The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-04-22

near by, and the school house, steady employ |
ment, fair pay for that employment; and, IL he
he energetic and Industrious. a certainty Of in
depeuce and an opportunity 10 yet up in the
world. The ariizsa and day-laborer in the free
States, feel, unquestionaby. the bad effects of
hot competition; but Notwithstanding this great
evil, the vast majority Of them enabled to do
well, and 10 live weli-to enjoy the real COM
forts of life. Turn now TO the same class in our
own State. We cannot shut our eyes to the
fact, that, comparatively speaking, they have
few of the advantages common TO the Ohio ar
tizan and day-laborer. Begin the contrast with
the homes in which they live--the facilities of
market and of travel-the motives TO labor, and
the paw of labor-the advantages Of church
aud schooi-and in one and all Of them Ken
tuck isns are behind their neighbors.
Take still another view. Look at the capa-
biliiies of Massachusetts,, as developed, in COM
parison with the capabilities Of Kentucky. Bos-
ton Is the centre Of a web Of railroads extending
in every direction. She is united with the
lakes in the West; with New York in the South
west; and soon she will reach the ST. Lawrence
and the far North with her iron tracks, while
every part of the State, almost, is bound togeth-
er by railways. What is the consequencef-
Not merely that her wealth is doabled and trea-
bled, but that every industrious citizen within
her borders enjoys to the full, all the necessary
comforts Of life. What Massachusetts, is, we
may learn only by seeing il. The eye takes in,
and the heart feels the untold blessings which
an advanced civilization brings to her citizens;
but the pen cannot describe il. Nor is Massa-
chusetis content with combining her own good
within her borders. Look at the late re-
msrkable purchase of the Michigan Central
Railway by Boston capital. Michigan under
took to build this road; she failed. Her credit
as State, was lost, and her public works, half
completed, of no use TO her. Boston men at this
luncture slept in, purchased the road-restored
the credit Of the State thereby-and will soon
establish railway connexion between Detroit
aud ST. Joseph's And where in the mean time
is kentucky What has she done-what is she
doing-in developing her resources by judicious
public works, and thus adding to the comforts,
and extending the civilization Of her people
Alas. she is as a strong man bound down TO the
earth. Her arm is no; uplifted, and her voice
is no, heard in this glorious cause. She locks
on hopelessly, almost at the progress of such a
State as Massachusetts,. despairing of ever nc
oomplishing the half she has accomplished
And wherefore is il so7 Why this difference
! 1t is alone the result of free labor. Nothing
else Causes it. Massachusetts, is free-kentucky
cursed with slavery; and hence the former en-
joys so much of prosperity, while the latter, in
her very youth, looks as if in the decay Of age.
But it may be said, in reply, that Ohio is an
exception, and that Massachusetts, is an old
State-that she has been for centuries garnering
up the wealth and comfort she now possesses
and it is unfair to contrast Kentucky with
either. SO be it. Look, then, if it please We,
| Kentuckans, at Indiana, taking energy as a test
of the possession Of comfort and progress-Ihis
State, some twelve fifteen years ago, began
most injudiciOusly, grand system of public
works. She failed in completing il, and lost
besides, ler credit. One portion Of her system
proposed a canal from Lawrenceburg TO Cam
bridge; another, railroad from Madison TO In
dianapolis Both were begun. But when the
State failed, il became evident that they must
be abandoned.-They ners abandoned. What
did the citizens on these lines, under these cir
cumstancesl They did not send an agent to the
Fast TO obtain loan; they did not go to the
banks of their own State to borrow the means
they did something better than all this they
put their shoulders to the wheel, and by their
OnR labor and means, have completed these two
lines of public works. Where has this kind OF
energy been manifested in Kentucky In what
part Of it have our people stood by each other
ia this spirit At what time, when the State
has failed TO carry on, she promised to do,
our public works, have our farmers and mer-
chants acted as these men Of Indiana have done
We cannot disguise the fact IL we look at our
elder sister, Massachusetts, or our younger sis
ters Ohio and Indiana, we see the same truth
! illustrated. It's free labor that makes prosper
ity. It's free labor that makes men and the
State grow. IT'S free labor which fills the land
with churches and school houses--with light
and liberty-and with every convenience and
comfort of life.