The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-02-20

Kansas Correspondence OF the Minne'
sotian.
Another Week amongst the Ruhians-Fort Leaven"or'n
Crossing the Missouri-Cow, or "Ke'ow"-oniis'
mast Mssouri-A regular Fourth ofJuiy-fne N's
| gers"-Free for Week-The election IN AAn'ss-A
vssion Of the Territory by the Missourish'-N i'P'
with his eyes Peeled" watching their Mo'e"en
Kickapoo-Enormous Frauds-Democracy anu "n'''
ky-Leavenworth City again-Ths E'eo'i0n ''' ''~'e
| OHfcers-Weather, &C., &c.
| Jr,yYNwoLrH CITY, X. T.,
| January 25th, 1855. {
MEssRs. EDITORS Owing to slight in
disnosition. have been unable to furnish you
with my regular digest of news from the
.seat of war" and the border country but
"better late than never" and you must con-
tent yourselves with letter now, which
should have been sent two weeks ago.
have sojourned another (and l hope the
last) week in Missouri, since Hast wrote you,
and am perfectly contented to stay in Kan
sas the balance of the season,-for meaner,
more despicable and pusilanimous set of cur
ses than the Missourians can hardly con-
ceive to exist beneath the skies. But must
tell you something of my journey, attending
incidents, &C., and then refer to their rufian-
ly proceedings and diabolical outrages after
wards.
A trip from Leavenworth to Weston on o
fine day is one Of delightful pleasure, inter-
spersed as it is with beautiful scenery and
pleasant incidents. The road leading out of
the city on the left is gradual ascent, till
you reach somewhat of an elevation above
the city, from which you have fair view Of
the river and the surrounding country-the
old Muddy" with its crooks, turns and
twists, meandering through a valley of sur
passing beauty and fertility. The river is
very tortuous the whole length from its source
to its outlet. Three miles from Lsavenworth
is the Fort, with its breastworks, warehouses,
mess rooms, lodging rooms, barns, stables,
&C., &c.
The Fort was filled with troops, and tents
were pitched in the open fields, where mar
ried soldiers and officers were camping out"
with their wives. The women were cooking,
washing, &C., outside, and a hardy looking
set they were. The pioneer women of Kan
sas are all such. At Leavenworth the troops
are also stationed outside the City, at place
called New Cincinnati. These are their win
ter quarters. From the Fort to the ferry the
road is good, leading through woods, hills
and dales, and lined with lofty trees of oak
and ash. Three miles from the fort is the
ferry, which crosses to Rialdo, little whis-
ky-drinking hole, where the people of Wes-
ton pass the Sabbath in imbibing "rot-gut,"
red-eye and old Bourbon.
The people of Missouri are a suspicious
crowd, and are jealous of all immigrants 60
ing into the State, and are especially and
particularly down" on all the Yankees
They have very ingenious and funny meth
cd of testing all such as are suspected of
coming from the land of wooden nutmegs.
At the bow of the boat is stationed a COW,
and all persons coming aboard are "put
through" in style truly amusing. The cap
tain comes up to you with an inquistive
look upon his phiz, and pointing to the afore.
mentioned animal, asks if you know what it
is. Of course the desired information is
promptly given. If you say "cow' you are
allowed to pass in; if, on the other hand,
you reply with the nasal elongation, and say
"ke-ow," you are Immediately elected and
thrust ashore. Rather hard country for
jonathan" to emigrate to.
Your correspondent passed through the
frey ordeal in true soldier style, as only
typo" is capable of doing, and reached the
"other side of Jordan" attera short ride
Reached the City y of Weston at dark,
where bunked i'm for the night, as care
less, unconscious and "border rufianly" as
was possible for a Free State man to be !;
Notwithstanding was in the midst of fire.
eaters, slavery and bad whisky.
1 spent a week more in this miserable
town, stalking notes" and viewing the works
of nature. Great preparations were being
made for Christmas, and the "Niggers" were
chuckling over the prospect of having week
to themselves.
Christmas eve came, and with it the firing
of guns, pistols, fire crackers, rockets, &c.
which was kept up until a late. 1t was
novel way Of celebrating Christmas, to me.
and forcibly reminded me of Fourth of July"
in St. Paul last summer. The next day the
streets were lined with darkies, intent on hay
ing their fun, as they were "free for week."
or until New Years.
At the election on the 2lst of December I
made it convenient to be at Weston, and had
a chance to hear and see the doings of the
Border Ruffians and, 1 assure you, kept
my ''eyes peeled" saw them on that day
day ''emigrate" in large bodies to Kansas, "on
business" as some said, and others "for the
coed of their country" They crossed over
to Kickapoo, small one.horse town opposite
Weston, which is strongly pro-slavery, and
there they spent the day in coting for the
fclon Constitution. At night some fifty or
more on their return home rode into town
on horseback, drunk, rioting and noisy
Some boasted of having voted dozen times,
and some as high as ta0snty times apiece. A
pretty state of things, truly, in free, enlight-
ened country, like this.
At this place the ruffians did not succeed
in their nefarious designs, as the "boys" were
on hand for them. Three or four hundred
Free State men armed themselves, and gave
notice that every Missourian caught voting
would be instantly jugged. This scared them
badly, and they scattered in all directions.