We see Miss Clara Chestnut, again when she runs into
trouble with the law in the frontier town of Index, Missouri, a town run by a handful of
ruthless men. In 1880, Miss Chestnut was their schoolmarm. Being passionate about freedom,
she was trying to educate the children and some of the town's ladies on some of the
changes in the new Missouri Constitution, telling women that they had rights, in some
cases, equal rights! I want to tell you, that was not a popular thing to be doing in 1880
in Missouri. Hate for that "Yaaankee Government" and "Their Laws" ran
rampant. On one hot summer day, the town's men accosted Miss Chestnut. They told her to
stop filling the heads of their womenfolk and the children with such nonsense. She quotes
back to them "According to The Missouri Constitution, revised in 1875, and I quote to
you, Sirs, Section 2. 'That the constitutional
government is intended to promote the general welfare of the people , that all persons
have a natural right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the enjoyment of the
gains of their own industry; that all persons are created equal and are entitled to equal
rights and opportunity under the law; that to give security to these things is the
principal office of government, and that when government does not confer this security, it
fails in its chief design." The men
around her mumbled, "what is she talking about?". The barkeep hollers
"we can't be hav'en this type of talk, Sheriff. Are you going to do something
or do we have to? This kind of talk is bad for business!" Then the
townsmen growl, "get some tar and feathers and a rope!" The sheriff looks
down at the 5 foot 2 inch Miss Chestnut, her back proud and stiff, yet her lips trembling
somewhat. The corrupt sheriff snarls, "Them there fancy words may work back in
Boston but this is the frontier and around here I'm the Law. I needs to know, are
you going to conform to my rules or else?" Miss Chestnut clears her dry throat and
says, "Sheriff, article 1 section 3 of the Missouri Constitutions Bill of Rights
says, 'that the people of this state, have the
inherent, sole and exclusive right to regulate the internal government and police thereof,
and to alter and abolish their constitution and form of government, whenever they may deem
it necessary to their safety and happiness, provided such change be not repugnant to the
Constitution of the United States.' Change? Change, Yes! But it must be you,
Sheriff, who changes.... or else!"
"Change, you want me to change?", the sheriff
bellows. "I'll change all right! I'll go into the jail and let these men, uh, how do
you put it? 'Let the people, who may deem it necessary to their safety and
happiness...', blah blah blah!" As the sheriff turns his back on her and walks
to the back of the crowd, a voice rings out, "You'll not fill my children's heads
with your Blastfamy, Woman!" Another voice hollers out, "Get her, boys!"
They took the 5 foot 2 inch Miss Clara Chestnut and made her guest-of-honor at a
tar and featherin' party. After she was covered head to toe with tar and feathers,
she was tied to a rail and paraded around the town to show others what would happen to
those who chose to be disobedient, and then she was ran out of town. On that very
day, she swore an oath to "get even with the blackhearted varmints" that ruined
her life.
It is believed that Miss Clara met up with some other
lady outcasts, who also had some problems with Index's men. Together they plotted and
carried out a daring, daylight raid on that small town of Index and sacked it for
everything the men valued. They left the womenfolk and children alone, but the men
paid a dear price. The Lady Outlaws killed the sheriff and the banker. They
pistol-whipped several men, and as they were leaving town, the leader of the Lady Outlaws
was overheard saying, "Remember Me?" Another outlaw who was overheard being called Lottie
Dawes, was heard saying, "We have the inherent,
sole and exclusive right to regulate the internal government and police."
As I review the case of Lottie Dawes, and I start
thinking just what this Republic is all about, that word Republic, it gives you a good
feeling when you hear it or speak it; that same feeling you get when you say "I
do" during your wedding vows; the same feeling that you get when you see your child
for the first time; the same feeling you get when your grandchild hugs you or falls asleep
secure in your arms. Republic, what a great word, but it's more than a word, it's a
responsibility. We, of the Osage Valley Vigilantes, believe in the Sovereign State
of Missouri. We also believe in it's Constitution and it does say, like Miss Clara
Chestnut say's, "We have the inherent, sole and
exclusive right to regulate the internal government and police."
I think I'll have to look more into the doings of these
Lady Outlaws and see what made the other ladies go "Bad". For now I would like
just to talk to Clara Chestnut or maybe....
by G.W Poe
If you would like to see some pictures of Clara Chestnut
