Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1856-01-08


Our TerTttoy1oe e-0r, Teyl0r'o Lecture.
kverv respe k.ble sndienoe ss,em6I : ~ The
HsR ar (3rsn - Onmmercisl Colls1 on
Mondav eyS1|Ss@ a iisten In The iecf5fe Of
'T.xes w. T9kIor. Rsn.. IN the TerrItofIln OF
~ limited ef1kea. ma ihc;r nrobsl,le fu2lfe.--
M discoursc' occun;ed sbout an houn3Ind a
nnSsier m ~ XIiveyv and va listened u with
srSas inierest sSS proft MI. Tnylor hs9msde
M Xsrritor;Ai IN snec;a, obeot Of his st6y for
vesm. and probablv no man In the State q 20
familiar with their locslities. their climate,
soils. productions. history. and general charso-
terstics. Hsis = niessant. Auent sneaker, and,
ns hc had not his dsoourse written, il was de-.
iivered with better effect than II, il had been
reod ftom rnanuecfipt
We did not take notes. and are moi prepared
TO give anything like report of the lecture.
Some or It's PROPOSITIONS were OF general inter.
moments attention. Mr.. Taylof said, q careful
Mudy OF The man and the natural outlines Of the
territory had demonstrated To- him. that thirty
first class States could be carved out Of our ter.
ritories, each having q convenient natural
boundary, and all the elements necessary for a
distinct State organization. He explained q
portion of them. The valley Of the Yellow
Stone he described as having capacities far be-
yond what is generally understood. The out.
lines Of the great American desert were distinct
ly traced. The Eastern boundary OF it com.
lnenced about $50 miles west OF the Western
boundary Of Iowa, about 200 miles west ol
Western Missouri, and some 300 miles west ot
Western Arkansas. Its western limit was the
base of the Rocky Mountains. It varies from
l50 to 450 miles in width, and extends through
about ten degrees or latitude.
Emigration has heretofore followed parallels
oflatitude. Thus New England and New York
have peopled northern Ohio, Michigan, north
ern Indiana and Illinois, Wisconsin. Minnesota
and northern Iowa. New Jersey, Pennsylva.
MIA, &C have peopled central Ohio, Indiana.
and Illinois. Virginia, Maryland, &C.. had
peopled the southern portion Of these States,
with Missouri, &c. 1t was reasonable 10 sup.
pose this sc eneral course would continue till II
met the obstacle Of the great desert. The ten
dency OF this would be to defect this emgra-
ton 10 the Southwest as last as Nebraska
Kansas, Neosha. &C., were occupied. The
current would thus pour into the vast and (e.'
tile fields OF western Texas, where the climate
soil, &C., were such as 10 make II one Of the
most attractive aud desirable portion Of oul
common country.
Mr.. Taylor ieferred 10 the subject Of the va
rious railroad routes to the Pacific. He was o
opinion that the subject had been agitaied a
least a quarter of century too soon. liz
thought any road must depend upon the busi
ness of the country through which 1t passed fo
its support, and that, IN his opinion, the projec
OF road from the west end Of Lake Superio
thro' Minnesota and northern Nebraska, nortf
OF the Black Hills, up the valley OF the Nilsson
ri, to the head waters OF the Columbia, ant
thence down that river TO Puget Sound, afford
ed the route most likely u extend through
country capable Of sustaining population
and creating business for the support OF th
road.
He referred to the route through Texas on tn
line of 80 degrees, and said the objection y
that lay in the fact that the western portion Q
il, for some hundreds OF miles, would exten'
through region unfit for agricultural purposes
So far as Texas is concerned 1t was through
most beautiful, fertile, and healthy, REGION
He is evidently not much in favor OF benton
route, as he regards it too mountainous and I'm
practicable.
The description OF that part OF the br'tIs
possessions north Of our northern boundary o
40 degrees, and in The vicinity OF Winlpes lake
was new to us, and very interesting. lie sa!
there is country in that locality about ten de
grees square, OF great beauty ana Ieftiiily.-
That the climate is not different from tnal pal
oil Russia between st Petersburg ana MOSCOW
and that ii is, in all respects, iuly equal 10
IN capacity Tor production. In time an lmmehs
population will be found IN that section Q
North America.
The plan OF Mr.. Jefferson, adopted by tn
Congress Of the Confederation in 1884, ior tn
disposition OF our territory, was an intereslln
portion oil the discourse. The law OF that yea
provided Tor Cutting all the territory then own
ed by the United States into States OF about tw
degrees square. This would have made nearl
three States OF Ohio. When the territory wa
settled The people were authorized to organic
themselves into communities, and estaolis
local laws. When they possessed certai