The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-12-22
Interesting Letter from Kansas


from Kansas
LEROY, K. T., Dec. l 9th, 1860.
EDITOR JoUREAL;-After several years 81
lence, have once more taken pen in band
to have a confidential chat with your nu-
merous readers, and, as Kansas is once more
getting an unenviable reputation in the
States, l shall confne myself entirely to her.
presume you have heard all sorts of ru-
mors in regard to the doings of Montgomery
and has band, and are prepared to believe
shat rs desperate a set of villains as ever
went unhung infest the southeast border of
our territory. Well, the object of this letter
is, if possible, to disabuse your minds of all
such nonsense; and in order to do SO | will
endeavor to commence at the beginning or
rather at the beginning of this last difficulty
(ifit can be styled difficulty for if should
undertake to tell the whole story I should
have to go back to So and Sc.
Our people, who were on the very verge
of starvation from the continued drought
Spanish fever among cattle, &c, were very
much startled and excited when they re-
ceived the Presidents proclamation, putting
the New York lands in market and as the
sale of those lands would ruin thousands of
bui OCSb LAL4ACtlSr ltlCA HdGuIhlIl set ABOUT
taking measures 10 prevent spectators from
buying their homes from over their heads
ehich they could not buy. Montgomery,
who has always sympathized strongly with
the people, told them their homes should not
be sold that if he could not prevent it 9th
erwise he would take 500 settlers there and
prevent it by force. Well, nearly all the
sales are over, and the settlers have not lost
their lands, and they have Montgomery TO
thank for it. II was done peaceahly and
quietly, but effectualy
Again the Indian Agent of the Chero-
kee nation ordered the settlers off of the
neutral lands something over a year ago,
hut they were told by prominent men that
the neutral lands would soon be open for
presumption, and were advised to remain
on them. A short time ago the Agent, at
the head of a body of troops, devastated
that whole country, burning over one hun
dred houses, and turning over hundred
families out on the bleak prairie on the
verge of winter, with nothing but the
clothes on their bodies, and many of them
with not q dollar in the world. Such acts
naturally exasperated the people but AS
yet they committed no offense.
Now we come to the grand act of re-
bellion. Justice at Fort Scott, like that of
LecomptOn, was administered with a tardy
hand to her pro-slavery favorites In fact
it has always been proverbial that a free
State man could not get justice there. Like
all other places occupied by government
officials, it was a den of pro-slavery des-
peradoes, and every species of oppression
was practiced on the settlers At the land
Office they were bled of their last dollar and
a trlaL for an alleged crime was equivalent
to verdict of guilty. short time ago a
free-State man was arrested for murder
Montgomery sent Judge Williams word
that if the jury was not composed of half
free-State men he would burn the detestable
hole over his head. Montgomery is
preacher, holds service every Sunday, and
of course don't swear.) Williams i'm
mediately struck a Decline for Missouri, and
circulated all sorts of silly stories And
this is the sole origin OF all the silly dis
patches you see in the Eastern papers We
who live in the adjoining county get all our
news of the battles, &C.. i'll the Eastern pa
pers. There is not the least excitement
here about it in the world. 1t is true, Gen
r irney is there With 700 troops, but he
cusses Williams black and blue for getting
him down there on a tom-fool errand He
says he ought to have little catuip tea and
be put to bed. Several of our citizens, and
among them our Postmaster and two other
O0nEIaS DEMOCRATS were Gown there SatQr- :
day. They say they are laughing heartily
down at Fort Scott at Granny Williams's
scare.
OF course you know Fort Scott is not
molested that no town in Missouri has
been interrupted in any manner whatever;
and if any of your neighbors should desire
to visit Montgomery, they will, in all prob
ability, find him on his claim, perhaps with
an axe in his hand making rails or chop
ping cord-wood. And presume the troops /,
can arrest him if they will go TO his farm, /
for I am satisfied be would not resist, at :
least if he thought he should have fair |
trial on any charge which might be laid |
against him.
Enclosed send you a burlesque printed |
at the seal Of aoar. So ready were they to |
swallow everything dreadful at Leaven-
worth, that some of the Dugs were willing
TO swear it was true statement of battle I
We had a glorious rain last night. Win |
ter wheat looks splendid. Do not be sur /
prised if we have splendid crops next sea- /
son.
Excuse this hastily-written letter The
mail is closing and have not time to look /
It over. Yours, &C.
G. A. CUTLER.