The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1852-06-12
From the New York Tribune.
Territory Northwest of the Ohio River.

From the New York Tribune.
Territory Northwest of the Ohio River.
The Northwestern Tenitory,of 500 comprised
within its limits the present Siaies Of Ohio Indi.
ana, lilinofs, Michigan and Wisconsin, and con.
.aned at that time O240 inhabitants, while the
aggregate population Of these States in 1880
was 4,I23,l39 All history Dies not contain an
instance Of as large and us rapid an increase in
population aud wealth, during the short period
Of hfy years, a. this Territory "Northwe.t .. the
Ohio River furnishes.
In the year Of Grace 1899, and Of the Inde.
pendence Of the United States Of America the
ice,,iy Hrsi John Adams, as Chief Magistrate,
commissioned Jacob Burnet, james Finley, Hen
ry Nanderberg, Robert Oliver, and Daniel
Vance. as members Of the tirs, Legislative Coun-
ciI of the Territory Northwest Of the Ohio Riv
ef'
! Judge Vanderbcrg, late Of tho ancient city Of
/ Ninceunes, Indiana, and now deceased, was the
| President of the Council and the author Sf the
first Legislative Address to the Citizens Of the
Territory" This Address is note worthy, as ex.
hibitng the condition, resources and expectations
OF the people Of the Territory fifty years ago,
and is All honest disclosure Of The enduring foun.
datinns upon which the unprecepented property
Of those States were laid by the founders there
Of 1t Is dated Dec. Is, 1893 and after ailudng
/ to the "arduous task Of framing laws to protect
the rights and property Of men scattered over so
extensive tract Of country" proceeds and CON
cludes as follows:
at must have been easily foreseen tha, the ex
penses rising on our entering upon the present
stage of government would be considerable To
/ provide for these expenses, Land tax presents
| itself as principal, if not the onl, object Of
which we cUnld avail ourselves for this purpose.
| We conceive this to be the least burdcn-omc to
| the greatest class Of citizens, as no small portion
will te paid by persons living without the Terri
tory, owning large tracts of land within
| Our soil, climate and naygaole waters, pre-
sent to the mind Of observation and contemplation
the most pleasing views and prospects Of the fu-
/ ture greatness and importance of the American
| Empire; but to realize these advantages, eXer.
ton- must be mads which are within the power
OF an industrious, enterprising and enlightened
| people.-Let the present generation set the ex-
ample, 10y discountenancing idene.s and disspa
ton, and on the other hand bs encouraging indus.
/ try, irugality, temperance, and every moral vir
/ tue-and in a few years the desert will disappear
before the hands Of industry, the fields will be-
covered with flocks, aii1,ive Of nature will
blossom like the rosc.i
| Religion, mora'Ivy' and knowledge are neccs
sary to all good government, say the venerable
| trainers Of our Constitution and to this great
| truth every man Of liberal information will sub
scribe The liberal grants Of lands from the Uni
ted States, for tie purpose q erecting and en-
dowing an University. and cher Semuares Of
learning, for private schools and for the support
Of religion are advantages superior in these re
spects to those OF any other country can boast Of
and no time will be lost in ringing these nd
yantages into actual operation To these advan
ages let us contribute rs far rs We are able, that
wisdom, knowledge and vlrtu, may be widely diff
fused; lctus inculcate the principles ofhumanity
benevolence, honesty and puictuali,y in dealing
sincerity, chastity, and all social affections. Let
It be remembered that the hundation of public
prosperity and happiness must be laid IN private
amlies-every well ordered family is little
amiable community-and great community
made up Of such families, mus be prosperous and
happy at home; aud respected abroad
Fifty years ago, within thepresent limits OF the
states Of Ohio, Indiana, llpois, Michigan and
/ Wisconsin, there were only 10000 inhabitants ;
and the log cabins Of the elterprising pioneers
and frontier settlers OF this Northwestern Terri
tory were few and far between. Then there were
only abou, 5000 acres Of improved land in the
territory the prairies and foests, the rivers and
lakes of this extensive tract Of country" were
mostly in the undsturbcd and undisputed pos.
session Of the untamcd savage men and wild
beasts. Then the Indian trails, the brille paths
and bark canoes. were the only signs Of inter
nal improvements and the only guides and
means ointerral communication.
Indeed this part Of the American Empire
was then almost an tininhabed and uuirp proved
tract Of country" and schoolhouses, churches,
canals, railways, steamboats, and telegraphc
| uI yJers ,ssNs Rat ihNr. n III. hnp IL
productive soil cxhausllcss mineral deposits a
genial end healthy climate, long rivers and in.
land seas; there were also few thousand OF
hardy pioneers, and little nmiable communities
OF "well ordered private families
And now. in 1852, this North western terri.
tory comprises four States containing about s.
100000 people, entitled to IS Representatives
has 93,000000 acres of improved land raised in
1850, 10000 900 bushels oi wheat 1000 900
bushels Of corn, "a 500 900 lbs Of cheese and 67,
O0C pounds Of butter. 1t has macadamized roads,
canals and railroads made and being made
| throughout each State. with hundreds Of elegant
| steamers plying upon lts rivers and lakes, tec'
graphic communications Between all its chefcities
aud towns and those nf all other portous of the
! Union, with churches, colleges and school houses
sufficient and convent for the education Of the mil
! lion, Yes, these great State communities
were founded by and their present prosperity
and happiness are based upon the early lahors
and influences Of those energetic pioneer settlers
those few "well ordered families. And by zen
eouraging industry frugeli,y, temperance Ont
every other moral virtue" the wilderness has dis
appeared; the prairies hills, and valleys ar,
" covered with ilocks." and this portion Of tn,
American Empire now blossoms like the rose
|