The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-04-19
Hds .orixi Core fssponden>s.
..AtrossILl.ApfiI 10, 1856

A.ress ILls,Apfif 10, 1856.
DEAR REApEs:AY Yesterday afternoon
an in:ormal meeting Of the solid busi.
ness men of Alton was held, to consider
the project of opening up business rela-
ton st once, with the new State Of Kan
sas. The result of tia meeting may be
found in the following extract from the
Alton Courier. of this morning:
THE WORK TsIffATED.-The Kan
aas committee. sent out by the business
menef tie Territory to take tie iniiiatory
steps for establishing line Of steamers
from ,his5ciiy To Kansas. were in town
yesterday. and aiargs number of-our
ci.izsEs called upon them at the Alton
House: The committee are intelligent,
practical men, and are warmly in ear
nest in reference to lhe new enterprise
The number ot yi>i ors was 30 numerous
that it MAS thought best to organize: A
Chairman and Secretary were according
ly appointed. and tlie subject of the line
OF s.eamers was fully discussed. The
plan was ably presented by Mr. CIV.
Broxn. Editor oil the Herald OF Freedom,
the reasons for 1t were clearly set forth,
and every man present conceded that they
were sufficient The feasibility of The
plan was. discussed by Messrs. Brown.
Hutchinson and Blood, in behalf of the
people of Kansas. Unqualified appro-
ba,iun and encouragement were manifest
ed by the large number of our citizens
prescnt. and esnaasilise wasappointed,
consisting .of Aessrs. ]. Newman. w: ],
Miller, [. s. Metcslf. p. B. Whipple
Chas. Dimmock and J. H. Murphy, to
call meeting of our citizens. and pre-
sen. the SUBJECT to their consideration.
Thescall will appear to-morrow.
..It was demonstrated that "A line, Of
steamers from this city would be great
convenience to The emigrants- seeking
home In the Western territories. CON
,iguous to the Missouri river, and would
be great advantage to US IN business
point of ,iew. Not only SO, but it was
also shown that the emigrants were enti-
tied to an unmulested transit for them
selves aud their goods up the Missouri
iiyer. whether they wtie free soilers or
pro.slavery men, and a disposition was
uaequivocally manifested by our citizens
to give their influence 10 secure this right.
1.-Two members ofs this committee
went up 70 Cniraga last night. Mr..
Brown, editor OF the Herald of Freedom.
wifi remain in the city for several days,
and viii be present at the proposed meet:
Ing"
A meeting is to bs held tomorrow
night, as will be seen by the above, TO
take public action in the premises. 1t
viii be grand affair. as but one feeling
charaeterizes the people on the subject.
Alton is place of more commercial
importance than has been supposed. 1t
boasts of population ranging between
$4,000 and l5.oo0::- ..Aslarge majority
ere energetic New Euglandess. and set
tlers from the Northern States, with a
liberal sprinkling Of the sons of the
South. WHO have seen the depressing in
fuences of Slavery. and have loca-
ted here to escape its contamination.
Alton of TO-DAY. is not Alton of the
post. Her cilizens can cast their eyes.
across the Mississippi. and see at glance
the, effects of Slavery; and moment
after look out upon the yerdant fields and
the grea. prosperity of State populated
and improved by Fresmen. This con-
,rsst has taught her to watch with anx-
ious eye the progress Of our struggle for
the right in Kansas. With the exception
Of q few blatant foreigners, who fed
from oppression in the old world. to be-
come oppressors in the new. there is no
part of the population who are not in ia
vor OF making Kansas free. Their SYM
pathies are all with u<. Publicly and
privately they express themselves freely
on this subject.
Commercs aud manufactufes are grow
ing up hero at an unparalleled ra.e.- Tho
lsveeis as good as any on the Mississin-
pi river. and here naturally cen.ers the
commerce of the Upper Mississippi,
the almos. bouaaless Missouri. As we'll as
fror the South. and tbs Ohm. i stated.