Report of the special committee appointed to investigate the troubles in Kansas,: with the views of the minority of said committee.

KANSAS AFFAIRS.
there wag considerable difficulty between what was called the Law rence Association, of which Dr. Robinson was president, and the set tlers that were not members of this association. The members of the
association held a meeting two or three evenings after I got there, and
elected a judge, and a Mr. Grover marshal. and organized a compa hy, which I think they called the'shot-gun battalion,' for the pur pose of preventing persons that did not belong to their association
from settling about the place, and taking timber and stone from the
claims of those who did live there. They said there was no law in
the Territory; that the organic act was unconstitutional-made so by
the repeal of the Missouri compromise; and that they intended to form
an association, and make and enforce their own laws, irrespective of
the laws of Congress, until there could be a change in Congress, by
which the Missouri compromise could be restored, and the organic act
set aside.
"There was no open opposition to the execution of the laws until
Governor Reeder appointed justices of the peace, and one or two members of this association were arrested. They refused to recognise the
power of the justice of the peace, and refused to attend as witnesses,
and would only attend their own provisional court, as they termed it.
"When the legislature was about to be elected, they held a meeting, and brought out their candidates. After the legislature was
elected, and before they met, there were several meetings held in
Lawrence, and at those meetings they passed resolutions declaring
they would submit to no laws passed by that legislature. This was what
was called the Lawrence association, different from the town association. It was composed of men sent out under the auspices of the
Emigrant Aid society, and Dr. Robinson was at the head of the association. Many belonging to this association lived in different parts
of' the Territory. They were allowed to vote at the meetings of the
association, which I sometimes attended, and those who were not
enrolled as members of the association were not allowed to vote or
debate at their meetings. Some of them lived at Ossawatomie, Topeka, Manhattan, and other places in the Territory. They resolved
not to obey the laws that would be passed by the legislature, and only
obey their own provisional laws until they could form a provisional
government for the Territory.
The first general meeting, while the legislature was in session,
was held in Lawrence in July or August, 1855. Before that time
their meetings had been of the association; but this was the first geeeral meeting. That was the first meeting at which I recollect hearing Colonel Lane take ground in opposition to the laws that the legislature, then in session, should pass. All the public speakers that I
heard there, said they did not intend to obey the laws that should be
passed, but intended to form a provisional government for themselves.
After the legislature adjourned, the first meeting at which I heard
any declarations with regard to the resistance of the laws was held
at Blanton's bridge. Col. Lane, Mr. Emery, and Mr. John Hutchinson addressed the meeting, urging the people to resist the laws, let
the consequences be what they might.
'" In private conversation with those men, they always expressed