The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-08
A VOICE FROM MISSOURI.
ST. LOUIS, april %, 1856
Correspondence of the Era,

ST. LOUIS, april %, 1856.
Correspondence Of the Era.
DEAR SIR: The friends of Free
Kansas in the North are acting unwisey They
are stalking too much on the Presidential cleo
ton. They are lulling the restless North tn
sleep, and ashing the indolent South to action.
They are talking too much, and doing too little.
The South is beating the North at its own old
and iavorite pastimes: planting colonies, Shrek
ing for Union, extending the area of mint ia
leps, &c.
If the Republican party triumphs, they say,
Kansas will be saved to Freedom. But if it is
defeated, what then2 Shall the Slave Power
possess it? Shall the fate of the countless mil
lions of men who are destined to live between
Missouri and the Pacific be affected, for gen
eratons to come, by the uncertain result of a
political campaign?
Appeal TO the young men of the Northern
States to emigrate TO Kansas without delay, TO
insure, by their presence and their votes, the
Immediate triumph of free labor in that vast
and fertile Territory. Hitherto, the Southern
emigration to Kansas this spring has doubled,
if not trebled, the emigration from the North.
There is no doubt of this fact.
Politics, in Missouri, to use domestic phrase
ology, are in quite an "interesting situation
The Know Nothings the Atchison and the
field If Old Bullion accepts, and stumps the
State, there is no doubt that he will be elected
Governor. IL he declines, it is probable that
the Know Nothings will triumph. If Benton
is elected Governor, have no doubt he will
take great pleasure in crushing and conquer
ing the Border Rufiians. For he hates Atchi-
son, the leader of the Borderers. What his
party will do, where they will go, in the coming
contest, it is not easy to guess. If the Cincln-
natl Convention make the Nebraska Bill a tsst
Of Democratic orthodoxy, and dominates either
Douglas, Pierce, Buchanan, or Mason, as their
Presidential candidate, the Benton Democracy
of this State will refuse to support the Ebo-shln
ticket. | infer so, from their action at the re-
cent Convention. Will they go with us7
think not, unless we nominate man and
put forth a creed which the Radicals of the
North will refuse to support. Let us not buy
the whistle too DEAR" Missouri is the mother
State of Republicanism for, without her, our
party would probably have been in an " in
choate state" as Pierce says, and in the "womb
of time" as the poet says, for many years 10
come. But although it would be gratifying to
the party to carry this State, we may pay too
much for the support of Missouri We cannot
count on this State. Neither can the Ebo-shln
Democracy. II We nominate an Old Fogy-l
beg pardon, sound, conservative man, OF
the Courier and Enquirer stamp-we may pos
sibly carry Missouri but we will lose Young
America and the Old Liberty Guard. The
true policy, think, of our party is respect
fully to decline to cooperate with, or, rather,
drag along, any faction or party which IS not
in favor OF returning to the policy of the fathers
of the First Congress, not ready to say, No more
slave Territories, no more extension OF Slavery
and no obscurities for exalted Offices.
Yours, truly, JAMES REDPATH'