only a few of the border ruffians actually owned slaves. most were simply too poor. what motivated them was hatred of northerners and abolitionists. the ruffians were driven by the rhetoric of leaders such as u.s. senator david rice atchison of missouri, who called northerners "negro thieves" and "abolitionist tyrants." he encouraged missourians to defend the institution of slavery "with the bayonet and with blood" and, if necessary, "to kill every god-damned abolitionist in the district."