Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-04-27

and furnishes q great proportion OF mo
national revenue. Its trade, wealth an&
importance are progressing with acceies
rated pace; and when the ARTIFICIAL "a'es
communication with the great western
lakes shall be completed, New orS
will be the second, if not the first, COM
mercial city in the world. ne greaI
canal is deservedly accounted one oil the
wonders OF the age.-Thio important.
work, which bnt few years since was
considered too great for the resources OF
the union to accomplish, will be COM
| pleted within z years from its COM
mencement, by the state of New-York
alone. When it shall be accomplished
there will not be within the state spot
more than 40 miles distant from some
stream of water, on which our produce
may be waited 10 the market of one ofihe
great cities of New-York, Philadelphia,
or Baltimore But it is not to the city
or even TO the state of Ncw-York, that the
benefits of the canal will be conhned.-
Those immense inland seas which, by
means OF the canal, are united with tho
waters OF the Hudson and OF the A tlantic,
are surrounded with extensive and fertile
countries. The difficulty OF access, and
the want of market, have hitherto pre-
vented their settlement. But these en-
barrassmepts are now removed, and We
may calculate with certaintythat not only
the shores OF Erie, Huron, Michigan, and
Superior, but also those of the>nurnerous
rivers which pour their tributary streams
into those lakes, will at no distant period
be subjected TO the dominion Of agricul-
ture, and civiIiz alton. Those vast tracts
OF land are now the property of govern
ment, and the revenue arising 10 the
union from their enhanced value will
probably equal the whole expense Of the
canal. New stars arising in the west,
will claim their place in the American
constellation. A mere ,rilc of labor
and expense will be sufficient to unite the
waters of the lakes with those Of the
Ohio, the Illinois, and Mississippi, and
thus open an uninterrupted inland water
navigation from New.York, through the
fertile regions Of the west, TO New-Or-
leans. Nor will the effects Of this sys-
tenn be confined to the introduction oil
wealth, or the extension of population.
Its influence will be felt in all the opera
tons OF government. 1t is an electric
chain, binding the distant parts of the
confederacy in the strongest tics of mu-
struck, j! will vibrate in every link,
awak cning correspondent sensations in
other parts of the union, however geo
graphically removed.
The advantages Of our state are BY
ne means limited to fertility of soil and
facility for commerce. The moral char
acter OF the people is of the highest
grade oil excellence. Our government
has exhibited its liberality in the cree
ton and endowment of seminaries of
learning for the higher branches of edu-
cation, but its wisdom and munificenca
have been most strongly eyinced in the
establishment of common schools, the
great means Of forming the morals and
character ola people. An opportunity
of education is SO accessible 10 all, thar
a man incompetent, from his ignorance,
to transact ordinary business, will be
considered in the rising generation as
little short OF monster.
Forty years ago the western district
| Of this state was one vast wilderness.
No sound, except the howl Of the wolf,
and the more dreadful war whoop Of the
savage, broke the silence Of that awful
solitude. But the forest have giyea
place 10 cultivated fields waving in their
season with the rich products OF an album
dapt harvest. Where the untutored In
dian roamcd, an intelligent and happy
yeomanry now inhabit. Where 1.-The
wrctched wigwam stood, is now found
the neat and elegant farm house. Sci
ence and learning, civilization and re~
6nement, hold their empire where ig-
norance and barbarism tyrannized.
About 900 people are numbered in
this territory, where so lately white
inhabiiant was almost unknown. Favors
ed indeed in natural advantages must
this district be, or it could not have risen
with such rapid strides to wealth aud in4
lauence. II comprises by far the mos:
fertile lands OF the state. The salt
springs of Onondaga and Mon,ezuma
furnish not only an abundant supply Of
that Indispensable article for domestic
use, but also large, surplus for distant
markets. In the plaster qnartles Of
lCayuga we have an inexhaustible source
of the most ferlilizing manure, which
serves as wellto keep our own soil pro-
duclive, as TO render the neighboring
countries tributary TO our superior ma
tural advantages. Streams of water, adj
mirably adapted to hydraulic operations,