The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-04-24
THE HALF CENTURY.
A RETROSPECT.

from the n. Y. Tribune, is of exceeding
interest at the present time, when we are
Just entering upon new half century,
The changes, mutations, and progress Of
the last half century may serve US to sur
mise, to some extent what the next shall
undergo.
Fifty years ago, George Washington
had just gone TO his grave amid the tears
and blessings of the people he had been
foremost in rescuing, first from tyranny,
then from anarchy; and our country, hav-
ing just escaped the imminet peril of a
war with France, after securing by the
Federal Constitution the power of pro-
tectlng and promoting her own industry,
was beginning to realize the blessings of
independence and Freedom. Thomas
Jefferson had just been designated for next
President by a majority of the American
people, but had not yet been actually
elected, their being an equal number OF
votes for him and his associate Burr) on
the Republican ticket, as it was then called,
requiring an election by the House, which
took place in February following. The
population of our country was over s.
1000, or cOnsId derably less than one
fourth the present number. The Union
then consisted of sixteen States-Vermont,
Tennessee and Kentucky having been ad-
ded to the original Thirteen Ohio had
begun TO be settled al Marietta, Cincinnati,
Warren, and perhaps one or two other
points, but had not yet population enough
Tor State. There were small settlements
al Detroit, and perhaps one or two other
points west of Ohio; but Louisiana was a
Spanish province, including St. Louis as
well as New Orleans, and the Mississippi
Spanish River, through which our peo-
pie then settling in the valley of the Ohio
were denied egress for their products
Florida was OF course all Spanish, and
what are now Alabama and Mississippi
partly Spanish and wholly a wilderness.
Our own Stale had scarcely a white in
habitant west of the sources of the Mo-
hawk and Susquehanna; Buffalo and Ro-
chester were forests traversed onlv by
savages. The Erie canal had hardly been
dreamed OF by the widest castle builder,
and the western limit of this State (which
a lew months more will bring within "a
hours OF us) was practically farther off
than Paris or Galena now is. This city
had population of 10000 Qess than an
eighth lis present number) mainly living
below Chambers street, while BROOKLYN.
w Williamsburg, Jersey City, and its other
suburbs, did not contain fiftieth part as
many inhabitants as now. Philadelphia
was sixth larger than New York; now
one-fifth smaller, with far greater dispar-
lty of suburban population. Boston had
$4,000 inhabitants, Baltimore 26,5OO;-
Washington City (whither the Federal
Government had just been removed,) had
$500. A few daring spirits were just
beginning 10 migrate from the older por-
tons of New England to Western New
ork (''Holland Purchase'') and North
Eastern Ohlo-an enterprise quite as ar
duous and perllous as emigration hence to
California and Oregon now is.
In Europe, Napoleon had lust reached
the ioPmost round of the ladder by over
throwing the Directory and causing him.
sell 10 be proclaimed First Consul, though
ne was not crowned Emperor till 1904.
lie had returned from his abortive invasion
oil Egypt in 1899, but the battle of Ma
rengo, which made Italy a French prov
lnce Tor twelve years thereafter, was not
fought till June, 1900. The Austrian
monarch was still known as "Empeior of
Germany" Poland after a melancholy,
fltiul struggle of twenty-five years against
internal anarchy and conspiracy of Kings
for her destruction, had just ceased to ex-
Isl. Alexander had not yet ascended the
throne of Russia, his father Paul |. not
being assassinated till March, IsOI.-
Prussia had preserved peace since the de-