Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-12
KANSAS AND SLAVERY-INTERES
ING LETTER OF GEN. sTRINGFEL-


We publish this morning letter addressed
by General Stringfellow, Of Missour5 ia several
distinguished members Of the Housssof Repre-
sentatives, who applied to him by letter for
such information as they desired relative to the
settlement, and ultimate destiny Of the new Ter
ritory of Kansas The facts and opinions con-
tanned in General Stringfelow's letter are Of
the most authentic and reliable character. He
is not only gentleman of great intelligence,
influence and standing, but from his long resi-
dence in Missouri, just on the border Of Kan
sas, he enjoys opportunities of acquiring infor-
nation accessible to but few. Abolition jour
mails have flooded the country with anonymous
letters intended to cheer the spirits Of the in
ceadiary and fanatcal Enigrant Aid Societies
Of the North, and to discourage emigration from
the South But this letter emanates from
respectable and responsible source, is over
the proper signature Of the author, and is,
therefore entitled to attention and respect.
General Stringfellow states it as his settled
opinion, that Kansas must and will be slave
State. The reasons he gives for this opinion
are of the most convincing and satisfactory
character. He says that farms must of ne
cessity, be made in the prairie; that the timber
for fencing and fuel is scarce and difficult to
obtain that it will have to be hauled, by means
of teams, from q distance, and in most cases.
from such distance as to render fencing too
costly for little fields. Again, he says that the
greatest dificultyis, the first cost OF breaking
the prairie. This requires two hands and at
least six yoke of oxen. If hired, it would cost
hired in Kansas for years, since every man
there will have his own land to break. Each
settler must, therefore, have his own team and
his own ploughmen. These things have al
ready driven the Abolition emissaries of the
Emigrant Societies out Of Kansas in large num-
bers; and these things show, in connection
with others stated by General Stringfellow, the
necessity of slave labor, in settling Kansas.
General Stringfellow condemns in the
strongest terms the determined and we'll
concerted efforts Of the Abolition Societies
to contrayene the whole spirit of the Nebras
ka bill, in that clause of it which repealed
the restrictive feature Of the Missouri COM
promise, by drawing emigration from its
natural channels, and excluding the institn-
tons of the South from Kansas, by means of
brides and bounties. Indeed, we have oil
along contended that these miserable hirelings
were not citizens in contemplation of law. and
should not be allowed to determine and fix the
institutions and character of the new Terrific
ry. Had the citizens of Missouri gone over to
Kansas to defeat their nefarious schemes, with
out any of the rights of permanent residents
or landed proprietors, they would, in our view,
have been as good voters as the hired servants
of the Abolitionists who went there only to give
Abolition votes and then leave. The letter on
which we are commenting, states that, though
three thousand of these men we're transported
to Kansas, yet only two hundred and forty-eight
were left on the day Of the election, and Of
these one hundred and fifty left on the day fol
lowing the election. This is what the Emf
grant Aid Societies call permanent residence.
It is of the first importance that Kansas shall
have the same institutions that exist in Missouri
and the States that border her. That this're-
suit will take place, that it will take place in
regular, peaceful, and legal manner, we have
but little doubt, after reading the clear well
considered, and convincing letter Of General
Strinpfellow. II is obviously to the interest of
shareholders in Missouri, in Ark kansas, in
Texas, in all the neighborng slaveholding
States, and indeed, in al the States in which
the institution Of slavery exists, to see to it,
that foul means are not resorted TO, to make
Kansas an Abolition lever to destroy them.
But we submit this letter to our readers
without further comment, and bespeak Tor 1t
an attentive perusal.