The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-04-13
NUMBER lss
THE WING sTANDARD
THE GREAT WEST.

:
THE GREAT WEST. = = ~
We listened with extreme pleasure to the re-
marks of Senator MoREHEAD, few weeks ago,
on presenting the memorial of the citizens Of
Cincinnati, depicting the commerce and resour-
ces, the growth and prosperity, Of that wonder
ful region, which may be designated as the val
ley of the Mississippi, and had intended giving
place to them in the Standard; but the very linn
tied extent of our space prevented US from doing
this. We have, however, condensed the infor-
nation contained in the Cincinnati memoria. and
Mr.. Morehead's remarks, into as brief space
as possible, and now present it to our readers, TO
whom, we cannot doubt, it will prove highly in
teresting and acceptable.
The American people having been familiar
from infancy with the settlement and growth Of
the new States, cannot fully appreciate the mag
nitude of the work which has been accomplished.
II requires reflection, and comparison OF our
country with those of Europe, in order to realize
its almost miraculous progress in wealth and
population, social and moral improvement. Look
at Ohio, for instance Fifty years ago it literal
ly had no existence-nota tree had been felled- 4
not turrow opened in its virgin soil. But now,
while many of those still live who were pioneers
in its wilds, it has been transformed into great
and noble State, numbering nearly two millions,
containing a city Of eighty thousand souls, and
with general diffusion Of education, religious
instruction, and physical comforts, which is not
to be found, and never existed in any part of Eu.
rope. or in any part Of the old world. And what
oT sr.yxA rs
entire West No parallel can be found for il,
and no conjecture formed of the population, and
wealth, and power, which it will attain within
the short scope Of time allotted % those now
Living. There is azasy reason IN 4hink AAat the
States now forming, and to b stOfhcds out Uf me
Western Territory Of the United States, will in-
crease in p ,pulation with greater rapidity than
| even Ohio has done. Ohio received the surplus
population Of only the States east o. y. and that
at a time when those States were far less popu-
| lous than now but the new States further west
will receive the surplus Of Ohio sci together
| with an increasing surplus from the States east
| of il. And hence, each new Stale, in all time
TO come, must necessarily increase with greater
rapidly than any of its predecessors. IL there
is any doubt entertained of this truth. 1t will
| vanish at once upon an examination Of the Gene
rs tables. hus i, will be seen, that at the
period of our Revolution, after the country had
been settled for century and half, the popu-
laton of the States amounted to only three mill
lions but in the last sixty years. it has risen to
seventeen, perhaps by this time 10 nineteen mill
lions New York and Pennsylvania have in
creased in population fas er than New England;
| he western parts Of those States faster than the
| Ca tern; and it ha. been the same principle
which has caused Ohio to spring into ext tence
with the magical rapidly above adverted TO-
The same causes continuing to operate, must me-
cessarily produ similar results in the States yet
/ 10
Sideralions TO be pursued leisure by the reader,
we will proceed to draw W synopsis OF the
| memorial TO which we have referred, and which
our limits will not allow US TO insert at length
| The region of country drained by the Missis-
| 'ppi and it's tributaries according 10 the memo
rial, extends from the 29th TO the 9th degree Of
North latitude, and from the Allegheny to the
Rocky mountains The inhabited portion Of this
,ast territory, over which civil government has
been established, is estimated at 100000 square
niles, and constitute nine States and two organ
lied territorial governments The population of
this region, known as the West" or Mississippi
Valley, already numbers 6.46l,692, which en-
braces the western parts of Pennsylvania and Vir-
gina and 80 intimately are its interests connect.
ed with those of the eastern portion Of the Com
tederacy, that four States the Atlantic border
have entered into warm competition for their
trade. The length of the Mississippi from the
falls of ST. Anthony to it's mouth is said to be
1000 miles--that of the Ohio from Pttsburg to
it's mouth is 1000. The navgable length Of the
Missouri is 5000 miles-and the aggregate nav-
gable length of all the tributaries of these prin-
cpal streams, is set down at 5000 miles---making
he whole extent of navigation 10000 miles. az
every river has two banks, the memorlasts rlgnt-
" enough double this number in order to arrive
at the real extent of shore washed BY these
streams, which is therefore $4,000 miles. The
extent of our sea coast is perhaps not moro than
a tenth of that number, and It is hence thought
reasonable that the Federal Government should
regard the improvement OF the SERVERS as work
of great national Importance. t
In connection with the subject of Western
Commerce, the memorialsts introduce num-
Der of interesting facts from speech Of Mr.
Giddngs in Congress-, upon the condition Of
the lake harbors and trade. The American flag
had been first raised on lake Erie in 1896, on
board small schooner of 20 tons and the first