The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-12-20
LETTER FROM KANSAS.
GULF House, Fl. Scott, Kansas.
naoap,hor ftb 1879

any description by us will be but meagre.
We have already been nearly all ovel
the Territory, and, in my judgment, of al
the country west of the Mississippi river,
it confessedly stands foremost. With al
altitude of about one thousand feet above
the sea, with no swamps, marshes, or ponds
to breed miasma, the climate will be, when
the soil is subdued, as healthy as any upon
the continent. There are few spots in il
that are sandy or rocky, and much of it is
not so productive as many on first view are
led to believe. But taking it all in all, it
is such country as every one who has seen
has gone into raptures over, and those who
have seen it most have been most enraptur-
ed. In climate it is milder than Kansas OF
Missouri, while it is more seasonable than
Texas. l passed through there on the
2nd inst, and the dirty chair yankers -
were lounging about barefooted and half
naked, and the temperature was suggestive
of May rather than December 1t is,
much of it, a good cotton country, pro-
duces wheat WE'LL and in all other cereals
equals any of the surrounding States. All
the fruits common to States of the same
latitude succeed admirably, plums of the
most excellent quality being indigenous,
the curculio being unknown there; and its
apples and peaches, even under the rude
husbandry of the sleepy Indians, fully equal
tho E, m nuS pro1ur ions of WeStern Kansas
The lands, though perhaps no richer than
those of Kansas, work more kindly and
satisfactorily, and are far more easily oul-
tivated than those of any of the surround
this Countrywide ancient home of the buf,
falo-a very paridise, and large herds OF
cattle and horses are seen scattered over
various parts OF the country. With clover
and bluegrass pastures, but little feeding
is required during the Winter, if any
Add to all this, and much more than |
have mentioned, that woodland and prairie
are most conveniently interspersed, and
that it is one of the best watered countries
in the West, and you must conclude that
it is 4 lovely country.
One of the great coming questions Isl
"Shall the Indian Territory be opened up
to settlement by the whites" 1t is a
question that is likely, during this session
of Congress, to be brought very prominent
| ly before the country, and there are more
people now anxiously awaiting for The
opening up of this Territory for settlement
than ever before had their eyes fixed on a
new country. There are many circum-
stances conspiring to make this an import
| fa, r,fx i,l,
to me by 4 well-informed gentlemen here,
we will give you in a future letter.
We were greatly surprised at the large
number Of negroes that live in the Terri
tory. There ale 5000 negroes in the
Choctaw Nation alone, the majority of
whom are very illiterate, not being aware
| that we had civil war twelve years ago,
that the Fifteenth Amendment is now a
law, and that they are free citizens; there
foro you will not think it strange that
did not find any old "Ephriams who
were nurses or servants of George Wash
ington. All the nations except the Choc-
taws have adopted their former slaves and
given them an equal right of land and
annuities. The Choctaw Legislative Coun-
Gil has just ad joulnea after an exciting SEES
sion of about four weeks, but without act
ing according to promise with their slaves.
In the treaty of 1866 Congress agreed to
| give the Choctaws $500, 900 for q strip of
| country in their Territory known as the
LEASED lands" provided they would, with
! in two years, adopt into their nation, and
make citizens of, their former slaves, and
give forty acres of land to each individual.
The time expired without action having
been taken, and from Council to Council
the Government has extended the time.
This money, with interest, now amounts to
more than $400, 900, yet so strong is the
prejudice OR fear of sectionizing and allot
ting their lands that they have again refus
ed to pass an act of adoption. This is a
fiat refusal to do Justice to these colored
people, who are attached to their homes
and native lands, when the Government is
willing to pay them so generously for an
act of Justice. 1t is safe to say that each
one of these men produce more than any
twenty full FLOODED Choctaws. The intel
ligent portion Of these negroes are excited
over the matter and will send a strong
delegation to Washington this Winter t.
urge their rights before Congress.
We have visited but one Indian town OF
any mportance-Tahlequah the Capital o
the Cherokee Nation. 1t was quite late
when we arrived there, and therefore we
canno1 give stu Huo,i VI q uoso,, p..ou y,
Iiie 'o"a' n"' We oouiu sco ~ was pie..n.
situated anu coihPoSeo y. Spiile SuosI",i
'lal business houses' Goono ~ ilouse' ouuion
school mouse, hotei' &C. ihere Is news
paper puohSheu there' eui'eu anu printed
by Indians Alone ~ilich mlgne DC e'a asset
among tne aVerase country Papets' une
na'i oi us ina':ei % sGS a ~ t 1n 'n'
ane lelhllhuei ~ .to tnu,an ians
no "'p,lane' VI .ne,i ."ns u" s nu hn.,
thlnk, ABOUT ninety ieCtefs' ana ~ near cn'
Indians cohVers'ng IN ie' rehinas one Oh
couple OF eXcitea DutGhmeh VINO are aoou
10 hSnI' we ihet d. i"iiIqucn i" neuio .'
OF rehnea ana lhtehigeht indians Vi oot'
sexes. Inc Princlpal chiels Oh this natlol
received collegiate eaucatioh al INC oes
coiieses IN the h,tea otaIes.
beiis colipeileu W ie'l'"in ~ rni' ~"
aoou' tnlee lo"is on "e.oun' Vi n'"N''.s
connections anu oelns ~ tuss w" v
"hile away me noels, W. T'Alleu I'D
where sunday scheoi festival was IN pro
gress' ana whsie' we must couless' VIC "er
aSreeapiy suIpilsei aI INC aPpearanoe
Ile crown. LUG looii' was ue"u'iu'iJ "n
appropriately decorated VIII Inc oeaut,e
: OF The forest, ana many attracIiVe art'cie
and luscious looking cakes adorned u
tables. there We're an abundance Oh pretI
Indian Slris III lliat nan, certain, anu u,
heloiheS I'll the llttle taiei hseieu