Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-06-26

When Gen. Cas- arrived ut Aariet-
tn, with the party bound to the Cin-
cinnati railroad celebration, the com.
pany Was welcomed In speech from
Gov. Chase, to which Gen. Glass; briefly
replied. He aid
aOf all persons on earth, none
more than myself can appreciate these
passing scenes. Within a few feet OF
where We now stand, | landed more
than half century ago, . poor, young
adventurer, seeking in this land OF
promise to commence my first enter
prise in Iife-this to me was the land
# promise of my first trial-my first
sacrifice here commenced my career
in life-my hopes and my fears.
Your cxceliency may Judge then,
that there could be nothing more
strange than the Ohio of the past and
the Ohio Of to-day. The circumstsn-
ces under which | now find myself,
awaken sensations Of q more than or
binary character. Here was my first
SCHOOL, left this spot a scholar
come back now teacher. Invent out
to fight the great battle Of life, ! re-
turn with it fought. The result is u
glorious illustration Of the popular
character of our institutions. The
poor boy has represented the people
in the high places of the land, and as
the representative of the nation has
been her minister before kings-nc
other nation presents such spectacle.
Hold on, then, TO the popular char
acter OF the government as to ship
when night and telnpests come. No
such prosperous land can be found un
der the sun; our lines have indeed
been cast in pleasant places.
Fifty-seven years ago, all the north
west territory contained only-3O,OOO
people now its limits include six mil
lions. The man is now living whose
axe fell the first tree of these forests :;
and there are men now alive who will
not pass away until the United States
has attained population of one hrn-
bred millions. The triumphs of lhc
past are wondrous. FIom land with
out internal improvements, this hal be-
come a state, both prosperous and
powerful. he vessels which traversed
the beautiful river flowing at our feet
were the "Kcntucky Ark" for decend'
ing, and keel boots for returning
Fifty'onc years ago ! was a young
man, representing this county in the
legislature of this State, when those
pioneer steamboat builders, Mcssrs.
Fulton and Livingston, made PROPOSE
ton to our State authorities to estab-
lish lines of passenger and freight
boats on the Ohio, propelled by steam
against the current at the rate of four
miles an hour. The proposition was
Iaughedout of the Legislature as imDrac-
ticable. was a younq fogy then; |
am an old fogy now. If it had Deepen
ded upon us Of that day, the maguiti
'Nhe NHtNi PiiSS " StCdiH nav lGdIIou
would not now be startling us with Its
grand achievements.
! have Just passed over the magniti-
cent railway travcrsing the west;
work Rome could not nave constructed
even in her palmiest days.
The time has been when a horse
back trip to Baltimore required TWEEN
ty days, now it is accomplished 10y
steam railway in near that many hours.
The illusions of your excellency to
the puritan settlement at Marietta.
were happily made. This was the
second step in The march of that pro-
crossing race, whose pow eriul influence
is felt in the land.
The first landing was at jamestown,
the second on the north side of Thu
river.-lmprovemcnts followed in their
wake.
They have ditfused learning here
with liberal hand, the best mark of
human nature"