The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-08

1
year 10 the territory Of Michigan. believe reported TO
The War Department that there was no land 10 that whole
territory susceptible OF cultivation.
Mr. BUTLER. SO julius Cesar reported OF England
MI. DOUGLAS. My friend from South Carolina says,
80 julius Cesar reported Of England. You will find that
to be the general report OF sent out 70 explore
regions OF country Now i would be hard TO convince
The senator from Michigan that there not land
IN his Stale susceptible OF cultivation. have seen con
siderable land there that would yield oleabe crop
say one hundred bushels OF corn, or forty bushels OF
wheat That is toleraby gccd crop, even in The valley
OF the Mississippi
My friend nom kentucky [Mr. UNDERwooDl has re-
minded me that the county where ne lives was called
barren That brings 10 my mind circumstance that
puzzled me very much when first emigrGed into lille
nols II then divided lno prairie country and bar
ren The barren consisted OF that portion on The borders
OF the prairie that had grown up 10 scrub oaks But
found that the cultivated baens raised better wheat than
the pfaires, and was al loss to discover why the best
lands in the Stale called barrens When inquired
was told that they did not knc@, only that the first
settlers named them barrens [Laughterl And II was
said that il OF Kentucky notion that the best
lands IN the country 10 be called baeas, Well,
after a while was over in Kentucky, where my friend
| Mr. UEDERwooDl lives, spending a little time at the
Mammoth cave, the greatest natural curiosity in the
world, and there inquired and ascerained why it was
that the lands called baens. They told that the
first settlers when they went out there from Virginia,
found country that was destitute Of timber, growing
| nothing but little scrub oak ana being destl-
tnie OF every ingredient that was required, in their
Judgment TO make vegetation grow, that TIM
Der would not grow upon It, they concluded that il
polite which they applied 10 that description OF
try So they passed around IL and settled every other
nook and Garner of the State and even assembled the
Mountains and fixed themselves in the deep gorges in
preference 10 entering the barren waste They named
the rivers Big Barren and Little Barren they appropriated
in accordance with the supposed isc'a OF the state
OF the country, to mark its desolaon Well, sir, in the
march OF years people have gone to settle ia that coun
try, and my friend Mr. UNDER WOOD among the number,
IN the midst OF that barren country when they found
that those openings which they called barren were
among The very best lands in The Mississippi valley
| the great continent OF America.
| And remember that my intelligent friend from Con-
neccut, Mr.. SMITH, when the subject OF the
ton OF California before u.s. and believe after it
was annexed made speech, or rather wrote book and
published it, describing the geography and topography OF
California, and representing It as one OF the most desc
late places the face Of the globe. assure the hon
orable senator from North Carolina Mr. MANGUM that,
riding from Wilmington through the pines OF his State,
ii would appear like garden OF Eden compared with
the description which the senator from Connecticut Mr.
SMITH then gave 10 the world OF that foreign country
OF the utter desolaon that reigned IN every valley, and
upon every stream and upon every mountan-op IN the
whole territory OF California.
But, sir, we find gu, that the only trouble in re-
gard California is, that il productive that Cali
toraan is actually compelled, when he wants 10 plant
potatoes en-acre patch OF land, 10 rent the ad join
ing tract TO pile up The crop upon Laugher.l And
when first these Calitornans returning from thai,
country, could not comprehend the story heard from
gentleman from Texas some years ago. While travel
ling through that country, he entered into the company OF
a distinguished general who was in command OF the
army and he found one fellow sitting end OF sweet
potato while the other end was IN the fire roasting.
lLaugher never could realize that story until they
discovered The fertility OF the soil IN California While /
cannot credit entirely all the accounts get from Cali
forna about the fertility OF the soil, yet is undenabe
that there is degree OF fertility independent OF the aqri
cultural productions not surpassed by the gold that
IS to be found in the mountains and streams that run
through The valleys
We all remember, too, that when the Oregon treaty
before Tor raihcatlon II demonstrated time
and time again that there not land enough in The
whole OF II out OF which you could get respectable
Territory. Now it is admitted that you find good
land for three four good States inferior the State
of New York in It's capacity furnish all the qualities
that contribute 10 the support and happiness OF man
Sir, am under the impression that your regions
OF desert, Called IN those slopes either side of the
mountain will disappear before survey and settlement
in the way that other deserts have disappeared IL is
not twenty years since passing up The Mississippi ver
where the senators from Iowa Aessrs JONES and DoDGE
reside was told that II the finest country IN The
world for ten miles back, but beyond that that could
not live and beasts would die, desoate and
destitute OF everything 10 support either man or beast
Sir all the accounts that 10 this country up to with
the last fifteen or twenty years of the middle and west
portions OF Iowa gave them that description. Now
would like 10 find who will 90 there and dis
cover OF hundred acres of land IN the poorest
part OF Iowa that is not susceptible OF cultivation and
will not yield a heavy crop.
Mr. ADAMS Ii my friend from Illinois will give
way, will move 10 adjourn.
Mr. DOUGLAS. | am about through | will not
take five minutes But perhaps may well stop
here.
Mr. BUTLER wish TO make few remarks upon
this subject but do not propose to make them now.
move, therefore, that the Senate do now adjourn.
Mr. WALKER. Before the Senate adj0urns, ask
that by unanimous consent, the Chair fill the vacancy
upon the committee suggested by the senator from Connec
ucut Mr.. SMITH yesterday.
No objection being made Il agreed 10.
The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate message
from the President of the United States; which, with
out reading. referred 10 the committee.
Whereupon, the Senate adjourned