Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-09-30
THE FAR WEST.

| II this term, apparently vague in itself, was
ever susceptible Of specific application, it en-
braced all that immense portion of the United
States territory lying west of the Mississippi, and
Illinois and Wisconsin east of il. 1t then either
included was bounded by every object Of
geogra phcal consideraton-iis ocean, lakes, riv-
en, mountains, plains, forests, soil and mines,
either ranked ahead with the FIRST OF their res
pective classes. The term West, had become
inappropriate and had fallen into partial dsuse.--
Al one time it implied central New York, at a
mother Buffalo, and, little later, Detroit and "ihe
banks of the Ohio" In making these several
aud unequal stands, it had pushed its frontier
nearly one thousand miles. BY this time the sim
ple word West, became uncertain and even per-
picking in its signfcalion--for 'Easi," or "down
east" which originally meant the southern and
Atlantic portion of the Eastern States, aud finally
all New England, became in turn fastened upon
New York. The immigrant Of Indiana was from
the East, if no hailed from any point east OF Ohio,
while in fac, he was from that portion OF the eoun-
try which very few years before was known as
,he West--a term that had never yet been abroga-
ted. The people ofthe East called him western
man, and the people of thu West an eastern man.
The citizen OF Indiana called him Yankee, and
the citizen of Massachusetts called him Dutch
man. But this last was too queer and sonolous
tenn TO be lost, and consequently the people OF
Pennsylvania have been set apar, from the whole
race ofpure and mixed Yankees to enjoy the undi-
yided honor Of being Dutchmen-resardless cf
their complexion, dale CT OF lineage. From this
confusion of locality aud nativity, the term Far
West came Into existence, aud was made to COM
prise no small part ola Continent To the resi-
dent of New England this new appsllation meant
something farther west than west Esslf, and TO the
incredulous and timid something TOO remote for
rational conjecture. IL was, however, only term
of conuadislnclion ,or the index TO the improved
aud enlarged edition Of the West. Emigration
unblushingy flowed on-ihe Mississippi was
crossed, the Indian put aside, and Iowa settled
almost in day. Then the immigrant from OHIO,
claimed to be, aud was often denominsted, an
eastern man. This designation, however, is not
yet fully snctoned by custom. But very few
years will fnd oho's sons not Only enrolled with
eastern men, bu, thorough Yankees-thas name
thM is already written in more languages than
there als letters in the word, and which is insep-
srably connected with some of the most useful inn
pTov,msn.s aud wonderful inventions of the nine
Isenth century. Bu, the field vas so unbouided,
aud the line Of division 50 indefinite aud auctu-
ating, that some better means of distraction than
East, IVES, and Far West were found requisite
But how was the identity TO be established. The
settlement had been marked by rapidiiy borier-
ing so closely upon the marvellous as 10 confuse both
dates and features. BY the grasping speculate,
aud the anps.tsnding farmer. The visionary the
orsi and the man Of taste and letters the man from
Nav England and New YORK, trOm the sea coast
to the iatefior from the extreme south to the far
,hesi aorth, from every eoJa,ry OF Europe aud al
mos, ehrist-alom this unmatched rasa OF smigrA-
,iOa and settlement had been ie5. In shi- dilem-
ma, Buckeye, Hoosier, Sucker, woolvsTiae, Bad
sers, Sc sp,ang into general uss-tiilss by which
the diasren, States aud Territories could be rseOs-
nirsd without sacrificing anything nPoa the scOSs
Of taste aad suphony.
i We have thus attempted TO trace All dshas the
philosophy Of names BY which one Of The mishtissi
empires on sslth is knawn--aan,ss that form the
ltiils-pass 10 a volums OF bold and almost START
Ha. anomalies in the hissof, Of human enter
prise. Alter all oar spseulauoas about the avlalsy
Of gain. the Inherent res;lsssasss Of temper sad
the iaaOmitaole g,asPas Of oI' race, there seems
10 be, 10 ,ha, impulse which has psO9lsa ihis vast
r.sion, a something still behind, something OF
the essential priacipls uaehaEsetsritsd, ssea BY
the results Of uashaekIea freedom. The visionary
dreams aud ssT-oa e0njsetaFss Of to-day are The
.eommOa place facts OF so-nofrow, prophecies the
uos rash saa ulS0aade5 AL far ,6oii Of he As