The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-07-21
Kansas matters.
Trani tie y. \. Tribune.
From Kansas.
JoHNsoS's Mission, K. I
Nav Of 185k

JOHNSON MISSION, II. ., I
May 26, 1855.
This is the headquarters OF the pro-
slavery party in Kansas, and the Rev.
Mr. johnson Is one of its leaders Bur
the residence of the government officers
has also been here for the past winter
and this has drawn hither men of all
shades of polotics.
The Mission is in the midst of that
beau i,'ul rolling prairie country which
so abounds in Kansas, with no advantage
over the eastern part of the Territory
except a spring which here comes to the
surface. Bus the hand of cultivation
has shown Us hore how beautiful all our
homes in this favored region may be
made and the worldly prosperity OF this
reverend proprietor teaches us how to
bring into tangible shape about us the
exhaustless riches of this Incompatible
soil. The substantial brick buildings,
shaded by trees, and the well-fenced fields
present an aspect really inspiring to the
weary immigrant, who can see that but
little labor will make his quarter-section
as comfortable and productive IA farm rs
this
I arrived last evening Mr.. Johnson
accommodates at reasonable charge all
wayfarers who come; and | was speedily
ursnerei by an active gray-hea1ed ne
gro, who acts the major domo of the es-
,sblishment, into long dining
dimly lighted with lamps, and through
the whole length of which ran two tables
with tie plates arranged for breakfast
The wierd aspect of the turbaned slave,
and the character of the room whose ex-
tremes the feeble light of the lamps fail
ed to penetrate, brought to my mind the
whimsical descriptions of old romances,
where the stranger knight is welcomed
with mysterious formalities to the great
hall OF some feudal castle and RECALLED at
It's board without knowing whether to
class its baron among friends or foes. |
smiled at the conceit, and did such JUS
tice, | trust, to the good cheer placed be-
fore me as would not dishonor the roman
tic comparison or disgrace any Christian
knight in the stronghold of his Paymm
foe.
A supplementary entertainment await
ed me, fully equal III its way to the boun-
iiesof the table which had SO emphat-
icalIy approved. This was a Kansas
thunderstorm, which made the night al
most as brilliant as the sunshine at this
moment streaming through my window,
and lulled me to sleep with grateful
sound of down-pouring floods OF water
upon the parched earth, and deep
meiodious bass of thunder rolling along
with rich undulations Of sound, swelling
and sinking like the beautiful plain
which | could almost fancy the mold il
which its varying echoes were cast.
This morning after a most refreshing
stroll, attended the service held every
Sunday in the Chapel. Mr.. Johnson of
tieiated i'm perSon-a thingnot usual witt
him of late years-f9r, like other politi
cal ecclesisstics whoare pecuniarily able
he finds it more agreeable to employ
substitute. He is a large, well-lookinl
man, of grave department and speech
with temperament rather phlegmatic
and square, practical cast of counte
nance that guarantees his fidelity to tn
malter-of-fact details of business, bu
gives no promise whatever of creative in
telleet, or the high, generous impulses Q
imagination. heaudience was compose,
mainly ofthe resident officials, the whit
members of the household, and abou
fifty Indian youths and children VIII
compose the school, and some of whor
/ understand to be orphans. Their dres
was tidy and neat, and some of the olde
girls had intelligent faces. One of th
most significant facts about them is thei
color-not dozen of them being ful
'blooded Indians, and many having ligh
hair, and skins almost white. The sci
mon was mild specimen of the kin
you may anywhere hear in Methods
Chapel.
AS to the personal aud religious char
acter of Mr.. johnson, as the world goes
know nothing against it. His demeau
or is gentlemanly, and but for the con
stant reflection that his religious profess
ion of saving souls is stu.tifed ten time
daily by his practical championship of
systematic destruction of soul and body
Ieould believe that he has for eightee
years occupied his border position out
conscientious instead of mercenary nae
tiyes.
The government survey proceeds bu
slowly. The fact seems that the Surrey
or General is not practical man, and b
has certainly shown little of the energ.
needed in his position. He was absen
nearly all winter and has now gone eas
again. The base line on the boundar.
between Kansas and Nebraska was ru
through during the winter. and now tn