American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-05-10
Gelrcral 13orietn,
LETTER FROM WISCONSIN.

3. LETTER FROM WISCONSIN.
. The following is an extract from n
letter written by an Intelligent & high
/ ly respectable gentleman, formerly a
resident of Fayettc county, Pa, to the
Editor Of the Mountain Messenger I
"A word or two about our coun-
try. have noticed some publications
in your paper that represented the
western country unfairly, which might
have an unfavorable bearing upon tho
minds Of some people. l do not attach
! any blame to you for such articles ap-
pearing in your paper; but tho blame
is due to those who leave your country
and pass down the Ohio river and UP
the Mississippi, to some point on which
their minds are set, and before they
land they are home-sick, and if they
are married men they begin to think of
the many miles they are now from their
dear wives and children and if young
men, they think of their dear father
and mother, sisters and brothers and
now the mountains, and hills, 4 rocks,
once familiar to them, arc hid from their
vision; they consider they are far from
their native home, and every bird thst
sings brings to their mind The dcplora-
bic condition they arc in, and every
breeze Of wind that blows only adds to
their CONSERVATION believing as they
do thatit only carries with it death and
dcsclatibn. Every thing is wrong in
their cstimation; they have no comfort;
there is no consolation for them their
best friends have no influence over
them. Now are they competent judc-
es of the western country? Yom will
surely admit they are not. Tho above
IS the true condition Of many who visit
our country, and return hastily with
out considering that the wrong was in
them, and not in the country. They
are sure to sec something in their osti-
nation very horrifying, and when they
return home they viii publish some
wrotchea cases Of poverty and distress
they have witnessed in their trip.
j will here venture to say that per-
haps there IS no part of the U. States
more productive than the valley Of the
Mississippi. There are no poor people
here that have been here for any length
of time. Even the renters do not stay
poor. [ will give you case to show
the reason why people do not remain
poor in this country. One of my sons
broke forty acres Of land, during the
summer of 1864, which he sowcd IN
wheat. Last harvest he gathered from
those 40 acres sixteen hundred bushels
of good wheat; he sold tho crop for
S1.25 per bushcl, which gives the sum
of two thousand dollars. Now deduct
$3.50 for expenses in preparing land
and seed, and harvesting, and we have
the nett gain OF seventeen hundred and
fifty dollars in one crop from 40 acres
Of land. Now who will remain poor
and destitute where the land is so pro-
ductiye No man need do so. Ny stay
in this country has been nine years, K
| have enjoyed very good health dur
ing that time. l think this is a coun-
try much to be priced for health, fer
tility and convenience and as a friend
to you now advise you to como and
see for yourself, My impression is,
that you could do more for your family
and more for the cause of Christ, in
this thriving country, than you can
possibly do in that old mountainous
country, where men have to climb over
rocks and mountains to perform the
necdful work of self preservation. But
in coming to this country, our motives
should be, not for earthly gain, but for
the promotion of the Rcdcemcr's king
dom. There is constantly q flow 0f
emigration to this western country,
bringing with them all kinds Of unbc-
lief. Now all this has to be met and
countcrocted by the story Of the cross
of Christ. Have you any men who
will come and proclaim the Gospel to
the inhabitants dwelling or these west
orn plains? Tell them not to tarry
long before they mako tho effort, for
they arc much needed here.
kBNER MITCHELL.
JuiI, Greene co, WIS, Jpr;I % 1876