The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-06-14
4sopls's Department.
COLONIZATION OF SLAVE STATES BY FREE
LADORERS.

LADOhfhS.
DECATUR, ILL.,, March 20, 1855.
1t is through the colonization, not only of
the Territories, but Of the Stare States them.
selves, by men who are too poor to purchase
slaves, or to live without personal manual labor,
and yet are too independent in spirit to be
sunken by the farce Of legislative action to the
level Of American slaves, that | look for the
final death-blow and funeral knell Of American
Slavery. Nor is the day when this influence
will be sensibly felt, very far distant. The
Slave Power, like most institutions of that
moral character, is itself Fastening on the time
Thus. far, the Eastern emigrant has always pre-
ferred the land of Freedom, because there the
labor by which he is compelled to live is more
honorable, while the climate, SOIL and price of
land, have not been materially different. But
| things are fast ceasing thus TO be. The rich
lands east of the Mississippi are all taken up,
and are rising rapidly in price. Indeed, it NAV
safely be said, that all lands connected with the
most necessary conveniences of wood and
wafer are already out of the reach of all pioneer
immigration. 1t ia only the man of several
| thousand dollars, who can locate himself as
farmer in place Of tolerable convenience, re-
specting wood, water, and society, in Illinois,
Southern Wisconsin, or Eastern Iowa.
1t remains now to ill up Iowa on the Mis-
souri, side, and along her projected railroads :;
to ill the narrow fertile strips Of land in Ne
| braska, and a small section in Eastern Kansas,
and along her streams. This done. and where
| shall the tide Of emigration from the East flow
| Many, doubtless will break over the desert and
mountains to Oregon and California; but it
| requires no great prophetic powers to foresee
| very plainly that the great current will set to
| the Southwest. Let slave laws be extended
| over Kansas next summer, and this result will
| be materially FASTENED; since there will be but
| little choice for the emigrant in soil, climate,
and society. between Western Missouri, East.
ern Kansas, and Northwestern Arkansas. This
state of things being reached, and the great
current Of European immigration will change,
| from our Eastern seaboard to the Gulf, into
Texas, aud up the Mississippi, along its south
ern tributaries from the West. This region west
of the Mississippi, and north Of latitude 800 or
| 80, is entirely free from the unhealthy climate
of the Atlantic and Gulf States As to soil.
| timber, water, and health of climate. these
1 Southwestern States and Territories are all
| that can be expected by the most choice, while
most of the lands are entirely unoccuped
| The only objection to the country il the exist
ence of slave law, and the presence OF a few
| thousand slaves. Let these things be tolerated
until they can be remedied, and a literal " Gar
den of Eden is open to the millions of foreign
and native immigration.
Last summer, | wrote several letters of in
quiry to an acquaintance living in Southwest
ern Missouri, Barry county, aud the following
| extract from his replies / believe them tC
be substantially correct:
"July %, lS54.-Times are fire here, every
thing in demand We have railroad from St
Louis to the southwest corner OF the State
he cars are on part. and the rest IS under
contract, to be done In two years. | live in the
timber, but TO the north of me the prairie sets
in, and they are as large as you want Whert
| live, the country is broken and stony in many
places; but the soil generally is rich as an,
you ever saw. Corn, wheat oats, and rye, al
grow well. 1t is the greatest grain country
ever saw. We have no diseases with stock
The best-watered country--ihe streams clear
and never dry. Water mills never stop fo
cold or drought. We have the best waite
power in the world. / have been here tive
years our winters are mild and pleasant-o
snow last winter, which was gone in two DAYS
Corn is worth from 81 to 81 per barrel, of fv,
bushels. Oats, 81 per 100 bundles. Wheat
81 per bushel. Grain is high here now Al
the surplus goes to the Indians. The new Ter
ritory is about sixty miles west of me, and i
said to be good country. have not been +
it; but they winter their stock there, it is said
without feed. The country is very healthy n
sickness has been near me since have bee
in the country, and have not seen dead pei
son during that time. Most Of the land We
belongs to the Government"
September "a, lS54.-Myseif and famil
are well. There has been considerable sickness
in some parts of the country, but it is HEALTHY
! at present. We have had a very dry, warn
summer, and the crops are poor, except il
spots. l have very good crop, myself. Tn
cars run from st. Louis this way over sixt
miles. If the next season is favorable, corn an,
oats can be bought in large quantities, to feet
stock There are no meadows in this country
as yet over eight or ten acres There is fire.
quently enhance of buying crops on tn
ground, from persons moving away As Il
prices, cannot say, certainly. To rent such
farmsas you speak of, l60to 200 acres, most
in meadow you would have to go fifty or sixt
miles further north. l do not know any sucl
to rent here. There is not over one forty-acr
lot on each section lone-sixteenth part of tim
Der land entered in Southwest Missouri. hav