrote to some one in the territory, that he should certainly accomplish his purposes,—one of which was to drive every abolitionist from the country. At the same time, he has told the friends of freedom, that he hoped the territory would be free, and that he would do all he could to make it free. He has written to slavery men that Kansas would make fiveglorious slave states,—at the same time he has expressed his strong desire that freedom shall be established there.

   The true secret of this contemptible doughfacedness is—an intense ambition which the “good preacher” has of gaining political preferment, and to that end he is even now laying his schemes.

   Such is the Reverend Thomas, a man who, I have reason to believe, is exerting a powerful influence in this territory. He is already boasting of his power. I have no doubt he is in league with Aenator Atchison of Missouri, and that they are both doing all they can to curse this fair land with slavery.

   Johnson has invited Gov. Reeder, the newly appointed governor of the territory, to take up his quarters at his mission, and it is thought by many that the governor will not only accede to this invitation, but will also yield to Johnson’s suggestions in regard to the government of the territory. I have yet to believe that Gov. Reeder will submit to the dictation of any man, especially of such a man as Thomas Johnson, and I know that he could not possibly initiate his territorial proceedings with a more unpopular act, than by fixing his abode at Johnson’s mission. Such an act would be suicidal. It would give an appearance of truth to the report already in circulation that Johnson intends to be the real governor of this territory. To the rule of such a man, the people will never submit of their own accord. Is it possible that Gov. Reeder, coming from the noble state of Pennsylvania, aspires to the honor of ruling a land which is to be cursed with human slavery? Does he wish to drive away the anti-slavery men who have now settled here,—to forbid the introduction of the free institutions and all the blessings that flow from them? I cannot believe that of Gov. Reeder. If, on the other hand, he wishes to see this territory rapidly settled by intelligent men and refined women; if he takes pride in being the governor of a MODEL STATE, abounding everywhere in glorious evidences of thrift, prosperity and happiness; if he has the noble ambition of doing something in behalf of human freedom, let him eschew the counsels of such men as Atchison and Johnson. Let him, at the earliest moment, give assurance, that so far as he is concerned, every citizen of the United States, coming from what quarter he may, shall receive a hearty welcome.

Pioneer.

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[Daily Republican, Springfield, Mass. September 20th, 1854. Webb scrapbook, v. 1, pp. 130, 131.]