The Arkansas advocate., 1830-03-31

point upon the map, the arm of the iron- ltlersman had leyelled the forest, and let A1 thessun. Theselittle patches of earth,
 a4nost shadowed by the overhanglng
 boaghs of that wilderness, which had
 stoet and perpetuated itself, from centu- y te century, ever since the creation,
 wereall that had then been yerdant by
 the haad of man.--In an extent of hun-
 dreds apd thousands of square miles, no
 other suEtace of smiling green attested
 the presence of civilization. The hun
 ter's patherossed mighty rivers, fow-
 ing in solitary grandeur, whose sources
 lay Tn remote and unknown regions of
 the wilderness. 1t struck upon the
 norths on vast inland sea, over which
 the wintry tempest ragged as on the O.
 cean; all around was bpre creation. It
 was fresh, untouched, ubounded, mag niicent wilderness. Ahl, sir, what is 1t now? Is it inaginationsa saly, or can it possibly be fact that preents such a change, as surprises and asonishes us.
 when we turn our eyes to what Ohio
 now is? Is it reality or dreaa. that if,
 So short period even as thirtyfve years
 there has sprung up on the sane sur
 face, an independant State, witt mil lion of people. 4 million ofanhabi-4
 tants! an amount of population geater
 than that of all the eantons of Ss:tzer-
 land; equal to one-third of all the pople
 ofthe U. States, when they undert,ok
 to accomplish their independence
 This new member of the Republic la
 already left far behind her, maiorih
 of the old States. She is now by the 1 side of Virginia and Pennsylvania; and
 ii point of numbers, viii shortly adm
 nc equal but New ! ork herself. fl. l sir, we may judge of measures by thei, i results, what lessons do these facts read I Us, upon the policy of the government I What inferences do they authorize upon
 the general question of kindness or utl.
 kindness? What convictions do they et,- force. as to the wisdom and ability, CT the one iiaad, or the folly and incapaei. 1 y, on the other, of our general admins.
 tratlon of western atiairs2 Sir, does il 1 not require some portion of sslf-respeci ! in us, to imagine that If our light had
 shoue on the path ot government, if oai 'l wisdom could nave been consulted iii its
 measures, a more rapid advance to strength aadprosperity would lave beer experienced? For my own Pssst, whils>4 4 am struck with wonder at thegsuccess. also look with admiratlon at. the wisdom and foresight which originally arranged
 and prescribed the system for the settle. ment of the public domain. It's opera.
 ton has been, without a moments in.
 terruption, to push the settlement of the
 western couatry to the fuii extent of our ' utmost means.
 II But, sir, to return to the remarks ol the honorable member from South Ca.
 rolina. He says that Congress has sold 1 5hese lands, and put the money into the
 Treasury, while other Governments acf.
 ing in more liberal spirit, gave ava,
 their lands; and that We ought, also, to have given ours away. shall not stop to state an account between our reye.
 nues derived from land, and our expelr ditures in Indian treaties and Indian wars. But, l must refer the honorable gentleman to the origin of our own title to the soil of these Territories, and re.
 mind him that we received them On
 conditions and under trusts which would I have been violated by giving the soil a.
 way. For compliance with those COL ! ditions and the just execution of those trusts, the public faith was solemnly
 pledged. The public lands of the u.
 States have been derived from four prin- cipal sources. First, Cession made to the United States by individual States. i on the recommendation Or request oi
 the old Congress. Second, The com pact with Georgia in 1902. Third, The fl purchase of Louisiana in 1903. Fourth. ! The purchase of Florida in ISl9. Oi 1 the first class, the most important was
 the cession by Virginia of all her righi and title, as well of soil as jurisdiction
 to all the territory within the limits oI
 her charter, lying to the Northwest ol I the river Ohio. It may not be ilI-timed
 to recur to the causes and occasions ol this and the other similar grants.
 : When the war of the Revolution broke out, great difference existed ii dlfferentStates in the proportion betwenn ]. people and territory. The northern and eastern states. With very small sur.