Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-03-15

mat he was not able to entertain them in
a style more worthy their merits. The
guests answer immediately, and express
the very great pleasure which they had at
the dinner. sfss.
The Valley Of the Mississippi.
The following eloqdent extract, descrip-
tive OF the extent and resources of the great
American Valley, and the difficulties and
loss of life attendant upon the neglect Of
Congress to remove the Instructions in its
rivers, is portion Of an address recently
made by the Hon. ]. w. Tibbatts, of Ken
lucky. The occasion which induced it was
the presentation to Mr.. Tibbatts, by the
commercial and river men of Cine nnati, of
a splendid silver pitcher, as a testimonial Of
their appreciation Of his efforts ii Congress
to procure approximations for the purchase
by the Government of the Louisville and
Portland Canal, and FOR the improv emen Of
the navigabie waters of the West:
The vast extent and boundless resource
of the great valley of Mississippi have
been but little known abroad, and scarcely
estimated or realized among ourselves
E tending from the Goth to the 47th degree
Of north latitude, and stretching from the
Alleghanies to the Rocky Mountains, it
embraces an area of more than 400, 900
square miles of land, unsurpassed in fertil-
ity, and unequalled in its productions;
country intersccted in every direction BY
magnificent and beautiful rivers; affording
more than $4,000 miles of navisable wa
tiers. Here we possess every thing that
man can ask for his comfort and independ-
ence-mines of wealth untold-millions of
riches in copper. and iron, and lead in the
bowels Of the earth, and on the surface rich
pastures gladden. the eye of the herdsman,
we'll adapted to the raising of cattle and
sheep, and the growth of wool, and lands
fertile in the productions of hemp and -four,
Of cotton and sugar, corn and maize, and
all the neccssaries and most of the luxu-
ries Of life; and this country Is inhabited
by more than six millions of people. ins,,r-
passed by the Inhabitants Of any portion Of
the civilized world, for industry and enter
prise, for talents, for honor, for courage,
and for all the qualities which elevate and
adorn human nature, and render man SUI
perior being.
Our resources arc thus unbounded, and
our people capable of putting them to the
greatest advantage. Yet we are not con-
tent--our difficulties are the result Of the
very abundance which is yielded TO our
labors; our productions are vastly more
than we can consume, and we must find
markets for them abroad; our interchangeable
merchants and traders do accomplish this
let their difficulties be what they may
your enterprising State has already con-
nected the waters Of the Ohio with those
of the lakes, by the means Of navigable ca
nails; and Indiana and Illinois will effect the
same object-and our citizens by individ-
ual enterprise are doing the same by means
of railroad. Bountiful as nature has been
to us, something still is left us to contend
with and surmount. Distractions exist in
our navigation which cannot be overcome
by individual or State enterprise, and we
must look to the national government for
the means. Such are the falls of the Ohio,
and the RATS and snags. and sawyers Of the
Mississippi and its tributaries; these not
only constitute instructions to our COM
merce, but our enterprising river men are
in danger of their lives every stroke Of the
piston or the oar. Millions Of property
have been lost and hundreds of lives have
been sacrificed, by the neglect of the gem
eral government to make adequate appro-
priations for the removal of these obstruc-
tons and the construction of harbors on the
western lakes. During the last session of
Congress, whilst the western appropria-
tons were under discussion, it seemed that
hardly mail arrived which did not bring
the news of some sad and melancholy dis
aster upon our lakes, or our rivers--the
very breezes which come over the Allie
ghanies seemed to wraft upon their bosoms
the death shrieks Of our hardy and enter
prising navigators, as they sunk and were
buried in the waters of the lakes or Of the
Mississippi-and the wall Of the widowed
wives and orphan children seemed to ac-
cuse the rulers Of the nation of being the
murdcrers of their husbands and fathers,
by nsglecting to make the necessary appro-
priations. M ~
The Erhoolmaster.-There is no Office
higher than that Of teacher of youth, for
there is nothing on earth SO precious as
the mind, soul, and character Of the child.
No office should be regarded with greater
respect. The first minds in the coinmu-
nifty should be encouraged to assume it,
Parents should do all but impoverish Them
selves, to induce such to become the guar
dams and guides Of their children. To
this coed, all their show and luxury should