New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-16
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
KAYsAs-REPLY TO DIR. BOWEN.


behalf the w-England Emigrant Aid Company,
have reason to believe that company included
in the phrase L" Northern Emigrant Aid Societies"
The charges against these Societies are so confused
and indefinite, that it is difficult to point them out pre-
cisely.
What does the writer mean in saving " that the
"great fault found with us Eastern people is our Emf
grant Aid Societies p Who finds fault Are they
Missourians? One would infer this from the form II
the expression, as well from statement Of the
writer in another part of the article, in which he says
that crowds-i.e., organized companies-of Eastern
people going to the Territory, ritate the Nilsson
rians DR.. Bowen has lived to very little purpose in
Kansas if be has not yet learned that the Emigrant
Aid Company was not organized to please Border
Rufians or in fact that their wishes were not at all
consulted by the authors Of that Company.
If the writer means that the bona fde settlers of
Kansas find fault with the company, we call upon
him 10 specify what the fault IT, and who the persons
are that find it. Sweeping assertions Of gross mis-
management Of being "humbugs," do not meet the
case. Let there be specification of the charges, so
tangible that they be proved to be false or must
be confessed to be true.
the company. Our flee crowded with letters from
the Territory, many of them from prominent indvid
uals in which the writers say that the Emgrant Aid
Company is doing a noble work; that it aids the emf
grant incidentally, and that were its influence de-
troyed, the hopes Of making Kansas free would ma
terialiy diminish.
Dr. Bowen puts Northern and Southern Aid Soce-
ties in the same category, and says that means of
CoOnizng the Territory and influencing it, votes, they
have failed. The Euligrant Aid Company influences
no mans vote 1t has never been their purpose to
attempt any such Interference with the people Of Kan
sas. The writer's ignorance on this important point
proves him entirely incompetent to Judge OF the Com
pany in other respects. Now It Is true that southern
Societies, if they have ever attempted to colombo
ii Ioa kan a,a1
emigration from the South. But DR.. Bowen must
have CROPPED through the Territory bindfoded if he
evidence OF colonization by Northern Societies
Has that gentleman ever heard Of Lawrence, Of Osa
watOmie OF Topeka, of Manhattan, all of whichtOwns
were formed by the EmgTant Aid Company, or by men
who went to the Territory under its auspices
Lawrence alone is an unaDswerabe argument. Who
can estimate the Importance Of the work which that
CITY of heroes is doing for the freedom of Kansas Its
site was selected by the EmgraDt Aid Company; it
was settled under its auspices, and 1t has prospered
under s fostering care Is it possible that Dr. Bowen
has lived in Kansas and has never heard of lawrence
The charge of "mserable msmanagement' Is entirely
pontess Does the writer mean that the affairs of the
company are "miseTably mslnanaged in Boston or
in Kansas The Emigrant Aid Company in Boston is
under the direction OF al Executive Committee COM
posed Of men who have wide reputation for frst-rate
business talents and for excellent Judgments They
give their constant personal attention to the duties OF
their Office. We think DIR. Bowen will utterly fail to
show that these men " mserably msmanaged" any
management at the other end of the route, permit
NE to ask how happens that Gen. Pomeroy and Gen.
Robinson the agents Of the company are confessedy
among the most popular men in the Territory and that
the most important trusts committed TO then charge
by the people of Kansas
DIR. Bowens prOffered criticism implies that be
could do much better-tbat he il wiser man than the
agents of the Company. Yet how does 1t happen
that he has been passed by in silence by the soveregns
of Kansas, and is now known in the East only as the
calumniator of Northern Emigrant Aid Companies,
while Charles Robinson ls appointed comnander-ln-
chief of the volunteer FfeeSate forces, and is now
Governor elect under the new constitution Surely
the people of Kansas, praised by Dr. Bowen for prl-
dence must have made here one very wide mistake.
The modesty of that gentleman probably forbade him
to mention it. Dr. Bowen evidently is not appreciated
in Kansas, and perhaps this sly way adopted by him,
Of setting the people right ought to be forgiven
The writer further says that companies Of men going
10 Kansas necessarily ritate the Missourans, aad
persons composing the companies are men more likely
TO be insulted than if they 60 singy. Your readers
will observe that the charge against the Aid Societies
is not that they send to Kansas bat companies Of
men. How absolutely absurd! hundred persons
in the City of New ork propose to settle in Kansas
Dr. Bowen would advise them to start one by one and
proceed to the Territory in that manner. There should
be at least interval of fortnight between the times
of the starting Of each person composing the party
Otherwise they might collect at ST. Louis IN such num-
bers that perhaps ten more would be Obliged to go
M the Missouri River in the same boat-an event to
be avoided at all hazards since it would necessarily
"irriate the Mssourans call forth mlk-and-water
structures from Dr. Bowen, md perhaps another proc
lamatiOn from President Pierce.
But il is not true that persons going IN companies
are more likely to be nsued than when they go alone.
have myself accompanied SIX or eight parties TO Nam
sas and have never known any individual In them TO
be insulted by the MissouTans. On the other hand,
We have instances record Of Eastern peo
gle travelling alone in Kansas and the border c0unhes,
being cruelty beaten and some cases of murder.
The Rev. VIM. &. Clarke who barely escaped the
fate of martyr to Freedom, would never have been
so brutaly outraged 10y those towards ON board the
Polar Star fhe had been surrounded by friends.
Neither is il true that persons waiting at the gen.
era rendezvous for their companions incur an ex-
nense which makes up for the reduction OF fare OBJ
famed bv the Emierant Aid Company viii Dr.
Bowen tell us where that general rendezvous is, and
who the respectable Ncw.England emgrants are that
gave him this information? / hardly know what Dr.
Bowen means in stating that nineteen-twentieths Of
the Buncombe used TO stimulate the torays upon our
" Territory have been msstatements and exravagant
comments with regard to the objects OF the AID 30
" cietles" If other than authorized persons have
made statements misstatements in regard to the
Emigrant Aid Company, that Company is not respon-
| sible for them; and no man who loves tar dealing
would charge upon the Company the errors OF other
parties. But he means that the agents OF the Com
| pany have made "misstatements and extravsgant
! comments" will he have the kindness TO put them
into definite shape, that the public may know what
| they arel
But il seems that Davy Atchison makes use of this
Buncombe cork float to keep his name from obiv-
ion. We confess, if this is true Davy Atchlson has
grievous charge against the Emigrant Aid Company,
for if he could sink quietly into the waters of oblivion
| and his name never more be heard among the sons
| of men, Davy AtchisOn might consider himself very
| kindly treated. But this Chief of Border Ruff
fans has stated repeatedly by letter and in speech,
that Kansas will inevitably be Slave State, unless
prevented by the impetus given to Northern emigration
by Aid Societies-B. +. Strngfelow is of the same
| opinion.
| In conclusion. we unite with Mr.. Bowen, and say
if the friends of Freedom wish to do practical good
TO Kansas, let them provide funds immed!0tey, and
end then 20 the Territory in the shape OF saw-ms