The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-01-26

sacrifice, which they can as good citizens
make, rather than suffer the AboItionist. 10
force upon the people Of Kansas system
they do not approve; you will readily see
that 1t Is not in the power of Emigration
Societies to effect their purpose. There is
now in the Territory a majority Of more than
four to one in favor Of making Kansas a
slaveholding State; that the majolity will,
If emigration be left to itself, be increased;
if emigration is to be- forced again, it will
be found that Missouri is nearer to Kansas
than Boston!
l believe / may assume that the specula-
tors, who so freely advanred their money
for the purpose Of colonizing Kansas with
Aboltionists, under pretcncc of II desire to
make 1t free territory" but really to amass
fortunes by laying out towns with the hire
lings sent out by them, have found their
speculation so flat a failure, that they will
permit Kansas to be settled in the natural
way.
II thus settled, it must become slave
holding State.
1t is not adapted to the making of towns;
it IS not suited for little farms; it cannot be
settled hy those who have not the command
of labor.
10 the farmer who has no "help," but is
dependant on his own unaided labor, Kan
sas is, Of all, the least desirable country it
rannot be settled by such.
In the timber, tile poor man can with his
axe, erect his cabin, make his rails on the
line of lis fence, with his own hands enclose
his land, belt his trees, and with his one
horse and plough break his ground and put
it i'll cultivation. But in Kansas there is So
much land for eultivation! Every foot OF
timber is needed Tor fuel and fencing. The
timber is confined 10 the banks of the
streams, on the bottoms and the breaks Of
s; hence, timbered land is less fitted for
cultivation, while on account OF it's scarcity,
it is far too valuaJle for that purpose.
Farms must be made in the prairie.
The farmer must have a team to haul his
rails. and i'll most cases they mus. be hauled
so far rs to render fencing too costly tnr l,-
tie fields. Large fields alone, by reducing
the proportion Of fencing, can render its cost
reasonable. Dwellings must bc framed, or
OF brick or stone. But, perhaps, the great
est OF all the difficulties in the way vi the
poor man, is the first cost of break ny prai-
rie. To do this requires two hands and a,
least six yoke of oxen. Ii hired, it will cost
at least three dollars per acre; but it cannot
be hired in Kansas TOR Years; there, every
man will have his own llll to break; each
settler must. hence have his own team, his
own ploughmen. In no Instance has prai-
rie land been settled by poor men. After Il
country is settled, and every facility is afford
ed, it is just possible for one here and there
to make Il farm in the prairie. In Mlssou-
n, such instances even yet are rare. In
northern Illinois, with all its facilities, its
rich praires lay virtually waste until rail
roads were made through them.
Such are come Of the difficulties which
have driven those sent out by the Emigrant
Aid Societies back to the towns of the East
which have compelled so many of those
who emigrated from the nonslavcholding
States to return. OF those from the non
slavellolding States who remain, the sub
stantial men of means and intelligence, a
large proportion, so soon rs they are cna-
bled to see slavery as it really exists are
freed from their prcjudices, and from sheer
necessity become shareholders, for no other
labor can be had. While, then, prairie is
so unsuited to the poor man, on the other
hand. to the man who can command labor,
who has one or more slaves, it presents many
and great inducements.
The outlay, it is true, demands some act
nal capital. The house must be built bv
workman-must be paid for-yct it is not to
be supposed that the cost is very heavy. At
first the Settlers riIst hr ct,ntent r;,I email
houses with only the necessary rooms. A
framed house will hence cost but little. The
unlimited supply of the best building stone.
the blue and grey limestone. will render
stone houses as cheap rs framed The lime
can be burned on the ground.
AS have said, the greatest difficulty il
in the command Of the requisite Iabor-tbe
hands and team necessary to break and en-
close the land. To one who has this, it is
far easier and cheaper to make farm oil
one hundred acres or more, in the prairie
than in the timber. Indeed, in Missouri il
is deemed better and cheaper in tile end to |
make farm Of 800 AGREES in the prairie and
to haul the rails ten miles than to clear tim
bered land. ~
The plough used will turn over from 20
to 26 inches, one team will break from two
to two and half acres per day. The cat
tie require no other feed, but will keep fat
on the grass, while at work. Tie proper
season for breaking prairie is from the first
Of May to the middle Of July up to which
time corn can be planted. The corn is drop. /
ped in the furrow 10y boy who can sit Of,
tha rlo,lohl and "a ro,,.,,ari I, tI,o .Is..ui