Rain Again—Prospects of the Crop Improved—Political Affairs.
The New York Times, June 19, 1860
Lawrence, Sunday, June 10, 1860.
Yesterday morning, to the great joy of Kansas, we awoke to find the earth refreshed by a warm and gentle rain, that continued an hour or two, until about an inch in depth had fallen. It then remained cloudy through the day, with every indication of more rain. A more busy day was never seen in this part of Kansas. Fields that had been plowed and furrowed since the first of March were planted to corn as rapidly as swift hands could do it. From that hour everybody seemed to have confidence that abundant rain was at hand, and that there was still time this year for a corn crop. To-day, at my time of writing, it is raining for the third time since morning. The heavens are opened. Nature smiles anew. Man rejoices. Kansas is saved.
Seed of all kinds will be planted as soon as possible, and we shall try the new experiment of a Summer after mid-June. But whatever the weather now, the fate of wheat is sealed,—it will be a total failure.
The papers tell us that our State bill is hopelessly lost for this session. So they are willing to let Kansas “bleed” during another campaign. Democracy had nothing to hope for with Kansas in the Union. What has she, with Kansas out? The 6th of November next will answer. We are not so blind as to think the failure of the bill for admission—the postponement of the Kansas claims, and the rejection of the bill for land grants at this session, are all purely accidental, when several other Territories are getting all the favors they ask. O, no! This troublesome child they expect to teach the lesson of love, by kicking it down stairs. We long ago ceased hoping to gather figs off thistles.