Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-09-29

people of the United States, or this Union will be
| at an end.
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
| We have been appointed by convention of
citizens Of Missouri, mainly representing that por
ton of the State lying contiguous to the Terri
| tory Of Kansas, to lay before you some sugges-
| tons upon topic which vitality concerns our
State, and which, it is believed may to a serious
extent affect the general welfare of our country.
We propose to discharge this duty by concise
and candid exposition of facts touching our condi-
ton and its bearing upon Kansas, accompanied
| with such reflections the facts naturally sug-
gest.
That portion Of Missouri which borders on
Kansas contains, as nearly as can now be
tanned, population of fifty thousand slaves and
their estimated value, at the prices prevailing
here, is about twenty five millions of dollars AS
the whole State contains but about one hundred
thousand slaves, it will be seen that one-half of
the entire slave population of Missouri is located
in the eighteen counties bordering on Kansas,
the greater portion OF which is separated from that
Territory by natural boundary, and is within
a days ride of the line. This part of our State
is distinguished by uniform fertility of soil,
temperate and healthful climate, and a popula-
ton progressing rapidly in all the elements that
constitute a prosperous community. Agriculture
is in most fiourishing condition, and the towns
and-.viages which have sprung up indicate
steady progress towards wealth, refinement, and
commercial Importance Nor have the higher
interests of education, religion, and science, been
neglected; but common schools and respectable
institutions of higher grade, and churches of
every Christian denomination, found in every
county. The great staple of this district is hemp,
although tobacco, and corn, and wheat are also
largely produced. The culture of hemp has been
found profitable-more than cotton in the
South and this fact, with the additional ones
Al. - Il
alluded to is wonderfully adapted by nature to its
production, in greater quantities and finer quail
ties, and at smaller COST than in any other State
in the Union, and that the climate is such as TO
permit the growers Of this article to reside on their
estates, will readily explain and account for the
unexampled growth of the country. Already it
constitutes the most densely populated portion of
State, and its remarkable fertility Of soil and
general saubrity of climate with the facilities for
outlet furnished by noble river running through
its midst, and two great railroads, destined soon
to traverse its upper and lower borders will rem
der it at no distant period, if left undisturbed as
desirable and flourshing a district as can be found
in the Mississippi valley.
An idea has, TO some extent, prevailed abroad
that Missouri contained but very small slave
population, and that the permanence of this in
stitution here was threatened by the existence of
at least a respectable minority of her citizens
ready and anxious to abolish it, and that only
plsh this purpose. We regret that this opinion
has, TO some extent, received countenance from
the publication and patronage of journals in our
commercial metropolis, evidently aiming at such
result. Without, however, going into any ex-
PLANTATION of political parties here, which would
be entirely foreign TO purpose, we think il
proper to state that the idea above alluded to is
unfounded, and that respectable party can be
found in this State, outside of St. Louis, pre-
pared to embark in any such schemes In that
city, constituting the great outlet Of our com
merce, as well as that of several other States
and Territories, IT will not seem surprising that
its Heterogeneous population should furnish n
foothold for the widest and most visionary pro-
Jects. st. Louis was, however, represented in
our convention, and it is not thought unwarranta-
bic to assume that the resolutions adopted by
this body have received tho cordial appreciation
of large and influential portion of her citizens
Other countries, besides st. Louis outside of the
district TO which our observations have been prin-
cipally directed, were also represented by dele
gates; and had not the season of the year. the
short notice of its intended session, and the To-
cality where the convention was held-remote
from the centre Of the State-prevented, we
doubt not, that delegates from every county in
the State would have been in attendance. In
deed, portion OF the Upper Mississippi and
Lower Mississippi counties as deeply, though
less directly, interested in this question ms any
part of this State; and their citizens are known TO
aCtoIu must HcdILliy III sentiments ana ac-
tons of western Missouri. Even in the south
west part of our State, from the Usage to the
borders of Arkansas, where there are but few
slaves, the proceedings of public meetings indi-
cate the entire and active sympathy of that peo-
pie. From the general tone of the public press
throughout the State a similar inference is de-
ducible, and, we feel warranted in asserting very
general, if not unanimous, concurrence in the
the principles adopted by the Lexington con-
venton. Those principles are imbodied in a
series of resolutions appended TO this address,
and which, we are happy 10 say, were adopted
with entire unanmty by body representing |
every shade of political opinion TO be found in |
the interior of our State. These facts are con-
elusive of the condition Of public sentiment in
Missouri. The probabilities Of changes here in
reference to the question of slavery are not essen
tally different from what they are in Tennessee,
or Virginia, or Kentucky. In relation to num- |
bers, reference TO the census shows that Mis- |
souri, contains double the number Of Arkansas,
nearly double the number Of Texas and about |
an equal number with Maryland.
These facts stated with view to a proper
understanding of our position in reference to tho
settlement of Kansas, and the legitimate and