I have just received your favor of July 2d.

“A good plan of action in a matured form” implies fuller knowledge and consideration than is yet possible. I have written in various directions for information and in about a month’s time, I shall be glad, if you will allow me, to propose a plan for provisional movements at least.

Mr. Dresel, lone of the few determined, avowed and laboring free-soilers of Western Texas has been here this week and I have had much conversation with him. Two successive bad crops—entire failures—a recurrence of Indian troubles, robberies and murders, an increased and more general ruffianism and barbarism on the part of the Americans, the total cessation of immigration of Germans, the increasing demoralization of those resident and the entire abandonment of hope of a free state, are exceedingly discouraging circumstances. On the other hand, however, it is to be considered that the crop-failures have damaged the Slave-holders as much as the Germans, that there has been very little American immigration, and that the landowners have been greatly disappointed and are now in a condition of mind to resort to [437] expedients they would have scorned a few years ago, or to sell at low prices. And that there seems to have been some reaction among thinking men from that fanaticism which effected the expulsion of Douai.

I think we should now find the large majority of Germans against us in any movement which was suspected to have a free state as one of its objects, because they consider the last movement in that interest to have been ill-judged and harmful to them, they have made up their minds to-slavery, consider a free state utopian, & desire to make the best of what is inevitable;—I mean that we should, if such a purpose was suspected at the outset, have their opposition to it. Secretly and at heart it may be understood that all Germans are opposed to slavery. It is more their natural character, than of any other people in the world—not by any means excepting the English.

These things I am inclined to consider essential to forming a free-state in Western Texas. An organization for land-speculation and the collection and assistance (by means of agents in Europe) of emigrants or colonists, with a cash capital at the outset of not less than $100,000. 2d, that this organization has not the aim to make a free state, but merely a community of freemen. 3rd, the co-operation, cordially, fully and extensively, of certain large landowners in Texas who are probably at present pro-slavery partisans.

If the charter under which the organization operated could be granted by the Texas or the Louisiana legislature and the head quarters of the Company appear to be, not at New York as you suggest, but at New Orleans or San Antonio, I should consider its power for good certain to be three times as great as would otherwise be the case.

These questions, however, are for the future. The Red River project is one which requires to be defined to a certain extent, more immediately.

Assuming that the pro-slavery party expect ever to make a slave-state West of Arkansas and between Kansas & Red River, it may be reckoned upon with confidence that they will take the earliest possible opportunity to throw that country open to settlement. For the following reasons: An extensive movement of Slaveholders & slaves is certain to take place from Missouri during the next two years. This movement will most naturally and cheaply take a Southwesterly course; i. e. into Neosho, if that territory is open to It. If the organization of that territory is delayed two years, this emigration will not only have passed by & be lost, but Missouri will have become much more practicable for emigrants to cross from the free-states—both on account of the retreat or the defection of the resident ruffians and by the progress of rail-roads and free-state settlers on routes leading across Missouri towards Neosho. Secondly, because every month’s delay increases the free-soil force on the Northern border of Neosho—Kansas—and sets free the men and the capital which have together conquered Kansas to freedom.

For these reasons, and because also of the very clear intimations of Governor Walker & because I see in various quarters indirect efforts to prepare the public mind for it, I think it may be considered to have been determined on [438] the part of the administration to throw open Neosho as soon as practicable to slave-holding settlement. (It must be our congressional policy to postpone it as long as possible and to insist on Squatter Sovereignty & that as well guarded as possible when it must come. It must be fought off till next spring at any rate, that the Southerners do not have the advantage of the open Red River entrance, when the Missouri & Ohio are closed to us).

If Neosho is to open to settlement on preemption, next summer, is it possible to secure it for freedom? Is it worth while to undertake to do so by organized emigration?

These questions I do not feel able to answer with confidence at present, but there are two points upon which I have made up my mind.

1st. If it is to be done, the bulk of emigration to be relied upon must be composed of Germans and not of New Englanders. New England and all the East has been pretty severely dragged for emigrants lately. A reaction to the emigration furore is probable. Stimulating emigration from New England is going to be unpopular with our conservative & rich & patriotic old gentlemen and old women—ministers, doctors & lawyers especially. Better keep these on our side.

German settlers for Neosho must be composed in about equal measure of those who have had some experience in the country & of newcomers. One Yankee to five Germans will be sufficient to give the latter courage and unity to oppose Slavery actively, with arms, should arms become necessary.

