Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-05-02
WESTERN CoRREspoNDENcE

/
the full advantage Of anything may pick up in
the way of experience, proceed, in due form. TO
note it down.
arrived at this place week since, and imtae.
diately proceeded to Westport, where found the
g assembled wisdom of the State - in the shane
of the members elect of the first territorial leeisa
ture and council. They had congregated there
for the purpose of ascertaining who were really
elected-there being great number of seats con-
tested. On account of the large amount of Illegal
votes polled in almost every precinct, Governor
Reeder had quite difficult task to decide who
were entitled to certificates The Governor claimed
the right Of deciding, in the first Ilaee, to whom
the seats were due-but admitted the right Of the
members, who had received certificates, to Judge
who were entitled to seats after they were assem-
bled- The pro-sIavery men denied the privilege
of the Governor to decide who were elected, and
seemed to think the Governor arbitrary. The
excitement was intense and the Governor was Sc
verely denounced. Everything became quiet when
it was ascertained that enough certificates had
been granted, TO give the pro slavery men ma
jority in both houses. They, of course, viii admit
those southern men who failed to receive certif-
Gates. Among the members whose seats were
contested, is o. II. Browne, ESD formerly Of Eb-
ensburg- ! became acquainted with a majority
of the members, and found them clever gentle
men. They present rather a singular appearance
however-nearly all of them wear heavy boards
and mustaches, not your delieately curled-care-
fully cultivated-softly CREASED dem foine'' city
mustaches; but fierce, shaggy ones-mustaches
which speak of encounters, not Of the ballroom.
In point of talent they will compare favorably
with the legislatures Of the States The politics
of the members, as regards Wings and Democrats,
is not known; but, with one or two exceptions,
they all pro-slavery.
1 met Surveyor General Calhoun here. and
found him to be very gentlernanly, and peculiarly
adapted for his position. He is a thorough prac-
teal surveyor, and courteous gentleman. think
the President has been very fortunate in securing
his services.
Westport is a town OF some fifteen hundred in
habtants, and is great mart for the Santa Fe
traders. On the evening ] got there, the first
train of this season arrived-the town was conse-
quently filled with Mexicans and Indians. There
is wildness about everything here, which is novel
to an eastern man, and sociabiIty of feeling
which is pleasing to me. No persons stands here
on the ceremony of an introduction. One novelty
is the kind of animals they use. have seen very
few good sized horses Mexican ponies, (Which
are said to be very hardy-living for days on the
bark of trees) Mules and Oxen, are in general use.
Each man seems to rival his neighbor in the mum
Der of oxen he can drive They use eight, ten,
sometimes twelve to haul a load, such as two of
our mountain horses would pull. A large number
of Kaw, or Kansas Indians have been in town,
for few days, making preparations for fight
with the Sacs- There has been difficulty exis-
ting between these two tribes for about year
some two months since the Sacs killed a couple
of Kaws, and indulged in the luxury of drinking
their hearts-blood, the Kaws left the bodies
buried, which indicated that they were unwilling
to bury the insult / visited Fort Levanworth
yesterday, where had the pleasure of meeting
Lieut. Drum, formerly of Indiana, Pa; he has
command of tie Flying Artillery stationed at this
Fort. He is considered one of the best drill Off
GERS in the service, and is exceedingly popular
both with his men and with the citizens; he isa
worthy representative of the old keystone.
The Lieutenant showed me the two six-poun-
ders, which, you win remember. were captured
by the Mexicans at Buena Vista, and retaken by
the command under Capt S, Drum, at Contreras
lHey were pIcStntcu ny 10 tAc
regiment to which Lieut.. Drum belongs He is
very busily engaged in drilling his men, in antci-
patton of coming hostilities with the Indians, and
expects to leave for the seat of about the first
of june
do not intend to give you my opinion of Kan
sas Territory, have not seen enough off TO
form an accurate idea of it but what have seen
fully equals my anticipations. There is at present
a large emigration to the territory, and an almost
equally large emigration from it. suppose fol
every four persons who have arrived here within
the last month, three haveleft Persons havefre-
quently returned ON the same boat which brought
them up. The fact is, they come here with en-
tirely false ideas of the people and country-they
come with the expectation of finding all the com
forts of our eastern towns and their anieipations
not being realized, they become disheartened ana
leave for home. Others coming out with the idea
Of speulating find it impossible, as the ianas nave
not vet sr,crI surveyed, and consequently are not
in market.
In consequence OF the extreme urfayorableness
of tbe weather, mot having been any rain since
last JuSe. believe) provisions are high, and boar
ding more than correspondingly So would not
advise (from what have SEEM any person TO
come here before next spring, as think that will
be fully soon enough; but viii tell you moro
about it in my next, as intend starting with q
party ON tour of the territory tomorrow NOR
ming. Yours, &C.,
sNIMRoD,v No. ?.
The Unfortunate Ericsson Invention
The Ericsson experiment is at an end The
invention is conceded to be failure, and poor