[Inclosure No. 6.]

THE BORDER WAR QUESTION.*

There is serious trouble threatening upon the border, or, rather, the complication grows hourly more alarming. General Schofield has taken a position likely to involve the gravest consequences, unless the President promptly interferes by putting another and competent man in his the respect and confidence of the people of Kansas and of his own troops, could reconcile all difficulty without a collision; but at the same time it is our equally settled belief that General Schofield, who enjoys the confidence of neither Kansians nor loyal Missourians, can do nothing to stay the conflict. So far as he has moved in the matter, his course has been calculated only to complicate and aggravate existing difficulties. He has proven himself to be a mere automaton in the hands of a set of pro-slavery and semi-disloyal Missouri politicians, who are moving him in opposition to the loyal sentiment of his department, and seeking to use him as a breakwater between rebels and the wrath of the loyalists of Kansas and Western Missouri, which, aroused by a thousand outrages, has at last been goaded to madness by the massacre at Lawrence. Such is the position occupied by General Schofield to-day. By his last order, and his telegram to Governor Hall, hereafter quoted, he has assumed the task of protecting Quantrill, his associates and sympathizers, from the punishment threatening them from Kansas. That, although his action is predicated upon another pretext (shielding the State of Missouri from invasion), is the effect. In the name of the State of Missouri he has become the bushwhackers' champion. The influences which have brought about this state of things are well understood. For several days before General Schofield took any public action in reference to these matters, the conservative or, more properly speaking, Copperhead press of this city was loud in denunciation of General Ewing's order for the cleaning out of the disloyal population of Jackson, Cass, Bates, and Vernon Counties, and demanded that the people of that district should be protected from the Kansians. This was indicative of the policy about to be pursued, for it has been quite noticeable that all of Schofield's leading orders have been preceded by a demand for them by the Copperhead press. In addition to this, it is known that Governor Hall has strongly urged the revocation of Ewing's order, having come to this city to confer with Schofield upon the subject. The ground taken by Hall and politicians of his school in reference to rebels is well known. Without, perhaps, fully sympathizing with their views, they speak to protect rebels and invite them into the State. The secret of the whole matter is, they want their votes. We have no doubt that Hall is largely responsible for the course Schofield has pursued, if not the author of his plan. Schofield's telegram shows that the two are acting in concert. The plan is for Schofield to supersede Ewing, as his superior officer, and thus silently ignore the latter's order, while the rebels of Jackson, Cass, Bates, and Vernon Counties are protected from the Kansians by Federal bayonets. Thus are the followers and sympathizers of Quantrill to be protected in consideration of the political support they are expected to give the Copperhead provisional government of Gamble, Hall & Co. The Federal authority in the hands of General Schofield is to be the shield thrown over them.

With regard to this thing of "invasion," we have a word to say. It is the favorite word with the Copperheads. General Schofield, in his

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*From the Missouri Democrat, September 8, 1863.

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