The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-13
The Famine In Kansas.

INsok AND DEENIs0N, AND JUDGE wATrLEs, ETC
small audience met In the large OF the Cooper
Institute last evening for the srpose Of taking immed
ate steps TO afford relief the mshing settlers Of the
Territory Of Kansas The meeting was presided over BY
WIN. cullen BRYANT, Esq, and the proceedings were
opened BY appropriate prayer by Rev. Dr. GnIxx,
after which the President object Of the meeting
and the story Of what the people Of Kansas suf
ferng at the present time and he had doubt
would be awakened in their behalf He alluded 10 the
years since Tor the relief of the Irish people, who
suffering from famine, and inquired If our own citizens
asn, aso ahe pnas which he
new settler abored and in an eloquent strain portrayed
the effect of the drought upon the unfortunate sufferers
The first speaker was Rev c. c. HrTcHNsoS OF Kansas
He said well known to the reading public that
terrible calamity has befalen Kansas Three months
ago the blow had fallen but those three months have
history, and TO that history permit briefly call
your attention We had watched through weary months
for the rain which should cause fertile soil yield
Is accustomed bounteous harvess. Our hope big
and did not give up, although spring and went
summer months. ana vet no rain. Still we did not
despair very light crop, and consequently very hard
times were seen to be ievitable but thought Of
famine, and no outcry made. Men put cheerful
countenances and neghbor only expressed TO each other
their most sapguine hopes As autumn approached the
seventies OF tine became apparent, and
began TO talk Of serious consequences. Yet such
usually looked up as faithess croakes and conured to
keep silence, Letter writer's, whether writing to
rom exposing onr trpe condition ubile our
local papers said nothing or placed matters in
the most favorable light Just in proportion TO mans
connection with the material interests of the Territory
was he tender upon this point and our spectators and
politicians and men in place and power were particularly
help AT this uncture settler in Southern Kansas Mr.
ii. O. stllwel who had evidently kept silence until the
fire burned in his bones wrote letter to the New York
T,bu.e describing with the terrible pathos of truth the
actual condition Of his locality cry Of Indignation i'm
medatey arose from Interested persons in the Territory
drit
with much feeling that Kansas WAS abundantIv
able to take care of herself But this letter
led to other and more important results II
was seen by Mr. Thaddeus HYATT and in the
generous impulse Of his heart he immedate deter.
mined TO 20 to Kansas and see for himself Applause
The news Of his resolution went abroad and there mme
diately followed despatch from oth TO Tho Of
feet that Mir. Hyatt need not trouble himself about
Kansas as she had enough and to spare The papers at
Ieayenworth and other towns irrespective of party
united in declining this VISIT sometimes presenting very
dubious compliments to Mr. Hyatt and the editors and
letters writers were for "a time full cry endeavorng to
run down the story of Kansas. Mr. Hyatt asso-
ciated with himself two other gentlemen residents of
Kansas-Gcnera S. c. Pomei 10Y and Judge w. r. NJ Ar.
neyand passed from Achison through Lawrence the
interior. AT the Missouri river and on every day of
their Journey, they met great numbers Of sorrow
striker and poverty smitten settlers, who were
leaving heir rhomes and seeking a land of plenty,
because, as they SAID, they had raised nothing and
for the newspapers slightly fault and did
not wholly represent the sentiment of the Territory Sober
and discreet men, who did allow their Judgment to be
swayed by their hopes were already seeing Of
the dangers which beset condition. To facilitate
business public meetings were called in advance at all
the important places through which our party passed
and at these meetings which were well attended the
audience called the best the vicinity who
related their experience during this and former years
II was al one story Good crops in all former years but
an almost entire failure this year The unanimity
Of this testimony surprised the people themselves and
set every farmer to examining his fields. The result
was absolutely appalling Persons who lived on low
moist lands although they knew that their wheat crops
and oft repeated servings u buckwhea turnps and gar
den vegetables was an entire failure still had looked with
comparative satisfaction their fields hoped
for at least hall crop twenty or thirty bushels Der acre
but now found thai plump looking ears when the husks
were stripped off showed but a large cob with a few
scattering kernels Of corn while many otherwise toera
bic ears were ruined by worms. Farmers who had the
best fields came the conclusion that they raised
FIVE bushels the they would be thankful
while most fields were found 10 be an entire failure Our
people coming knowledge of condition aroused
from their apathy. BY advceof Mr. Hyatt committee
were appointed whose duty should distribute relief
10 the needy After spending several weeks in this man
ner gathering facts and distributing OF his private means
several hundred dollars Mr. Hyatt returned 10 the Fast
while Mcssrs Pomeroy and Army remained Mt Atchaon
MIR HYATT caused statistical blanks 10 be sent 10 ali pars
of the Territory requesting the committees TO I'LL Them
out with the number OF families amount Of crops raised
by each old corn and money on hand &C II was ala,
ted that county committees of distribution SHOULD
be formed by citizens throughout the Territory both
which requests we're comped with The Territory wa,
NV thus time Thoroughly aroused Each section hai sun
posed thai other part were more highly favored but
mas NV found ,ha, eyceniing n narro~r s,,,n On
~. Mssouri r,ver tbere was an .Imos, ar,ir.
,aInra nj all crons thropehout the Terr,torv
The prace with IN accustomed yaparooitv pnvv
,rlr ,orcavc NJ Iy.,, sor cori,c 10 uarsa, .nd
began 10 inouire how The hungry could be fed That
Gentleman has from that time 10 this devoted HIS time
and means no. The work ~ getting The facts before the
ronn,rx In ms WORK several Fansas gentlemsn have
aiso enracea ho can testtsv that II has he no cav
is.t VIVA, with he exc,,ing events ~ he mas, az
wesks !, hss heen almost imnssible N ge the puhc
sar a, ns no,r howevar tbank a.oa that The rrv or
a. hrnr,y - haa,d' In Eansss Ta,r,arIa n,n,aa
has re- ,o,m.d si,b rel,ahI. ara eacian, rxaruvs
1arno,,,ae ,.hssa .h.,rnan h NJ poma,av ~ xha,,
aIlasion has been made. As we now have reliable
da,s 20 ~, ,ro,n ana n.onls's ca,ar,,aa. ~ ~,
throuch Il n aia,cult ~ sec how better arrange
an,s a,,,S ha ,osd enr so,anr .n,,., "a c,r nt
Isms, IN Kansas Tia VEST s iiheYa.Iv con,,,hn,,ng
rin na % ~. 40 eio,t,aa sna ,gon 49,. 49, as
e,,,,s - ~ aSs ,,ss, , az . - ~,
$50, - 49, 49, 80, ,,. ~ 30, "a ,n,a.,'
= nv in ar,i~e onn,a,n ana arg,n,a,ans 49, I'm.
.r,oc,a IN ,b.r S,a,as al ~ al, ~ vsI AZ, ,,h al
ppnao,s,anaIng ~ aach o,hars nians such a. a bet
x ~ ~ ,ov,mcn, Coz ,be rei'ce ~ The s,ffrers IN
Kansas In pleading your sympathetic action we do
no, say our peope are now diving by hundreds but that
some are tonight perishing for medcnes ana proper
iVoul anu .it enOuus, shons meh seheio women anu
helpless chdrtn reach out 70 you and Deg Tor that sue
which shall them from the last extremity Of
famine-saryation itself
Pay IoS,Tr ny,xrsox 80 Yans.s uas The, ,,,roa,ced