The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-06-26
Letter from Montana.
HELENA. VI. L. Junc II. 1868.

| llEItNN, NJ :, june II, lobJ.
The political campaign has just been
| opened by the Democrats nominating the
! Hon. James NJ Cavenaugh for reelection,
as delegate to Congress. Why does not
! President Grant send Ashley out here? he
has been confirmed as Governor for more
than two months. The Republicans want
some man able and willing to meet the
| Democratic candidate on the Stump-ASh-
! ley can do it if he would only hurry out
no Republican speaker now in the territory
is equal to the work. Mr.. Cavenaugh-
Jim as the boys delight to call him
is a tobacco-eating Democrat. of Fenan
proclvities and that, yon know makes
the most intense style of the Copperhead.
| He is the most eminent, and one of the
most successful wanderers upon the border.
He was the first delegate from the Territory
of Minnesota then from Colorado: now
from Montana. He is able, and wherever
he temporarily resided, has been very pop
ular. He is Just at home when wrapped III
a pair of blankets and reposing upon the
dirt floor of 4 squatters cabin he is equally
at home in any Of the elegant drawing
rooms of Washington society. He can
stand up under heavier load of whisky
than any other man and this mainly ac-
counts for his great popularity.
Mr. James Mauldin, formerly of Cecil,
having for four years, been engaged i'll
prospecting all that vast region of plains
and mountains extending from Omaha to
| Elko, has settled down as stock-raiser.-
He has grazing farm, of $40 acres, on
Beaverhead River, Montana. A drove of
| 500 head of horned stock is now being
driven from Utah, as basis to commence
business upon. But few men are rs well
| acquainted with the wild manners and Gus
toms of the new Northwest, as Mr.. Maui
din. He is on intimate terms of friendship
Flathead, Piegan and Nes-Perces Indians.
Mr.. Mauldin, after very extensive travel
and observation. has sensibly arrived ut the
conclusion, that for a permanent home, no
place offers superior attractions to Montana
Have you, Mr.. Editor, any conception us
to the enormous extent of the Hide and
Fur trade of the Rocky Mountains? The
ground once covered by John Jacob Astor
Oregon and Montana-is now occupied
by three distinct companies. In the his
| tory of AstOr's business, it is related that
i'll one year he shipped eleven thousand
hides and skins. That would be an insig-
niticant business now. This spring. there
have been of buffalo robes alone, shipped
down the Missouri, thirty thousand. The
other skins and hides would aggregate,
| perhaps, four times as many more. In
Astor's day, Indians did all the catching
now the pale face divides the work. Yes.
the inevitable white man throws the .iavelin
and lasso with as much courage, but less
skill, as the bravest of the ssLo'' family.
have often thought that the raccoon
hunters of the Eastern Shore would find
congenial and profitable employment in
hunting the Buffalo, the Mountain Lion,
Bear, Wolf, &c, &c. 1t is a rough, but
thrilling, life, replcte with new emotions
and requiring more courage and endurance
than is required of soldier in the hardest
campaign.
The weather here is hot and dry,-too
dry for the prosperity of the country.
Gen. Hancock is expected here daily
He is Commander of the Department of
Dalota-of which Montana is portion
Headquarters at Saint Paul. R.F.M.