Kansas - Free State Papers

KANSAS

The Kansas Free State papers talk in an encouraging way concerning the prospects of the Territory. From the Herald of Freedom, now before us, we glean several interesting items.

It says there is not now, and never has been, a pro-slavery party in Kansas strong enough to sustain itself by fair voting: possibly there may be some two hundred slaves in the Territory, but the editors of that paper have never "known of twenty." The attempt to make the South believe that the slave relation would be secure there is an imposition.

Four young men, who lately emigrated to Kansas, have commenced a shingle manufactory, with a simple machine, costing not more than $50, with which they turn out about thirty thousand shingles daily.

The good people of Lawrence are taking measure for the organization of a regular city government.

Colonel Harvey and fifty other persons, mainly the original members of the Chicago Company, which was robbed last summer on the Missouri river and turned back, and afterwards entered by the Northern route, and became part of the Territorial militia, having been lately disbanded by the Governor, are laying the foundations of a new settlement on Floyd creek, one of the tributaries of Pottawatomie creek. The soil is exceedingly fertile, well water, and heavily timbered.

Meetings have been held in the town of Lawrence, and committees appointed for the purpose of establishing a Common School system. Attention begins to be directed to railroad enterprises, a large meting having been held in Quindaro, Kansas, on the 5th, at which, after an extended discussion, it was resolved that the interests of the Territory imperatively demand the immediate construction of a railroad from the city of Quindaro, on the Missouri river, up the Kansas valley. The general feeling was in favor of connecting Kansas by railroad with St. Louis and Chicago, so as to insure the full benefits of competition, and thus initiate the beginning of a railroad to the Pacific.

A change seems to have come over the People of Missouri since the retirement of the Buford gang. The Herald of Freedom says, a gentleman from Indiana called at its office a few days ago, having passed with his goods and family through Missouri, on his way to the Territory, and said he had never been better treated in traveling anywhere. The citizens generally condemn the outrages that had been perpetuated.

The following article from the same paper, is intended as a hint to Members of Congress:

"What we expect.—We hope and expect that Congress will repeal all the laws made by the Missouri bogus Legislature at the Shawnee Manual Labor School. We further expect that Congress will enact some laws suited to our condition, till such time as the actual settlers can make laws for themselves. We also expect an appropriation of money to pay for the illegal destruction of property by Government officials and by bands of armed men from Missouri.

"If we are granted the above, and Congress shows a disposition to do us justice, we do not feel so anxious about being admitted as a State till such time as our population becomes much larger than at present, and our Territorial institutions have become organized, and in healthful operation. If otherwise, we desire to be admitted as a State immediately, and hope our friends will press the measure forward with all the force they can command."