from arrest given by the laws to the members of this Committee and the sitting and contesting delegates was not a matter for them to enforce, and declined to make any decision whatever, or take any action upon the application thus made."

Mr. Reeder, on hearing this decision of the Committee, rose to his feet, and, looking the Marshal steadily in the face, said: "As the Committee have refused to protect me, I fall back upon my natural rights, and any man who lays hands upon me, whether as an officer or otherwise, docs so at his peril." The timid Marshal quailed before this stera language, left the room, and retired to Franklin to consult his Southern friends who had gathered there.

Indictments and writs were made out against all the leading free state men in the Territory. Some were indicted for high treason and usurpation of office; others for perjury, contempt of court, larceny, &c. Agreeable to the instructions of Chief Justice Lecompte, the Grand Jury of Douglas County indicted for treason, Andrew II. Reeder, Charles Robinson, James H. Lane, George W. Brown, George W. Deitzler, George W. Smith, S. N. Wood and Gaius Jenkins.

The following day the Committee adjourned and proceeded to Tecumseh in company with several free state men. While there it was ascertained through Mr. Legate, a member of the Grand Jury then sitting at Lecompton, that indictments would be issued by that body against all the leading free state men of Douglas County, and writs for their arrest. In consequence of the representations of Mr. Legate, to whom the pro-slavery men had revealed their plans, it was apparent that the design of this movement ou the part of the Territorial authorities, was to arrest and hold in custody all the State officers and members of the Legislature, and thus prevent the Topeka Government from going into practical operation. To thwart that design it was decided, at a conference between Messrs. Sherman and

Howard, of the Committee, and Messrs. Roberts and Robinson, that the free state officers residing in Douglas County should avoid arrest, and that the Lieutenant Governor. who resided in Shawnee County, should call a meeting of the Legislature on the 15th of June, before the opening of the session of the Grand Jury in that county, which it was known would immediately issue indictments, not only against the State officers residing within their jurisdiction, but also against every member of the Legislature, which had previously assembled at Topeka. The Legislature thus assembled in advance of the Grand Jury in that county, should immediately enact a militia law for the organization and equipment of the State forces, with a view to sustain and uphold the State Government. Then should the Territorial authorities seek to arrest any of the members of the Legislature or of the State Government, they should be resisted by force. In this way it was the design of the free state men to put themselves in the attitude of defending their State Government instead of their individual persons in opposing the arrests.

The free state officers against whom it was known writs were to be issued by the Grand Jury for their apprehension, and who should succeed in eluding all efforts for their arrest, were to meet with the other officers and members of the Legislature at Topeka, and all unite in opposition to interference with the discharge of their official functions. But, as we shall see, this whole plan was entirely frustrated by the failure of these men to escape arrest.

With a view to enable him to avoid this anticipated arrest, Governor Robinson was selected to visit the free States, ascertain their feelings and secure their support in the coming conflict in the Territory; to convey a portion of the testimony taken by the Congressional Committee to Washington to prevent its being destroyed by a mob, as was feared. He designed to return by the time the Legislature should meet. He had proceeded down the Missouri River as far as

Lexington, when he was taken from the boat on the pretext that he was fleeing from an indictment. Notwithstanding he assured those who arrested him, that he was not aware of any indictment having been found against him, that he had not at any time attempted to conceal himself, that the Marshal in the Territory could have arrested him at any hour while there, and that if he had been desiring to escape he would certainly have avoided Lexington, they persisted in their demands. Mrs. Robinson, who had charge of the official documents, was permitted to pass on the next day. She visited several of the States and performed the object for which her husband had set out.

Governor Robinson was thus seized without the least. show of authority. The indictment for treason was issued a week subsequently. But evidently the citizens of Lexington understood that it was to be issued. He was detained more than a week at this place, until Governor Shannon made requisition upon the Governor of Missouri for his return to the Territory. He was conveyed first to Independence, thence to Westport, thence to Franklin in a carriage, in charge of Colonel Preston and Captain Donaldson. At the latter place orders were received by the Marshal from Governor Shannon to return to Kansas City and proceed to Lecompton by way of Leavenworth, lest their prisoner should be forcibly taken from them by Ruffians, who had sacked Lawrence the day, before, and who still lingered in that vicinity, and by them suffer violence and, perhaps, death. Arriving at Leavenworth on the 24th of May, the prisoner was placed under the guard of Captain Martin, of the Kickapoo Rangers, and three other men. Here he was detained during the reign of terror in that city, of which we shall speak in another place. Captain Martin faithfully guarded him, although many attempts were made at his destruction. Judge Lecompte slept by the door of the room in which Governor Robinson was kept, and General Richardson slept in the same bed with