“We arrived at Atchison in the forenoon. Among the company was our distinguished senator, in honor of whom the new city was named. There was a large assemblage on the ground, with plenty of tables set for dinner, where the crowd could be accommodated with bacon and bread, and a drink at the branch, at fifty cents a head. The survey of the town had just been completed the evening before. Stockholders held a meeting, to arrange particulars of sale, and afterwards, as had been previously announced, General Atchison mounted an old wagon and made a speech. He commenced by mentioning the bountiful country that was beginning to be settled; to some of the circumstances under which a territorial government was organized, and in the course of his remarks, mentioned how Douglass came to introduce the Nebraska bill, with a repeal clause in it. He told of how Judge Douglass requested twenty-four hours in which to consider the question of introducing a bill for Nebraska, like the one he had promised to vote for, and said that if, at the expiration of that time, he could not introduce such a bill, which would not at the same time accord with his own sense of right and justice to the South, he would resign as chairman of the territorial committee, and Democratic caucus, and exert his influence to get Atchison appointed. At the expiration of the given time, Judge Douglass signified his intention to report such a bill. “General Atchison next spoke of those who had supported and those who had opposed the bill in the Senate, and ended by saying that the American people loved honesty and could appreciate the acts of a man who openly and above-board voted according to the will of his constituents, without political regard or favor. He expressed his profound contempt for abolitionists, and said if he had his way he would hang everyone of them that dared to show his face, but he knew that Northern men settling in the Territory were sensible and honest, and that the right feeling men among them would be as far from stealing a negro as a Southern man would. “When Senator Atchison concluded his remarks, the sale of town lots began, and thirty-four were sold that afternoon, at an average of $63.00 each. Most of those that were sold were some distance back from the river, and speculators were not present, so far as it could be determined, and lots that were sold were bought mostly by owners of the town. Prices ranged from $35.00 to $200.00.” At this meeting the projects of building a hotel and establishing a newspaper were discussed, and as a result, each of the original 100 shares was assessed $25.00, and in the following spring the National Hotel, corner of Second and Atchison streets, was built. Dr. J. H. Stringfellow and Robert S. Kelley received a donation of $400.00 from the town company, to buy a printing office and in February, 1855, the _Squatter Sovereign_, which subsequently did so much for the pro-slavery cause, was born.