Daily Times [Leavenworth, Ks],
September 24, 1861
“When Cleveland Jayhawked Leavenworth, the Times did not even notice the fact as a matter of news. It didn’t dare to speak. One would think from its howl of yesterday that it was really opposed to Jayhawking.”–Conservative.
We dare always, to speak for law and a Christian civilization. The Conservative dare not do as much. We dare to always oppose anarchy and mob rule. The Conservative never does as much. The old saying has many applications, “Birds of a feather flock together.” We have constantly denounced Jayhawking, without fear or favor. We denounced it during the Montgomery excitement, and again in the Tod affair; and more recently we have called it outlawry, and utterly opposed to true patriotism. We do not, we will not, abate one jot or tittle in condemnation of this dangerous system of prostituted patriotism.
The recent Jayhawking done by Cleveland in Leavenworth was on the heels of our municipal election. The factions in both parties had combined and crushed out the conservative element. Riot and misrule was the natural result of that lawless and disorderly coalition. The scene of plunder that ensued was the necessary consequence of that unholy alliance. It was not the fruit of our teachings or efforts, and we felt that tasting the “dead sea apple” was sufficient, without our comment, to be a source of wisdom to the people hereafter.
When we thought it would do good to again speak out against Jayhawking we did it in plain and unmistakable terms. Does the Ishmaelite of the Conservative understand our position on Jayhawking?