The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-05-30
Gbc @reat Aurst.
From the Baltimore Pa!rotl
The Western Land Fore
warned Fore armed,


Some twenty wears ago De Quincy pub
lishod in Blackwood's Magazine AN account
of the flight of populous Tartar tribe, from
Muscovlte oppression across the vast eX-
panse of desert which separates the habtable
portion of the Russian dominions from the
Empire of China. Though the incidents and
details were for the most part imaginary, the
fact itself is recorded in Russian history. to-
gether with brief allusion to the extraordi-
nary sullerings endured by the fugitives--
vast numbers OF whom died by the way
before they succeeded in reaching tina. ia
nous barrier, erected as protection against
the nomadic tribes Of the North, the famous
Chinese wall.
y similar exodus, originating in motives
widely different, but pregnant with conse-
quence quite as disastrous IN one sense as
that of the flight Of the Tartars, is how ia
king place in this country The emigration
epidemic which is spreading over all the Eas-
tern States, has already been referred to by
us, and on more than one occasion; but the
gravity of the movement, and the danger
which it threatens to the monetary and COM
rnelcal interests Of the older States, render it
lie ,cSsary we should recur to this subject
again.
The speculations now going on in Western
lands, aud IN town lots mapped out in the
Wilderness, partake of the same characteIis-
tics which distinguished the old South Sea -
and Mississippi schemes-the Tulip mania.
and the morus multicaulia extravaganza
Having the same elcnslnts Of combustion as
its oongcncrs like them this western bubble
is as certain to explode, at no distant day,
leaving the crcduous victims impoverished
and dIshcartened.
1t is the supremest folly for men to leave
the villages and rural districts of the interior
to purchase town lots at almost fabulous pri.
ces, on the faith Of a surveyors plat and
speculator's eloquent description of what the
place may become at some future day, or to
take up wild lands, remote from a market
and from society, at a cost per acre scarcely
less, all things considered, than old establish
cd farms can be bought for in the Atlantic
States. where the soil is susceptible OF being
rendered equally fertile. and possessing all
the attendant advantages Of near ncghbors-
houses Of worshi p-public and private schools
and some populous city within easy dis
lance where agricultural products can be sold
to the best advantages, and where articles for
domestic use and consumption can be bought
at reasonable price
1t is well known that all the choice lands
IN the territories have been bought up by
spectators who are now demanding an ex-
traordinary advance on the original cost
Many of them in their endeavors to hold on
for u still further rise or stimulated by pre-
vious success to make still larger investments
are offering thirty, forty, fifty and even
hundred per cent for loans oflnoney to carry
on their operations. The burthen Of these
charges must eventually be borne by the ac-
tual settlers. Now suppose that within
reasonable distance from one Of these paper
cities where town lots are selling for hun
drcd dollars a front foot the cost of outlying
land, is but ten dollars an acre, though this
is moderate estimate to what has recently
been Paid. The fencing where wood is scarce
will cost at least ten dollars all acre addition
al The breaking of the prairie sod cannot
be accomplished for less than live dollars
house and out buildings will cost at least
fifteen hundred dollars. a year. perhaps
two, during which the family must BIZ fed
and clothed, and laborers paid will pass
away before crops for sale can be obtained,
and then instead of the high prices that have
ruled previously, will come a glut and cor
responding fall in the market value of agr-
cultural products. Now in the case of far
mcr who had bought quarter Of section
of land, and improved it even at the cost in
dicatcd, the expenses per acre will stand him
i'll at the end Of the second year as follows: