The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-08-18
Letter froDa osawatomia (. =.
OsAwAron1E, KIT, july 81, '55.

OSA " AiOAAH, II. =, - et9 ~s, ov.
To THE Missouri DKaocRAf-MR.
EpIToR This place is located on the
Usage, one mile above its junction with
Potavatomie creek, and from the. two
streams it derives It's name. For three
miles their course is but about one mile
apart, and the divide gets up so high as
to overlook the heavily tilnbered bottoms
of the two rivers and their branches
Upon this high prairie, skirted on each
side with oak openings and ridges. lies
half of the town site OF Osawatomie.-
The other portion is sixty feet above the
bed of the river. Here there is (added
to its central location a great abundance
of timber of the best quality, lime stone,
coal, brick-clay, &c. Already houses
of good style are built. The tenth build
ing is up; twelve more are commenced.
The third store is new about to be open
ed; and suitable buildings will soon be
erected for permanent business. We
have blacksmith shop, a good hotel and
boarding house, and a steam saw mill Is
on its way for this point from the east.
For over fourmonths, regular religious
services, conducted by Rev. Mr.. Adair.
Congregationalist, and Mr.. Finch, of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and sup
plies from outside by the Baptist clergy,
have also been enjoyed by US. A Sun
day school has also been in operation.-
The people are from almost every State
in the Union but The town was COM
meneed and is carried on chiefly by New
Yorkers, Eastern and Western men-a
majority of whom are from Indiana. A
largo influx to this section of the country
las been realized this season. a fair
amount of corn is planted in this section,
probably enough for the want of planters.
After the middle of May the rains came
down in a way to give heart to the people
to commence in earnest to produce some
thing for themselves. The drought, be-
fore that, sent great numbers of the late
emigrants back; but, since then, the
writer has never seen the Heaven distil
her rains more gently-yet in sufficient
quantity and 50 frequently as to keep-the
crops in the best condition of rapid
growth and, as if TO favor the poor, faith
ful plower, (tardy in putting in his crop)
it has almost uniformly rained in the
night, clearing away in the morning
causing, as young man said to the wri-
ter not long since. but two and half days
lost time for the last three months
A deep cut is made in the banks of the
streams for the crossings and a ferry
boat has been placed upon the Osage.-
The Fourth of July was duly observed
here, aud seemed so natural as to make
us feel doubly happy in our new home
We assembled in a~grove. On plat
form sat the speakers and a few of the
pioneers who had wintered in the place.
Our Glee Club was present, and dis
coursed excellent music. An address
was given by Mr.. o. G. Brown, the early
pioneer and founder of the town; an ele-
CANT and manly Grafton by c. A. Foster.
Esq, after which the crowd were invi-
ted to a table-one hundred feet long
-bountifuily and beautifully spread with
a great variety of the most tempting ar
ticles of food by the young ladies of the
place. 1t was the first Fourth celebra-
ted in Osawatomie it was the first pic
mic, too, and it viii ever be remembered
by those who participated in it. The
agent of the neisboring tribes of Indians,
Major McCaslin, came over with good
ly number of his children, and they
seemed TO share equally and fully in the
pleasure felt by us. Not drop of ardent
spirits was drank, nor drunken man was
seen there.
1 will close this brief letter by saying
that the people IN these parts came here
to stay. They are pleased with the eli
mate, soil and country, and nothing
seems to trouble them but the fact that
they are at'present deprived of their po-
litical rights. On this subject, however,
| shall speak at length at another time,
but that your readers may not be wholly
in the dark as to my meaning, will say
that the people of Missouri did our yo-
ting for US. Our election district had
four precincts, and 442 electors, by cen
sus. In two preciucts our numbers were
more than doubled by the voters from
Missouri. The writer saw them by hun
dreds. coming to the polls. They un-
blushingly hailed from HarrisenTille,
Lexington, or any other place they came
from. This state of things viii not be
tolerated any longer. The settlers are
enrolling themselves, to organize into mil
ifary companies, and are determined to
stand to their rights. They do BOT re-
cognize the present Legislature whe are
sitting at the Shawnee Mission.
AN OLD SETTLER.