The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-07-02
The Homeless Wande erer-The
American Secretary Of state.

When the persons now enjoying the great
railroad excursion at the West arrived at Ma
rietta, Ohio, they were welcomed in hand
some manner by Gov. Chase, of Ohio, who
addressed his remarks to Gen. Cass, as the
| representative Of the excursion party. What
a charming picture Of life under our free in.
situations is portrayed in the following from
the reply Of the Secretary of State:
81 have listened with deep interest to the sd-
dress of your excellency, in your reception of
the strangers who have just landed on the
north bank Of the Ohio.
"Of all persons on earth, none more than
myself can appreciate these passing scenes
Within few feet Of where we now stand, |
landed more than half a century ago, poor,
young adventurer, seeking in this land Of
promise to commence my first enterprise in
life-ths to me was the land OF promise of my
first trial--ny first sacIi6ce--here commenced
my career In life-my hopes and my fears.
''Your excellency may judge, then, that
there could be nothing more strange than the
Ohio of the past and the Ohio of to-day. The
| circumstances under which now find myself,
| awaken sensations OF more than an ordinary
character. Here was my first SCHOOL, left
this spot scholar-I come back now teach
er. Invent oat to fight the great battle Of life.
| return with it fought. The result i, glori-
Gus illustration of the popular character of our
institutions. The poor boy has represented
the people in the high places Of the land, and
as representative Of the nation has been her
minister before kings-no other nation pre-
sents such a spectacle.
"Hold on, then, to the popular character Of
! the government as to a ship when night and
tempests come. No such prosperous land can
be found under the sun our lives have indeed
been cast in pleasant places.
"Fifty-seven years ago all the Northwest
Territory contained only thirty thousand peo-
Pile. and now its limits include six millions
The man is now living whose axe felled the
first tree OF the forests; and there are men who
| are now alive who will not pass away until the
United States has attained population Of one
hundred millions. The triumphs Of the past
are wondrous. From land without cutiva-
ton. without schools, without internal i'm
provements, this has become State both
prosperous and powerful. The vessels which
traversed the beaatiful river at our feet were
s.Kentucky Ark,o for descending, and keel.
boats for returning. Fifty years ago was
young man representing this county in the
| Legislature Of this State, when these pioneer
steamboat builders, Messrs. Fulton and Liv-
ingston, made proposition to our State au-
thorites to establish lires OF passenger and
freigh, boats on the Ohio. propelled BY steam
agaius. the current at the rate Of four miles
per hour. The proposition was laughed ont
OF the Legislature as impracticable. was a
young fogy then am an old fogy now. II
| it had depended upon us of that day, the mag
niicent enterprise OF steam navigation would
not now be startling US with its grand achieve
ments.
"l have just passed over the magnificent
railway traversing the mountains, dividing the
East from the West; work Rome could not
have constructed even liz her palniest days.
s'The time has been when trip to Balli-
more required twenty days, now it is acco'n-
plished by steam railway in nearly thai many
| hours"
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