Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-06-21
Letter from Kansas.


|
| am disposed to give some account Of it.
| left here the 23d of May in company
of six in a close carriage, for Leaven-
worth and thence to Topeka; to attend
the association of ministers and delegates
in the state Of Kansas at Leavenworth,
and the ordination and installation Of the
Rev. Peter McYicar, a noble specimen
of the true Scotchman. Our road to
Leayenworth leads over the Delaware
Reserve good distance, and on the prai-
RE there is no sign of cultivation or i'm
provement except occasionally contra
band claim cabin erected or in process Of
erection. We were at Leavcnworth
three days, with band of men that no
state or county need be ashamed of, about
twenty ministers and as many delegates,
all young men giving their best days and
energies to planting the gospel and the
institutions of religion in this new state.
1t is really a selEsacrifcing, solf-denying
work, requiring great patience, perseyer-
ence, and grace to accomplish il, and still
they all seemed to have good courage,
and to labor in hope. Several ministers
and delegates came with teams, some
horses and some oxen, distance varying
from sixty to one hundred and fifty miles,
loading back with relief goods, books,
testamelts, and tracts. One minister
stopped for the night and lost both his
horses, and when we parted at Topeka
he had heard nothing from them. He
was one hundred miles from home when
he lost lis horses. They left him in the
night after he turned them out to feed on
the open prairie. Notwithstanding this
he was n no way discouraged or depress-
ed
From Leavenworth to Lawrence, we
pass most of the way over the open prai-
RE Delaware Lands, occupied only by
claim cabins. These Delaware Lands
are cerainIy, in my judgment, the most
suitable for farming of any prairie | ev-
er saw, because best accommodated with |
timber and water. Cool springs of pure
water as ever flowed from the surface of
the earth are found as frequently as you
wish to see them, and as The creeks are
about five or six miles apart and all skir-
ted with timber, no point is more than
three miles from a plenty of timber. 1t
is all rolling prairie, and no where sub
ject 10 stagnant water, or swamp, or wet
lands. Travelling over this prairie must
be experienced to be understood. No |
description can give an idea of the beau
ty and grandeur of the scene. Thou I.
sands Of acres covered with the deepest
green vegetation, full of flowers OF ali
hues and shades, and the air literally fra
grant-you feel no disposition to look
any farther. At Lawrence, fell in with
Col. Phillips, correspondent of the Irib-
une He is familiar with the buffalo E.
gion, and told me as a fact that he had
seen in one drove about one million buff
faloes, and that in the trail where they
crossed a creek they LETT from three to
five hundred dead that were run over by
others.
From Lawrence to Topeka, we travel
on the divide between the Kansas and |.
Warkarusa vallies, and as we pass the
bluffs we have some most magnificent
views. This country is settled, and the
cattle and horses, mules, pigs, and ponies
were abundant and as fat as does. Sheep
are not very plenty, but those l saw
looked finely. Stone for building and |
fencing purposes is abundant and ! have
no doubt that there are plenty on the
Delaware Reserve.
Topeka has as fine a town site as any
| have seen in Kansas, and so far their
buildings are the best ! have seen in the
state. 1t is growing point, and will
undoubtedly be the permanent capital Of
the state unless they are swindled out Of
it by the skullduggery Of Lawrence.
AT Topeka we found our friends, the
Messrs. Kellam and their families, with
open doors and hearts, whose hospitai-
ties we gratefully accepted. l also saw
VIM. Muzzey, another Orleans county
man, and was pleased to recognize these
young men not only as Vermonters, but
as from Orleans county. They do hon
or to their parents and the land of their
nativity.
At Topeka we attended to our appro-
pirate duties and had an opportunity to
witness a flag presentation which was
very interesting, aud also to see the su-
Preme power in the state, the legislature.
But | was glad to leave that body.
On our return we passed the Council
House Of the Delaware nation, and over
the broad, beautiful, unimproved, open
prairies and, by reason of a little acct
dent, we spent a night at the Baptist
Mission under the charge of Rev. VIM.
Pratt, who has been there with his pleas
ant family twenty-three years laboring to
educate and Christianize the Delaware
nation. He has in his Mission School
ftty-eight scholars whom he supports en-
tirely while they are with him, and he
receives from he government fifty dollars
per year for each scholar. This man has
sacrificed and suffered for the Delaware
nation as few men would have DONE {
He and his wife, from Massachusetts.
are refined and very hospitable. Their
family has grown up among the Della
wares and has had no other socipty-