Three years on the Kansas border

Dedication

DEDICATED, TO BE HANDLED "WITHOUT

'1 STATESMEN HANDLED

ITS AUTHOR.

Chapter I. Intkoduction

The writer of the following pages was a Missionary of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in that section of the State of Missouri called the Platte Purchase, during the years 1851-2. This field of labor gave him every opportunity to learn the character and sentiments of those who have made themselves prominent in the late exciting drama in Kansas.

While he resided in North- Western Missouri, there was but one hojoe expressed with reference to the ''coming in," as it was termed, of the Territory which lay on the other side of the river — it was to come in as Free Territory.

In the yea.r 1853, he was invited to a charge in the city of Chicago, and accepted it. It was during his residence in this city that the Kansas Bill was introduced into Congress, designed to break down a barrier 1* [9]

10 THEEE YEAES ON THE KANSAS BOEDER.

to slavery extension, wliicli the Borderers never dreamed of. He was conscious of this fact, and was constrained publicly, at the time, to petition, with others, against the measure. He was not alone in the Church, as was supposed, in so doing. The late lamented Bishop of i^ew York, with several of his most influential clergymen, petitioned, with many others of our Church, against the bill.

The hopes held out by the Kansas Bill made the people on the border wild. The names of many with whom he was familiar, he saw mingled with those prominent at public meetings of an exciting and daring character. He became much interested in the fate of the Territor}^ He sought to go there, but not as a partisan. He was recommended by the Bishop of the North-West to the Committee of the Domestic Board of Missions for an appointment to Kansas Territory as a Missionary of the Church. The appointment was made and accepted in the summer of 1854.

Several motives impel him to give to the public a relation of personal adventure and experience durinohis residence on the border, a period, on the whole, of about three years.

The only criticism which can annoy me, will be to prove the falsehood of any important statement made in the body of the work.

Some of my friends tell me that those who do not know the author will regard the relation of the whole as fiction ; these friends are correct, there is nothmg fictitious about the work save the relation^ and this of course is the author's prerogative.

CHAPTEE II.

THE JOURNEY COMMENCED.

The greater part of my furniture having been sold at public auction on Monday, the 2d day of October, 1854, I packed up those most necessary articles for comfort in a new country, and consigned them to a house in St. Louis. My wife and a pretty infant daughter I took with me to the cars, to leave at 11 P. M., for St. Louis. During the night it rained excessively. The car in which we were seated was thrown off the track. There was much confusion, but no person was injured. We were obliged, after long delay, to crowd ourselves into other cars, and leave the one which was off the track, behind us. Our lovely little babe received a cold during the exposure of the chilly night, from which she never recovered. We reached Alton late on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 8d. We changed from the cars to the steamboat which was to take us down the river to St. Louis. While on the passage, in the dusk of the evening, we had the vexation to meet the steamboat Polar Star, bound for the Missouri, — I had telegraphed to her Clerk from Chicago to reserve a state-room for my family. But our delay by cars frustrated our hope of taking advantage of this arrangement. I learned afterwards that the state-room had been kept for me until the last minute.

12 THEEE YEARS ON THE KANSAS BOEDER.

Wlien we arrived in St. Louis, a city in which I was not altogether a stranger, I found our babe much worse. We took rooms at the Monroe House. In the morning I procured a physician for the babe. He did not think there was any cause for alarm. We remained in St. Louis two days on account of our child. I met one or two of my brethren in the ministry. The Bishop was absent on a visitation of his Diocese. Several of the laity called, and wished us "God speed."

We took joassage on board of the then splendid steamer F. X. Aubrey, for Weston, Mo., on Thursday, October 5, at evening. We left in hopes that the child was much better. The water was unusually low on the river, and we advanced very slowly in consequence. Both m}^ wife and myself were too much occupied in solicitude for our child to take any pleasure on the trij^. We made no acquaintances on board, until the child became so alarmingly ill as to excite the sympathies of the ofiicers and passengers. We experienced the utmost degree of kindness at the hands of all. To the Clerk of the steamer, and to Dr. Euffiii, of Lexington, Mo., I feel under great obligation. All our efforts, however, to save the life of the child, were vain. It died on the morning of the 9th of October, at 1 o'clock. We were just below the Baltimore Bar, twelve miles below Lexington. We reached the bar, and it was soon discovered that the boat would have to be "sparred over." This process occupied thirteen hours. The reader can well imagine my anxiety to reach Lexington with the

FAMILY BEREAVEMENT. ' 13

body of my babe. The wcatlier during tlie day was warm. I was almost distracted, lest I should see the tender flesh of my cliild show decided indications of decay before I could obtain a metallic case. At one time we searclied the boat for material wherewith to make a cof&n, but could find none. There was a very common and frail box, having potatoes then in, which I at one time in despair meditated taking, and, placing the body in it, bury it on the bank of the river ! But at this moment of time the Genoa, a boat of lighter draft than ours, came in sight behind us. I could hardly doubt but that she would at once get over the bar. I went in haste to the clerk, and asked him if I could leave the boat with the body and go on board of the Genoa. He told me at once that I could do so, but added, that the G. would not get over before we did. He was right. I went on tlie forvfard promenade deck of our boat ; at this time the Genoa had got close behind us. I discovered on board of the Genoa, Major Eich, sutler at Fort Leavenworth, and once a friend of mine. I hastily wrote a line and threw it on board of the boat to him, telling him my situation and requesting that if he reached Lexington before we did, that he would send the note to the undertaker, that he might have a metallic coffin at the Levee when we arrived. He replied tliat he would oblige me. Major R. retired, and in a few minutes returned accompanied by Major Macklin, paymaster at Fort Leavenworth, and once a friend of mine. We had not met for eighteen months. But in the meantime a Kansas Bill had passed whicli allowed a remnant of Barbarism to be extended — a

14 THREE YEAES ON THE KANSAS BORDEE.

feature in tlie Bill wliicli he knew I disliked as mucli as it pleased liimself. A few cold words of salutation passed between us. My destination was inquired with interest.

I will close this paragraph with the relation of a faux pas which, in the simplicity of ni}^ heart, I once made at Fort Leavenworth, in conversation with Major Macklin.

Major M., and family, at Fort Leavenworth, belonged to that class in our church, who revere the name Catholic. I was early taught what this sacred name meant. At the time of which I write, the usual debate had occurred in the Kew York Diocesan Convention with reference to the admission of Saint Philip's African Church, and its delegate, into union with the Convention. Major M. was anxious to learn my opinion about the matter. In the impulse of the moment, I concluded that his love for consistent Catholicity Avould be greater than his prejudice for color against color, and I said, how can they keep the church or delegates out on Catholic grounds ? " Take care, sir 1 Many a fine prospect has been dashed by an unwise remark." Thus replied Major M. "We never after talked together on the subject, or any of its cognates. This occurred two years before the passage of the Kansas Bill.