Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-11-20
country could not at once lie organized

and drawn into practical usefulness.
Great numbers oil our population being
recent settlers are for the most part en-
gagged in Opening farms, building houses,
and preparing for future comfort and
profit; and thus necessarilyconsume more
than they make for expectation, hence
the great and incessant drain of the pre-
cious metals. which has, left us almost
,withosta circulating medium Of any in
trinsic value. The means by which this
evilhas been heretofore cenntcrbalanced.
was the wealth annually brought apd Cir
cnla,ed- among Us by emissants from
other countries. But even from this
resource have we been cut off. The
people from the Other states were si.tIcv-
ing under. the same evils by which we
are afflicted; consequently the number Of
emigrants was greatly diminished, and
the few who were desirous of Sealing
among us, alarmed at the doubtful state
OK cur political affairs, have directed
their course to other frontiers. Yet we
should not despair of the Republic. AL
though the task devolved upon us be ar
dious and difficult, the evils by which we.
are surrounded are not insuperable. 1t
is hoped that the wisdom of the General
Assembly may be able to devise some
eff'ec,ual plan of present relief from the
ealamitous consequences which over
traded and unggarded spe culations
have brought upon the country. 10 at
tempting this desirable measure, it is our
especial duty to blend with our humanity
for the unfortunate debtor, due respect
for the principles of the Constitution and
the rights OF creditors.
But it is to our internal rcsources-to
the natural riches of the country, that
would chiefly look for the permanent
wealth aud prosperity Of the state. The
noble rivers by which our country is
bounded and intersected, render every
considerable district accessible for COM
mercial purposes at every season Of the
year. and the rapidly of steam nagiga-
ton enables us to unite the advantages IF
northern situation with the prompt en-
ioyment Of southern mari Tor or pro-
tluctions. With climate temperate and
and peculiarly adaptedto the production
of all the great staples Of western con-
sumption and commerce, and pregnant
with inexhaustible stores of Lead, Iron
and salt, our state holds out advantages
to Industrious enterprize uneqtsllcd IN
any part OF the continent. A knowledge
of these advantages inspires the patriot
with confident hope, and gives 10 his
mind delightful prescience of the
proud pre-eminence to which his coun-
try must one day attain. Yeti is me-
lancholy fact that our active capital has
hitherto been squandered in speculatipns
worse than useless; while the very artl-
Giles for the production Of which we
ought to stand unriyalled, are imported
and consumed among as in enormous
quantities., tits believed that the freight
paid by US for the transportation from
other states of Iron, Salt, Tobacco,
Whiskey, Flour and Bacon, antusl'y
amounts to sum sufficient TO deiray
more than halfthe ordinary expances OF
the government. Here gentlemen, opens
q noble field for your useful labors. 10
awaken the slumbering energies Of your
'oountrymen, and direct them 10 the pro
per objects Of individual and national
prosperity, is glorious TASK To be the
instruments Of amelioraling the condition
of your country, by well planned systems
of encouragement to the develop men;
and application Of its internal resources,
is surely a fortunate destiny. ,ALhat dss-
tiny is yours and your col hny has a
right to expect at your hands, arne stand
active efforts in SO great a cause. 500
N / And It impossible, and indeed deem
it unnecessary to be very minute in par
ticularizing the various measures to
which it. might be proper, to resort ON
this interesting subject; but alter one
general remark, applicable alike to all
its branches, will proceed to give my
views of some few Of them only. In
adopting any plan of encouragement,
we should avoid even the appearance Of
flucsuating views and temporary policy;I
and give to our system whatever it may
be tho real character Of permanence and
stability. i
The lead mines situate in variOus parts
Of the state, in themselves form a source
of countless wealth; but as they have
been invariably excepted from grants and
combinations of land to private mdividu-
ais, they still remain the property OF the
United States. Che Federal government,
either, uniformed Of their real value,
or ignorant Of the best mode Of rendering,
them productive, has left them in con-
tlition comparatively useless. Isuggestl