The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-05-29
The Western Fever--its Run Its Ter.
H.. mination.

1.-Two should start to-day and 20 into
every township Of the thirty States this side
Of the Rocky Mountains, every other person
we should meet, would ask us IL We were
travelling west-if We were emignting west.
Westward has been the natural course Of
the human racc ever since history began
We don't know whether it is tho rotary
motion Of the earth that drifts us that way,
or whether the 6rst Of our race were plant
I'd in China, and tho vacant territory has
thus always been west, till now we have
reached the ocean bordering there; but
there Is the fact nevertheless; and always
westward the star Of empire takes its way"
Sometimes, however, 1t happens that MIRO
are following the track Of the sun than at
other periods. Like the fever and ague-
now the heat Is up and then the chi Is come
on To-day the fever is on. and never did
it run higher and tomorrow, five arc not
mistaken, there will be change.
In Maine and 50 in all the old States tho
fever rages. II Is just as bad, stnngc as 1t
may seem, in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana,
Is in New Hampshire or Massachusetts, y
md when We get rs FAR rs Iowa, We find
them moving over into Kansas and -Ncbras.
ka'; and next the same persons or thoir
children will be creeping up the sleeps Of
the mountains. Thus Of all the States, In
LLAMA has furnished moro settlers to Kansas
than any other; and VIC frequently see in
the Ohio papers paragraphs like this ;
1--WE heard yesterday that some twenty.
six Of the best men In Barnsville, Belmont
county, Ohio, had all departed for tho West
1t the same time. This is also true Of all
tho towns IN this secti,n Of the country
The travel through Pittsburg alone. accord.
Ing to the papers Of that city, averages one
thousand day, at the lowest computation,
while along the lake shore r,utes, il is csti-
mated ut from two to three thousand"
We find the same stories on every avenue
Of travel to tho West-one, two or three
thousands are passing daily. All the steam
boats ore crowded. and the r.il cars are full
al the roads are dusty from tho passing
wagons; families are breaking up, old home
stcads arc being deserted, women with suck.
ling children, and fathers followed by troops
,fragsed boys, arc flying from tho cast as
from war, pcstilencc and dcsolation. This
movement will probably be Beneficial to tho
country as whole, but It will bc ruinous
to thou sands of individuals who are foolish
ly hoping to better themselves; and by and
by It will react even TO the extreme east.
What is the cause of all this and where
will It end There is no better cause Tor Il
than there was for any spcculating mania
Of the past, and It must come TO tho samo
end. But there are causes. We have had
ovcr-trading, overriding, ovcr.living, In tho
East. We have built too many ships, man.
ufaetured too many goods, deserted agricul.
ture and done too much bartering, had
wages too high, and lived too East and too
extravagantly. For the last seven years
there has been IN unnatural rush Of business
got up by spcculators and stimulated by
paper money and now comes revulsion and
reaction. when all branches Of business arc
dull, and for the present likely to DO dull.
Men who began with dollar day wages,
.evcn years ago, and went up and up till
they received three dollars, spent as they
went, and with the high prices and e1trava-
,ant habits, found It as dificuls 70 make
the end. Of the last year meet a. Of the 6rst.
When employment gives out, they can't fall
hack where they we,e seven yssn ago. and
live on their one dollar day. and % there
i. absolute distress. They hear OF fortunes
bsrng made In the West and the wot 10
III the world to them. They pack up or
sell oG. and aaay they 30 as East ., steam
~ill carry them, a. we positively believe, in
hree cases out Of four, to be worse condi.
toned than at home. r. 500.
But what 70 they west fort some to I'LL
the earth, and there many do well. though
,ould they zoe the sickness, dspriva.ions and
inoouvsnienccs Of Life In the wilderness, lew
would endure them. And Why should they'
Come to the actual truth. farming "ih pay
~ we'll in Essex county, whsro y IN aoun'
lance Of land unoccupied and cheap q In
any county Of Minnesota or Illinois. f's-
ares will sustain this statement and some
,,r N. b,s, farmers IN this county hsvc tried
tho experiment. But ifi'i' bst'.r . 70 % 'slm
IN tho West, Why not stop In Ohio In hen'
.uely. in Missouri in s'a's. vhe,' there ,Ssr'
/. =. ,cbool. and roads and marketsf Why
: NOV. wes. Of civilizatiOnf The Idea s so'
, .ola..ly absurd. Bat only . @an portion
y rGA1o