2dly. If at any time in the next ten years, Neosho should become a free-state, it will very soon be the most profitable field of free-labor in the union. I should like what I say to be remembered—though anyone who looks at the map, seeing its waters, it relations to the East, West and South, and considers the advantages of its climate, the variety of its productions, which is to be immensely greater than that either of Kansas or Texas, the variety, extent and accessibility of the mineral resources which the most superficial observations have already disclosed, anyone must at once perceive that no free state or territory has half the attractiveness which it would possess. It has every advantage of Kansas with the addition of much more navigable and mill-power water, better soils, more wood, & more mineral wealth, more valuable forage, and a climate, which while equally healthy, permits the growth of cotton and figs and almonds and pecan nuts & olives, is acceptable to camels, cashmere goats, alpacas & Llamas (as our own & the Kansas climate is not), and (in the South), allows sheep, horses & neat-stock to he reared with no more than three weeks’ winter foddering or shelter being required for their perfect health and improvement.

If Neosho should become a free state there will be some large towns in it: probably one or two of the largest interior towns on the Continent. These will be the market towns not only of Neosho but of the great Continental pastoral region lying west of the 100° of longitude. One of these towns will be on the Arkansas. Another or others on the Red River or its tributaries, probably.

[439]

Free-Soil Texas and Neosho

[440]

If Neosho becomes a free state, Northern, & especially Northwestern, Texas will not be a regular Slave-holding community. That part of Northern Texas lying to the west of the counties at present occupied by Slave-holders is not likely in the event of Neosho’s becoming a free state, to be settled upon by them: it is likely to be attractive to free-laborers and to capital. Land can not be bought at present in Neosho, but land can be bought in that part of Texas referred to, and at very low prices, as low perhaps as 30 cents an acre. It is not possible to settle free soilers in Neosho at present, but it is possible to settle them in that part of Texas on the opposite side of the river. If Neosho becomes a free state it is certain to have intimate & important commercial relations with Western Texas. An important town in that vicinity is likely to be established—and even if Texas adjoining remains a Slave State, as likely to grow on her side [of] the river as the other (vide Louisville & St. Louis & their rivals New Albany and _____). Consequently here is a good place to speculate.

Also, if we are to fight for Neosho, it will be of great service to have a quiet unobserved post in that South-Western quarter. It may also be of great value to have established an entrance for emigration by Red River before that object is suspected.

Suppose that land can be bought here at 50 cents an acre, that 20,000 acres should be bought; 2,000 reserved for town lots, alternate lots to be given away to tradesmen, mechanics &c. for a while—9,000 acres to be offered to colonists in Germany in farms of say 100 acres each, at $1.00 an acre payable in five years after occupation, with interest at __ per cent, payable annually after the first year, with mortgage security on the farms and improvements; 1,000 acres to be given to old, free soil, experienced, German, Texan frontiersmen & frontier farmers; 1,000 to Yankee farmers (from Kansas), $5,000 to $10,000 [to] be expended in mills, cotton-gins, school-houses &c. & in payment of agents, advertising in Germany &c. Within a year I think there would be established a colony of 500 souls, the foundation of a town made and the speculators would have some 1,900 acres of “town lots,” 7,000 acres of agricultural land still to dispose of to new-comers, and notes safe for $9,000-mills, school-houses &c. Capital invested so far $20,000.

It is the opinion of Mr. Dresel that land in the part of Texas towards which we are looking has not yet been taken up; if it has not, it may be bought at 25 cents an acre (& certain fees)—that being the value of Texas land-warrants, of which the Rail Roads will have plenty to be disposed next winter.

Of the value of the town lots & farm-lots you are better able, from your Kansas observation, to judge than I am. 500 Germans however never fail to draw 500 after them & no frontier farmer was ever long satisfied to own no more than 100 acres around his “improvements.”

This suggestively with reference to the Land Trust Company.

The fact that you state with reference to the navigable condition of upper Red River was mentioned by me to Dr. Webb. I have written to a cotton [441] merchant at New Orleans and to the Post Master at Preston to ascertain what may be depended upon.

I have written to the Cotton Supply Associations of Liverpool and Manchester and engaged Mr. W. Neill, who sails next Wednesday to urge the subject on their attention. Mr. N. is a cotton merchant. I have also written fully to Lord Goderich requesting his influence with these associations to be used to favor our scheme. I should be glad to see Mr. Padelford & could probably supply him with some important facts & arguments.