The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1877-02-01
CORREsPONDENCE.
HERD LAW.
SCHOOL DISTRICT No. 60. DoxIrnaS Co., KAs.,
January I'D, 1877. D

jecting the institution of human slavery: and hum
Kansas; but the proslavery men, somehow or other,
conceived the idea that Abofionists had right to
squat in Kansas and for time, great anxiety was
friends of universal freedom throughout the land.
Hark! a sound is heard upon the breeze. Col. Lane
has gone to Kansas, at the head of his veteran reg
ment Of Mexican war notoriety, armed with Sharp's
rifles, while Garrett Smith, Wendell Phillips, Peter
Cooper and Co., with their millions pledge their sup
Port from which time the scale began TO turn. Many
bravehearted residing in the Slave States, wea-
med of the disadvantages of the institution of slavery
cheered up, mustered courage, and finally pulling up
stakes in the land of their BIRTH and joining in
with their friends, actually squatted in Kansas, and in
process of time settled the question in favor Of con-
sttution adverse to the institution of slavery Did
these brave squatters meet with outside opposition!
Yes; men residing in other States, desiring to
reap the benefits accring from the labor of slaves in
Kansas came over for a time and voted against the
interests of the actual sIuatter. Was the soil of Kan
left as free the poor to the rich, by the
cuson of the institution of slavery! No; for under
the old order of things, law and custom had been
fastened upon the people requiring the squatter to
build fence horse high, bull strong. and pig tight"
around his field, in order that the public might reap
the benefit Of pasture on 'the commons which order
whom Kansas is indebted for her notoriety from ever
becoming fee simple owners Of the soil upon which
they suatted in the days that tried mems principles.
For some who settled on land where there was some
timber compelled to sell the timber for bread !;
while Others coming from the State Of Missouri own
ing land and stock in that State, bought the timber
made fences horse high bull strong, and pig tight"
drove their cattle from Missouri took stock
pasture for Others both, and turned it upon the
neghbor to the detriment of education morality, and
development of the resources of the country.
Settlers or their heirs encouraged by general herd
80 acre tract might have had vineyard an orchard
or farm; the population Of DoniPhan County We'd
with the most thrifty districts of the Eastern States,
If not Of Europe; our towns would have been cities
villages towns thriving with manufactured and
instead Of two railroads, We might employ four, who.
competing with eacn other in the transportation Of
our products and manufactured goods, have reduced
fare to such low figures to leave Changers cause
for snspecting every forward movement as being in
the interests of the railroad company;
What shall do to be savedi Why, do as in the
past-remain true to principle. We persuaded Mis-
sourans to leave the elections in Kansas the actual
who in favor of slavery to be side which
influence gradually spread, until to-day the better
class Of the old POslavery party strong friends Of
the FreeStste doctrines and have idea that if the
white people of the South were left to the exercise of
the free elective franchise the people Of Kan
after the outsiders were induced to keep STILL that
upheld in the days Of James H. Lanes advent into
Kansas.
| wish it understood by the people of villages and
question to the interference Of nonresdents with the
Kansas elections in the days of its trial and that
you who are not professional farmers will keep STILL
We may convince the reasonable class that Donphan
County needs the benefits of the herd law now.
Mr.. Henshall admits that vast majority of the
farmers are behind poor, etc. You, Mr. Editor, have
shown that by farmers keeping up fences more ex-
pensive than the stock of the County is worth, is well
calculated to increase the poverty of the farmers ;
and calling the attention Of Mr. Henshall. p. L. and
many Others to your article aforesaid will pass on
to give my views to the redeeming effects of the
immediate enforcement of a general herd law.
