Year: 1859

watamie on the northwest, and the Della
ware at little distance on the northeast
Along the north bank Of the river opposite,
party of HalfBreeds have o reserve q
mile wide by twenty miles long, and / give
the good-for-nothiDg rascals credit for ad-
mirable judgment in selecting their land.
There is probably not an acre Of their tract
that could not be made to produce one hun
dred bushels of shelled coru by the' appli-
cation of less labor than would be required
to produce thirty bushels on the average in
New York or New England. Tne soil is
river deposit four to six feet deep the
timber large and choice-0ak, Elm, Bass,
Black Walnut, Sycamore, &c, with thick
underground Of shrubbery and ANNALS,
with wild grape-vines four to six inches
through. / begin to comprehend, though
/ do not excuse, the covetous impatience
wherewith Indian reservations are regarded
by their white neighbors.


Topeka was one Of the strongholds Of the
Free-State cause throughout the dark days
of Kansas Here assembled the first Con-
vention chosen by the People to frame a
State Constitution as a rallying point for
defense and mutual protection against the
Border Rufian usurpation of 1855 here
the Free-State Legislature, peacefully as
sembled in 1856 to devise and adopt meas
ures looking to a redress of the unparaIel-
ed wrongs and outrages under which Kan.
sas was then writhing, was dispered by
Federal bayonets and cannon here the
guns of the troops were pointed against a
mass meeting of the people of Kansas, as
sembed in the open air to devise and adopt
measures for the redress of their intolerable
grievances, and that meeting compelled to
disperse under penalty Of military execu-
ton. And here ! renew my VOWS of hos
tility to that Federal Standing Army until
it shall have been disbanded 1t is utterly
at war with the genius and perilous to the
existence of Republican institutions. The
regular soldier is of necessity the blind,
passive, mechanical instrument of power.
If ordered to shoot his own father, he must
obey or be shot himself. Twice has the
French Republic been crushed by Bona
partean usurpation-cruShed by the bay
onets of Standing Army pointed at the
breasts of her faithful Legislators. A Re
public whose citizens are not willing to do
their own fghting-all that is necessary
and proper-but must have Standing
Army to do it for them, lies at the mercy
Of any bold, inscriptions adventurer who
can work his way to the command or the
favor of the Army. trust our Army is
near its end.


After greeting friends and speaking in
Topeka, l learned with surprise that the
stage for Fort Riley started at 3 in the
morning leaving but narrow margin for
sleep. On rising, however, l learned the
high wind would not allow us to cross the
river yet, and it was nearly 6 o'clock when
we actually started.


We had now enjoyed three dry, bright,
warm days, which had turned most of the
mire of the roads to a sort of sun-burned
brick, though enough still remained in sunk
en- holes and brook-crossings to remind US
Of what had been. But the lightning had
flashed and the clouds gathered throughout
the night, and, as we drove out through
Indianola and took the military road west
ward, the thunder gave indications of the
shower which burst upon us little before
8 o'clock and poured till IL, turning the
brick Of the road to mire again. And,
though the rain ceased, the day remained
sullen and lowery, with transient glimpses
of weak sunshine to the end.


Our route lay for thirty miles through
the Potawatamie Reserve, and was no
longer encumbered with great army supply
trains, as they were either north of US on
the California trail to Laramie, or south on
the road crossing at Topeka and leading to
Fort Union and Santa Fe. A few of the
wagons we passed this day may have been
heading for Forts Riley and Kearney
while "Pke's PeakerS," both going out and
returning dsheartened, were in considera-
BILE numbers | do not see how those re-
turning could well resist the temptation to
bolt make claims, as hear many have done,
generally seeking them in the south part of
the Territory, where Speculation has been
less rampant than in the vicinity of the Kaw.
With a wagon load of provisions aud three
Or four yoke of oxen a Squatter might, even
yet, by the help of a good pIow, get in
twenty acres of sod corn this season. cut
hay for winter and break glorious breadth,
of prairie before hard frost could stop him
next fall. Whoever does this judiciousy
and resolutely will have reason for gratitude
to Pixies Peak, even though be never see
the color of its gold nor get nearer it than
the Big Blue.


We Travelled all day with the timber OF
the Kaw visible on the south, sometimes
quite near us, then one to two or three
miles distant Our road lay for a consider
able distance along the bank of what seem
ed deserted bed Of the river, which has
since made new and deeper channel to
the south. We traversed the prairie Of
course, except where it was cut by the
creeks coming down from the north TO lose
themselves in the Kaw. The Soldier, the
Red Vermillion, aud another Rock Greek,
were the principal of these streams. Our
road passed St. Mary's (Catholic) Mission,
where there is quite an Indian village aud
very large Improvement, which l guess
white men were paid to make. Yet, wheth'
er to their credit or otherwise, | believe
the truth cannot fairly be diSpated, thai
| Catholic Missions have been more success
fuI in establishing a permanent influence
over Indians Than any others, except per-
haps, the Moravians.


At the Red Vermilion-stil on the Po
tavatamie Reserve, but near its western
edge-We dined-the landladya HalfBreed