For Frederick Douglass' Paper.
LETTER FROM KANSAS.

[The following from our highly esteemed friend, P. C. Schuyler, will well repay an attentive perusal. It contains much that is valuable, especially to persons intending to emigrate to Kansas. Mr. S. will favor us, from time to time, with his experience of the country. – Ed.]

COUNCIL, CITY. Shawnee Co., Kansas Ter'y, June 18th, 1855.}

F. DOUGLASS, Esq.: My Dear Sir:—I have written you once or twice since I left home.—What I stated, I do not now recollect; but allow me to give you a running sketch of things and incidents as they have been to my knowledge. For the benefit of personal friends, allow me to say that I am on a "claim" in this beautiful territory, for farms are not known as yet. I follow the plough every day, breaking the heavy sod of these rich lands, and planting it to corn. This we shall continue throughout this month, with a reasonable expectation of a fair crop. This is called sodding corn. Some turn over the sod and "axe it in." This they do by taking their wood-axe, and following the

furrow. Strike one blow nearly through, across in the corn; then one light blow with the head of the axe lowers it. Others take every third or fourth furrow to drop in the corn at one edge, and turn the next furrow on to it. This is said to be the best, but does not come up so evenly as the other way; in either case, a full crop is not realized. To say that I am pleased with this country, is some praise.—Any language that I can use, would be too feeble to express my admiration of the beauty of these prairies; and taking the territory together, as far as I have seen and heard, there is much more timber than I had supposed. So undulating and rolling is the surface of the country, but little of it can be seen at a time. You will notice in the distance, in passing a few green tops of trees, and make up your mind there are but few; but approach that spot, and very likely a tract of wood will be seen containing hundreds of acres, following some creek or gulf from a quarter to half a mile wide.

The great injury done this country, has been by some sick boys, and imbecile men. Hearing the country highly spoken of, they supposed that they simply had to come here to possess a farm and riches: and having tried and learned that the possessing these lay at the end of the road, caused toil and endurance, they backed out with curses upon the country.

This is no country for babies and white-fingered gentry, nor is the race to the fast; but to the patient and enduring, to such there is competence and wealth.

Nor are the political prospects of Kansas as desperate as the election of March would seem to indicate. Nor yet are the Missourians those hardened villains that many Eastern people suppose them to be, here. Some of their conduct would lead naturally to this conclusion. But I assure you that it is not the case. Let King Atchison and King Alcohol lose a little of their power, and a more generous, kind people would not be found. They are not the desperadoes and the "pukes," that you would be led to infer from the bragging, threatening language that some of them use. The better portion, and I think the largest portion, are getting hartily sick of this bullying, shooting, tar and feathering, and this gouging attitude that has been assumed towards Eastern settlers in this . They pretend to great courage; but I must confess I hae not yet discovered it. I hear of no Yankees backing out sooner than , when they find that there is an equal number to oppose.

There are many incidents occurring often to show my statement true. A Missourian, last autumn came up into the Osonatamie settlement, took a "claim," built a cabin returned home, and sent up a herd of cattle with a herdman that remained until late in the fall. Late this spring, the claim being clearly forfeited, an Eastern man went on to it, of "jumped it," as the terms are. Not long since, the Missourian returned, and ordered the settler off. He refused to go. He then told im, on a certain day, he would be there with a company of men and put him out, and give him a coat of tar and feathers. The settler notified his neighbors; they gathered there on the day, to the number of 15 or 18, with arms, of course; set a sentinel or two; it was not long before a company of men on horse back were discovered advancing, to the number of about 30. They fired at the sentinel as he left his postion for the house; two balls passing close by him.—The troop arrived, but seeing signs of defense, they kept at gun-shot distance from the house. After passing up and down for a few times, they halted, held a parley, and sent in a white flag. This led to a conference; an arbitration

was appointed, and the men chosen, and a day fixed for the hearing, and the company left.—The day arrived, but no Missourians came. A few days after, the settler was in the woods chopping: he found himself suddenly surrounded by a company of men; his gun they broke to pieces around the tree, against which it stood. They took him and put a rope around his neck, and were about to hang him to the same tree. He asked to be heard, and the captain of the band—not the claimant—granted it. The result was that before he was near through with his defence, the largest half were on his side, and one of the company passed by him and put into his hand a loaded revolver. The rope was taken from his neck, and the claimant vamosed.

An incident something like this happened at Kansas city last week. A Missourian merchant placed a revolver in the hands of a Yankee seeing his case was just. I could give much more, but I decline.

Very truly yours,

PHILIP C. SCHUYLER.