of and afterwards in and the surrounding Counties receiving no check from either from the civil or Military power of the had in the mean time taken courage and boldly and fearlessly spread its contaminating and treasonable influence into every department of the government of said . a resident of who acted a conspicuous part in our expulsion from said instead of being tried for treason and rebellion against the constitution and suffering the just penalty of his crimes was actually elected Gov. and placed in the executive chair Thus the inhabitants of the were greatly encouraged to renew with redoubled fury their unlawful attacks upon our defenseless settlements Men women and children were driven in every direction before our <​their​> merciless persecutors robbed of their possessions their property their provisions and their all cast further upon the bleak snowy prairies houseless and unprotected many sunk down and expired under their accumulated sufferings while others after enduring hunger and the severities of the season suffering all but death arrived in to which place they were driven from all the surrounding counties only to witness a still more heart rending scene. In vain had we appealed to the constituted authorities of <​for​> protection and redress of our former grievances In vain we now stretched out our hands and apealed as the citizens of this great to the sympathies to the justice and magnanimity of those in power In vain we implored again and again at the feet of our former persecutor aid and protection against the ravages and murders now inflicted upon our defenseless and unoffending citizens The cry of American citizens already twice driven and deprived of Liberty could not penetrate their adamantine hearts The instead of sending us aid issued a proclamation for our extermination and banishment ordered out the forces of the [p. 4]