Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1817-10-14

| Considering the peculiar adoption OF the
season 10 the object in view, We ought not,
perhaps, to be surprised at the multitude OF
these hordes we ought rather TO regret
that SO many of our honest yeomen should
| have been caloled by the arts and iinesse of
land lobbers and spectators. What bene-
tit can they nationally expect ilom the
change? Ia tie land whittier they 60
they will find all the Inconvenience. with
not half the comforts that are realized in
New England Storms will continue to at
tend them the rude winds of heaven will
still whistle around their dwellings.
II detlora6ie shecies Of madness. 1t Is
said by some who lately have travelled the
great roads in which are the principal
streams of emigration from East TO West,
and have enquirsd ofinnkeepers on the sub
iec,,that the numbers emigrating have been
far greater this year than at any former Pc
riod also, that many OF them had not fix
ed before hand on any particular place fol
their future residence. One gentleman, .
man OF high responsibility, informed US that
he met long line OF teams, thirty in mum
Der, and asking the drivers, one by one,
whittier they We're bound almost all OF
them replied, . We arc bound 10 the
Westward !" seeming not 10 know them
selves, what particular spot, or town, or dis
ttict of "vasty" West would tel inmate
their migrations
Ii is impossible for the eye of any dis
cernmsnt not TO forrsee that this infatua-
ton must result III the Indebtedness and
misery Of multitudes. Generally speaking,
they viii be sorely disappointed, and will
look back with fearful eyes, and unavaiing
regrets, to the enjoymcnts they have left
behind them. This is as certain as the Ak
ed course of nature.
For, first, the descriptions of the greatly
superior excellence of the western soil and
climate, if not wholly unfounded, are ex-
trrmely exaggerated. They are made by
..yaricious Spectators and their associates
and dependents, for purposes too obvious 10
be mistaken by persons OF any discernment
The Il nth is, in those very regions SO high
ly extofled and SO eagerly sought after,
there is great deal of lean and worthless
land, as well as of good and also large
mixture of peculiar disadvantages.
2. That which the craft and ayarioe Of
speculation have chiefly aimed at, has al
ready been attained namely, great In
crease of the price of lands in the new set
| dement's. Such as are of the best quality
are now extravagantly dear, and the mid
ding, and even the worthless, are readily
chartered eft among such multitades OF pur-
chasers, OF whom great part are very
easily duped. AT the same time, in the old
settlements the price of land is laIlen, by
reason that vast proportion Of their popu
lation is drained away. Whence ii comes
about, that at the present instant many are
purchasiog lands IN the bosom of the viii
derness, at dearer rate than they might
purchase them in the bosom OF civilization.
3 As TO the thousands and tens of thou,
sands who, with their families, 20 on des-
tituie, or with little or nothing more than
to carry them to their journeys end, they
will fall into two divisions. One part and
probably the greater part, must be lsbour-
ers, BY thesmonih or day in the service oil
such men as are able and willing to employ
them. And will theirlabou, maintain them
better there than it would ut home II is
doubtful, and more than doubtful. For
these excessive emgrations occasion
scarceness and DEAFNESS in the old settle
ments, and corresponding plenty and
cheapness OF it in the new. Not 10 men
lion that they must be in the empley,of ut
Ter strangers, OF whom great proDortion
WILDE found fair in speech, but Of knayish