Mr.. VIM. Wykert informs me that he yentured to
attend church, one Sabbath day last summer, and
returning home, found herr, of cattle in his field
which had already destroyed a vast amount of his
growing corn, and that through the summer he is
compelled to keep his children or himself ON the guard
against breachy stock.
have to confess that have not for several years.
enjoyed the luxury Of attending church on Sundays
by Of my desire of seeing my children attend
Sunday School and worship, l having to guard my
field in the absence of my children: and that when
could otherwise spare my children must keep them
at home to assist me in guarding my crops against
the ravages of stock allowed to run. have mention
ed these cases. to show Mr.. Hensall that the old
order of things is in this day detrimental to education
and religion. and ask him if, reforner, he is de-
sirous of hindering the growth of piety and intel
erss, IN I""p sI a ise nrnsnsct;re III anu Mr.
kert says he incose his entire stock in two days,
but it will take him two weeks to repair the fence
around his farm for stock to at large, and still he
will have TO stand guard
! must confess that l am about to throw up the
sponge Unless change for the better is speedily eff
Fate has about accomplished its end, and am home
less. What shall dol After twenty years resi-
dence, meanwhile doing constantly what thought
right and for the best interests of society be-
gin to look around for other place where may
breathe my last in the hopes that my children may
enjoy higher civilization than have enjoyed Shall
move my large family to one of the Counties where
general her, law is in force and join in the serm
BILE incident to new countries, many others have
done steadily decreasing the population Of Doniphan
County! Doniphan County is less subject to drought,
has advantages and is healthier than many Others,
and should attract instead of repelng emigration.
Then, let us have general herl law and myself and
many others remain; for these landowners
afford to rent land for onehr of the crop, giving
us on the premises an enclosed pasture for our stock
and comfortable houses to live in whereas, under
the present order of things, landowner afford
TO furnish land and house at less rent than
half of the crop.
Here are several tracts of Land owned by "specula-
tors" p. L. and many others says 1--WE are able to
pay the spcculaor for the grass very consistent
gument for them, advocating the cause of the pOor)
has been tramplsd out long ago. and the washing
rains are in places making deep gules through the
ravines; and when Q. and Co. turn their stock up
Lewiss Walkers or some other adjacent corn or
wheat field. That's the way their stock do pretty
well the native ,s from
cral herd Law, myself and equal, can say to Mr..
Spectator, and tho like: will take lease your
,ns for s or r or
10 for pasture, need it, build such sheds and
house room - will answer my purposes: speculatcr
accepts the result being instead Of this poor mans
leaving the County where his faults well known.
he settles down anew leased premises close to the
school house and churches he helped build in his bet
ter dayB; ne ulRe OF Dullub Bucn rtbueuco ~ WIZ
keep bis family from the weather; has no taxes
cept personal properly; he prepares for his hogs
and cattle in the same PASTURE As hogs do best among
cattle and gradually becomes important tax payer
on stock; at peace with all around him. he attend
church. and send his children to school without fear
he his stock every day keeps no unruly coarse
blooded animals joins his neghbors in protecting
insectivorous birds, and annhilating grasshoppers:
he finally becomes of the leased premises; 9th
ers behoding fall in with the idea and lease the land
Of specuao the good results follow in the increase
of population, wealth. intelligence etc, of the coun-
try. Men enabled to lay aside money, and see
that farmer having . railroad through or along the
line of his farm where he house his surplus grain
in the cars drive his stock out Of the pasture into
the cars before breakfast afford to plant hedge
along the track The act Of the Legislature placing
the question of the herd law into the hands Of the
County Commissioners wise; the County Commits
sioner exceedingly cautious in asking for an eI
precision by petition and remonstrance and their
lection of the of such not farmers by
tenancy or ownership of farms was just; for thus
ended barbarOus CUSTOM akin to African slavery,
under pretence of law; and Doniphan County restor
ed so wealth and prosperity. JAMES NJ. TRANT.
Views Of the Herd Law In Burr-Oak.
BURR-OAK BORON. KAN. JAN "a. 1857.
Mr.. EDITOR VIII You let me offer q few thoughts
upon the herd law, through columns hoping that
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