18 JANUARY 1862, Page 13

GENERAL JAMES H. LANE.

IN our last two numbers we have had to vindicate the American, whose name is given above, from an attack of the Saturday Review, as useless as it was unfounded. The argument of our contemporary would have been at least as good, had the writer not turned aside in a parenthesis to charge Lane with having led the border-ruffians of Missouri, and it would have had the further advantage of not con- taining a libel. But though we are always glad, and hope to be always ready, to do our best towards getting justice done to any man, we do not wish our readers to carry away the belief that General Jim Lane is any great hero of ours. That they may not do so we will give a short sketch of the man, one of those native American productions which we can only look at with wonder. No other part of the world can number such men as citizens, probably be- cause no other part of the world can offer the life necessary for their highest development.

First as to the man himself. He must be somewhere between thirty and forty, a man of most undoubted energy, but rash and restless. He cannot sit still, it is said, "long enough to write anything, if he can write at all." He is "a cross between a Western mountaineer and a Broadway dandy. He has always been used to mounting a stump whenever an idea struck him as worthy of notice, and letting off.' He is a capital stump orator ; his style is not Ciceronian, nor Websterian ; it is not copied from the classic masters, it is peculiarly Laneish." Here is an American picture of him drawn from life : "Time and place, night and a crowded meeting ; a tall, wiry, Hoosierish-looking fellow mounts the stand ; both bands in his breeches-pockets ; both eyes shut ; mouth full of tobacco. Somebody in a remote corner of the hall commences stamping; others take it up, and the applause becomes general. Quiet restored, the fellow on the stand straightens his face and legs, and commences : The American flag still waves— STILL wevzs ! Beneath its stars and stripes we will oppose any and all attempts, come from whatever source, to trample upon our rights as American citizens—es AMEILICA.N CITI- ZENS &c. As he warms with his subject, he makes fewer repetitions and more gestures, letting fall unique sayings and good hits in chunks. If a ludicrous idea strikes him while soaring aloft spread-eagle fashion, he sputters it out even if it spoils what he has just said. 'It's worth as much to hear Colonel Lane speak, when he lets himself loose, as it is to go to the theatre,' is a common remark with Young America. A great lover of excitement, and will have it ; a great lover of office, and will have it ; will always be a favourite with the people, and will be true to them—so long as they are true to him." The above description, after comparing many together, we give as the one which seems on the whole the fairest. Such a man is sure to be neither liked nor hated by halves, and no man in the United States has been the object of more vehement abuse and unreasoning worship than General Jim Lane.

He was born in Indiana, from which State, when quite a young man, he went to the Mexican war. He distinguished himself at the battle of Buena Vista, where he commanded a regiment of volunteers, and returned to his native State with the title of Colonel, and a considerable reputation, which he seems to have taken special care should not be hid from any of that modesty supposed to be the handmaid of greatness, in himself. Indiana first elected him Lieutenant-Governor, and afterwards sent him to Congress as her representative. In this capacity he came out as a pro-slavery Democrat, and supported the Kansas Nebraska Bill, for which perform- ance be was summarily dropped by his constituents. Being on the world again, he started for Kansas, the cause of his downfal, now in the very birth-pangs of organization as a territory, where he arrived in the spring of 1855. Had Lane been a mere popularity hunter and sticker by the stronger side, as his enemies say, he would now have undoubtedly joined the slavery party in Kansas, which was in the ascendant, and was backed by the whole weight of the Federal Government. His advocacy of the Kansas Nebraska Bill in Congress would have ensured him a high position amongst them. But he threw himself into the ranks of the Free-soil party, and in October was elected President of the Constitutional Convention at Topeka. Here he became the leader of the Democrats, in opposition to the Republioansp headed by Robinson, and succeeded in carrying the law to exclude all coloured people from Kansas (commonly known as the Black law) for the purpose of proving that Kansas was not abolitionist.

In December came the first outbreak of hostilities, known as the Wakarusa war, in which Lawrence was threatened by a large force of Missourians and Lane was made general of the Free-soil settlers, who gathered to its defence. Old Cap- tain Brown was amongst these. When negotiations were opened, Lane sent to him to attend a council. "Tell the Ge- neral when he wants me to fight, to say so, and that is the only order I will obey," was the characteristic reply. Articles were signed by Lane and Robinson against the protest of Brown and others ; the Free-soil settlers dispersed. Then the reign of terror and border-ruffianism began again. Ho.. binson and other leaders were seized, Lane had to fly the territory, and Lawrence was sacked. The Free settlers rallied in the summer at various points under Brown and Stevens, and Lane came back and again took command. In the great invasion from Missouri at the end of August, Lane drove the division headed by Atchison out of the territory almost with. out a fight. The division under Reid, which went south to Ossowotamie was met by Brown and a handful of men, and so severely handled, that, though nominally successful, they carried back into Missouri more corpses than the whole number of the force with which they had fought.

It was for his services in these invasions that Lane was elected senator for Kansas ; but though he gained the chief credit and honour, the deliverance of Kansas was owing far more to Brown, Stevens, and Montgomery, than to him. At the critical moments, in all the desperate fights, one or other of these men, and not Lane, was the leader.

Of his recent campaign in Missouri we are not yet in a position to speak. It is impossible to say, from the conflicting accounts, whether Missouri is actually in possession of the Federalists, and if so, to whom the credit is due. One thing only is certain, that a most fearful retribution has fallen on that unhappy State for her conduct in Kansas. Lane may have shown great talent as a leader there, but the proofs have as yet to be forthcoming. He has had thousands of negroes in and around his camp, and declares that they did him good service, and upon this point, considering his po- litics, his evidence may safely be trusted.

He has taken Boston on his way to Washington from Mis- souri, and seems to have increased his reputation as a stump orator in that city. In consequence of his acceptance of military command, Governor Robinson has sent Mr. Stanton to Washington to supply his place as senator for Kansas. It is said that Lane will not give way, and proposes still to sit in the Senate, and we shall watch with curiosity how he gets through this his most recent difficulty. Whether the estimate of his friends or foes be the right one time only can decide. We have no doubt whatever that the General is himself fully convinced that he is the man for the present crisis, but, as at present advised, we must decline to endorse this l opinion.