216 
KANSAS. 
almost all states in the Union, seemed to be bound together in 
strong bonds of friendship, and the partiality they feel for Topeka 
above other settlements is not only felt but loudly expressed. It 
is doubtless true that the residents of other settlements are as 
strongly impressed vrith the advantages of their own. It is a sin¬ 
gular fact, and one often remarked in this country, that, if we were 
to judge by the observations of others, or our own feelings when 
in different localities, each place is “the most beautiful of all.” 
Almost every person seems to think their own claim the best, and 
it can only be accounted for by the acknowledgment of the fact 
that an exceeding loveliness is spread over the whole face of the 
country, and actual possession of such beauty doubles its value to 
the possessor. 
Towards evening of one of the days we were at Topeka, the 
commissioners, Gov. Reeder, and several others, arrived from 
Tecumseh. The house was indeed full. Doctor went out to some 
of his acquaintances, to see if he could not find lodgings for us 
elsewhere, that he might, by giving up his bed in the general sleep¬ 
ing-room, make room for more; but every one’s house was full. 
The necessity of the case then demanded that two sleeping apart¬ 
ments should be made of one room, and, by driving some nails in 
the beam overhead, and hanging Mr. S.’s large, red, double blanket 
in the centre, this was quickly done. 
The same day one of Buford’s men was at Tecumseh with a 
subpoena for Gov. Reeder to appear as a witness before the grand 
jury at Lecotnpton He declined answering the summons, on the 
ground of his business before the commissioners — that he was 
exempt from appearing as a witness. Open threats were being 
made at this time against Gov. Reeder’s life. Major Clark, 
the murderer of Barber, was drilling a company of fifty men at 
Lecompton, daily, and the Buford men were gathering at Lecomp- 
ton. We passed them in companies of eight or ten as we went to 
and from Topeka. They have no money, only the clothes they 
wear, and if rifle, for which they have given their notes to Major 
Buford. They looked, indeed, like the very offscouring of all 
creation. 
When they landed at Kansas city they had no money to pay 
