The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-06-30

Notes on Kansas.
LEAvENwoRTH, May 20, 1855

LEANENWORTH, Iay ~, Io"S'
The Convention at Osawatauie was oi
course very slow in assembling, and
think not more than half the organized
Counties were represented at all. Hard
ly any were present from the southern
counties, for whose benefit that place OF
meeting had been selected Those who
did come got there by swimming many
dangerous creeks; but from most locali-
ties attendance was physical impossi-
bility. Ferry-boats are scarcein kansas,
bridges, of course. nearly unknown; and
the water runs of these rolling prairies
so rapidly that stream which three
year old might ford at night will be run
ping water enough to float a steamboat be-
fore morning. OF course there can be
no ferries maintained on such, and, until
bridges can be erected, those hose way
lies across them have DO further alterna-
tive when they are in food than either to
swim or wait. But to swim an angry,
turbid, rushing torrent, perhaps dozen
rods across, and running driftwood in
perfectly reckless manner, is job rcqui
ring nerve and skill; so the greater num-
Der have simply to stay at home or camp
on the bank and wait until the food runs
out, which it will in twelve to thirty-six
hours, according to the size of the stream.
unless the rain or thaw continues. But
1t had rained nearly half the week prior
and up to the 18th. so that few even of
those who supposed the Convention would
be held could reach it. Yet there gath
cred or the afternoon Of that day nearly
a thousand of the pioneers, mainly Of the
immediate neighhorhood. to Nhom: in an
iuterlude Of the Conventicn's discussions
concerning tbeir organization aud plat
form, | bad the satisfaction OF setting
forth the Republican faith as | understand
it, and by whom it was heartily received.
1t was labor of love SO to speak, but
rather tax to write the speech out
out, even inperfcctly, as | was obliged to
do during the next two days in the inter
walls of riding and speaking, in order that
all those people of Kansas who care to do
SO may consider my notions of 'Free-
State Democracy and "Squatter Sover-
eighty
The twin curses of Kansas, now. that
the Border Rufians haze stopped ravag-
ing her, are Land Speculation (whereof
the manufacture of paper cities aDd bogus
corner lots, though more amusipgly abb
surd, is cot half so mischieyous as the
grasping of whole townships by means of
fraudulent pre-emptions and other sdeyi.
ces familiar to the crafty and One- Horse
Politicians. Many of these latter we're
driven into the Free State movements By
their own terror or Indignation. and by
the overwhelming force of public senti.
ment; but, being essentially demagogues,
they gravitate irresistibly toward the
Shan Democracy, in whose embraces the
whole tribe will bring up. sooner or later,
Their prototype is Mr. II. Miles Moore
of this city, who, after basiDg been one
of the noisest and most conspicuous Free
State men in le55-6, after having been
driven down the river by the Border Ruff
fans, who gave bin bis choice between
leaving Kansas and instant death, and af-
ter having been once strung up by the
neck BY them aud checked till nesrly
dead, is uow hard at work trying to put
Kansas once mere into their hands, and
figuring in Conventions and on Commit
tees with those who didn't quite hang
him, as fellow Democrats His case
reminds me strongly By contrast of that
Of the man who Observed that, for the
first month after marriage, be loved bis
wife so that be wanted to eat her, while
ever since be had wished be bad.
The controlling idea of the One H orse
politicians is that the Republicans must
not let their adyersaries have a chance
to raise the cry Of "Nigger" against them {
that hence they must be as harsh, and
cruel, and tyrannical, toward the unfor.
tunate blacks as possible, in order to
prove themselves "the White Mans par {,
ty," or else the mean, low, ignorant, drum 1
ken, british whites will go against them
from horror of "Negro Equality To
which / reply that this sort Of cattle are
against the Republicans any how, and {
never can be permanently Otherwise {
They may be driven by circumstances to ,
vote once or twice with us, but the virus s
of Sham Democracy is in their blood, and '
must come out. The Democracy, from '
long practice and an experience that it b
pays, can dive deeper. stay under longer, a