The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-02-03
.FFrom the Houstos Texas Telegraph
TErES AND LIFE IN MISSOURI
FATErrs, HonAnD cousIr. Mo..l

y WIN A4(
|TETES AND LIFE IN MISSOURI.
F.vgrTE. HoxARD CoUSTT, No.,
November %. 1865.
Having associated with many Of your
readers recently, I-know it viii be graft
fvipg ia some Of them to learn more of
the situation" in Missouri than they can
obtain from ordinary newspaper ~gleanings-
rYeur evident desire to keep them posted
has encouraged me to seek a little space
in vonr columns for a few words on that
subject.
Missouri. almost surrounded by an an
t~agonistic population, and her Southern
sympathie strongly suspected, was thrown
under military control in the very begin
ming Of the late contest. The presence
of the military. and the outrages commit
ted. intensified their sympathy, and arous-
ed many to arms who desired the more
peaceful walks of life. All organization
had to be conducted secretly. The pres
ence of Federal soldiers embroidered those
of Abolition procliyities to engage also IN
a system of intolerable persecution against
all they suspected, or against whom they
had any old grudge. These circumstances
.linaugurated a reckless and bloody guer-
lila warfare, Of which other Southern
States have fortunately had but little or
no experience.
There, young men have fallen on the
field Of battle, here grey-headed men,
without o~ffense, have been imprisoned,
hung, and shot, whole counties have been
Idepopulated, houses, barns and fences re-
duced to ashes, wonlen and childsen have
been turned out to freeze or starye. Eve
ry portion Of the State has been agitated
and citizens of political creeds have
been forced to fee to other States, and
from one part of the State to another
That portion of the State bordering OF
Kansas, and south of the Missouri river
was literally de~populated, and almost
every house burned.
The prospect of the continuance of tho
war prevented a full crop from being
planted last Spring. The loss Of stock
land the destruction Of property had disa
bled planters to such an extent that bu
little could be cultivated. Provisions are
therefore, very scarce. Here, where tn,
country has been as little interrupted a
anywhere, bacon is thirty cents a pound
corn one dollar buskel !. wheat two dol
lars, and very little in the country; hog
from eight to ten dollars per cwt. gross
/ good horses and mules from " to three
hundred dollars !; cattle from FIVE to eigh
dollars per cwt. gross sheep from tw'
and a half to six dollars.
The whole country is now quiet. Cit
zens are now returning to their homes
5 many taking up their abode in their for
E mer smoke-houses, cabins, or whateye
/ shelter may be left to them. Some nun
/ ders have been committed. There seem
! to be a disposition to protect the lives 0
returning citizens.
There is a good deal of opposition t
the test oaths of the new Constitution. 4
large majority of ministers are refusin,
/ to take the oath imposed upon them
Many are preaching as usual, and man.
: others desisting. There is but little dan
f ger that negro suffrage viii be impose,
] on Missouri it was not done by the Radi
j cal Convention lately in session. 1t i
g hardly to be expected that another Sc
f like them will ever sit. in convention i
the State, and they could not quite stan.
] that.
Many here are talking of moving
4 Texas, but there is a strong disposition t
remain and thwart the purposes of th
G Radicals to get this State in their posses
SION "A Radical citizen tn
I other day in this county to buy his farm
He said he wished to sell if a Souther
5 man wanted II he wonld- get it for fft
E dollars an acre, but a Radical could nf
Il for less than a hgndrea and fifty
Iexpect TO return to Texas immediate
t ~, to commence my arrangements fc
lpublishing the Texas Baptist Herald, {
which l sent you a prospectus some tim
ago.
e One might easily fill a volume abot
S Missouri now, but l forbear to tax yor
d columns FOR more space at present,
e Respectfully yours, j.. B. LINK.