46 JF. L. Fleviing newspapers had published articles of an inflammatory and seditious nature denying the legality of the territorial government. Conse- quently the grand jury of Douglas County had declared them " nuisances," and as such had recommended their abatement.' To "abate" them was the intention of Sheriff Jones. He marched his posse to the foot of the hill and formed a hollow square. Ex- Senator Atchison and others addressed the party, declaring their intention to destroy the hotel and the two printing-presses. Major Buford and many others of the sheriff's posse protested against this outrage, and endeavored to dissuade the sheriff from carrying out his designs. In a " Memorial to the President from the Inhabi- tants of Kansas " dated May 22, the prominent citizens of Lawrence state that "Col. Buford of Alabama also disclaimed having come to Kansas to destroy property, and condemned the course which had been taken ; " that he used his influence to restrain the sheriff and expressed his disapproval of the outrage in the strongest terms. - After the destruction of Lawrence the Alabamians again sep- arated, some going back to Lecompton with Buford ; others camped on Bull Creek near Paola, not far from the scene of the John Brown murders, and a third party camped near Dutch Henry's Crossing, where they were visited by John Brown, who passed for a federal surveyor. He mingled with the men, heard their plans to catch him, and made his arrangements accordingly. Civil war broke out in Kansas after the murder of the pro-slavery settlers by John Brown. Col. Sumner in command of United States troops took the field and dispersed or drove out of Kansas all armed bodies of men. All of Buford's men who were in arms were forced to go back into Missouri, most of them returning to Westport. At this time Buford bought twent>"-five horses for the use of his men at Westport. These horses were used in their trips to Kansas afterward, and became well known as " Buford's Cavalry."^ The events leading up to and following the raid on Lawrence and the murders by John Brown had greatly demoralized the Bu- ford settlers. Unable on account of the hostility of the anti-sla- very party to make homes for themselves in Kansas, they were ' J . N. Holloway's History of Kansas. ^ The full text of the Memorial is given in Charles Robinson's Kansas Coitflict. 3 Letter to Alabama Journal of July 2, dated Westport, June 15, from Wilson, a former printer on that paper. He writes : " Very nearly the last man of us is flat broke. Impossible to get work in the territory. Clothes are giving out, and some of the boys are returning home. Some are going to stay and see it out. Major Buford is preparing a statement of expenditures to show to the South. He has spent his fortune on this enter- prise and will not have a cent left for his children. However, he relies on the sympathy of friends at home to assist him out, and take care of us poor devils until the question is settled and Kansas becomes a State." I
