Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-10-09

tud6 Win Inc cneckS OF OoSpouC
Government always upon them, and
without the aid Of those powerful
| physical agencies Qhe creations OF
modern science,) which so irresistibly
tend to bring men together into
masses, at the great points, where
the products of industry are collected
and distributed, TO supply the wants
of men. Ii any one should subject
himself to ridicule, as visionary,
who should have the boldness TO pre-
dict, that the child is already born,
who will live to see Cincinnati teem-
ing with million OF people, that vi
sionary, in self-defence, might con-
fdentIy point to the thousands OF
men now living, who have seen great
er and more incredible things accom-
plished in their day. What have
you, yourselves, not accomplished in
the last half century? Does any
one fancy that the fountains Of
science and the fertility of invention
are exhausted That with the innu-
merable facilities for high enterprises
that have come into existence in our
day--with the hitherto undiscovered
forces of nature, which are now.com-
ing forth on every side, at the bidding
OF science, and offering their aid in
the great work OF improvement, does
any one, can any one doubt, that for
a century to come, your city will go
forward with an accumulating pro-
gress, in the development Of its pro-
digious capaciIiesl Does any one
imagine that the practical character
Of her people will not continue 10
work out great thoughts into great
results? that the earnest and resolute
spirit to which nothing now looks
formidable, will faint and fail them
in time to come? and that too in a
land where no chain binds he free
dom Of the human mind-where
there is nothing TO cramp its faculties,
or repress its boldest aspirations.
have often dwelt in imagination,
upon the future greatness OF your
city, and the consequent prosperity
of the surrounding country, with the
highest delight, as realities, that in
the iuilness of time, are sure TO come.
| have, also, often asked myself the
question, if there be any calamity,
arising from natural, moral, or po-
litical causes, to which she is exposed,
that has power to arrest her onward
progress to greatness, and defeat her
high destiny. | can imagine but
one event that has power, infallibly,
to PROSTATE all her high hopes, and
the prospective hopes Of all others,
who are dwellers on either side of
our beautiful Ohio. That event is a
division of the Union. with that river
for boundary. Cut off, as she then
would be, from her access to the Mis-
sissippi and tine Gulf of Mexico, with
her trade confined to the Northern
side of the river, she would no lon
ger be as she now is, the great point
OF concentration and distribution OF
the various products of industry.
For whatever sought the Atlantic
for a market, would of necessity go
from the Northward, and not. as now,
Southwark to her, thus shifting her
position from great commercial
centre 20 its circumference. Nor is
this all; the wide mouthed cannon
planted on the opposite shore of the
river, ready without a moments
warning to vomit their deadly missels
upon her inhabitants, would be an
ever present and fearful proof OF the
insecurity OF life and property within
her limits. This, however, is but a
view of single point on a division
line oil some thousands Of miles in
extent, all every where exposed to
the same danger. From the most Sc
cure, (being now in the very heart OF
the country the country bordering
on this long line of division, would
become the most insecure Of any on
the face of the globe. Nay, more,
the condition of the whole territory
Of the United States would be Instant
ly and totally changed by such an
event.
1t is not the least, If it be not the
very greatest blessing we desire from
the Union as nation, tina: it enbrd-
ces in the bonds of one brotherhood all
utO haze anything to fear from each
other. Hence a mere shadow Of an
army of eight or ten thousand men
is adequate 10 the defence Of this
great nation. Suppose, however,
that the twenty-five millions that
compose the population of the United
States, were set down any where on
the continent of Europe, does
any one imagine it could exist in |
safety for a Jingle day, without a
standing army Of at least two hun
dred thousand menl Is it not per-
fectly plain, that from the moment Of
separation, each division Of the coun-