The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-11-07
Happy America.

Under this caption the New Orleans Bul.
lstin has the following reflections, which
even in the midst of the gloom that pervades
the land, should serve to inspire us all with
feelings Of thankfulness and gratitude, and
make US content with the peculiarly happy
lot which is ours -
We talk of hard times, of failures, of fear
full forebodinss, of distress, bankruptcy and
ruin, and we almost succeed in persuadipg
ourselves that in fact we are very miserable
people. Yet how little do we actually know
OF real suffering, and how strangely we
overlook aad forget the difference between
distress" so called in this country, and the
idea 1t instantly suggests as used in Europe.
In the midst of the financial embarrassments
of the country, the ''panic," the "crsis," the
pecunlary connections experienced, there new
or was greater, more bountiful harvest of
all sorts of breadstuffs, of food for man and
beast, than the present year has produced
The earth has almost groaned beneath su-
perabundance Of wheat, corn, hay, oats, pota-
toes, fruits, etc.
The great West has raised grain enough
to support all America and good portion of
Europe. Actual suffering, therefore, as O
people, for the necessities of life, we cannot
have. The food is already harvested, and in
the barns and store-houscs. When we talk
of distress we can mean only that we are in
danger Of making less money than we antic-
ipated, less than would satisfy our ambition,
or perhaps lose portion of what we already
possess. This is the kind of distress, except
in isolated cases caused by peculiar and alb
normal circumstances, we experience in
America, or ever can experience, unless we
madly bring it upon ourselves by our extrav-
agance, idleness, vices, crimes and insane
social and political blindness. Our fields
are broad, and every year expanding our
soil is rich and climate genial. Millions of
acres OF virgi, lands are waiting for the hus-
bandman to extract their yielding wealth.
Practically speaking, we may say that our in
ternal resources are inexhaustible. All who
are willing to work may find employment, and
all may obtain the substantials, and many the
luxuries and elegancies of life.
No artificial impossible boundaries confine
our people within narrow limits and compel
them to crush each other until life is exhaus.
ted in the terrible struggle, and whole beta.
COMBS OF victims be trampled to death. If
the somewhat crowded marts of the East be.
gin to pinch their inhabitants, 10 {! is not the
"whole boundless continent theirs, to 90
whittier they please, and when they please.
There are Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri. Nebras.
ka, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico.
ETC., ETC., each large enough for kingdom in
ITSELF stretching forth their arms to the peo-
pie of populOus Cities and States, and shout
ing at the top Of their lungs "Come, we
want you! We want the strength of your
sinews, your industry energy, intelligence, to
clear away our forests, turn up our prairies,
exhume the inexhaustible wealth of our
mines, and in word, to make US rich, strong.
refined and prosperous"
How different from all this is distress" in
Europe There it means short crops. hun
GER or starvation of the millions It means
the hoarse mutterngs of these same millions
in the streets, and which startle their rulers
in their splendid palaces like the Quick and
terrible rumb!ing which precedes a, earth
quake. Let us, therefore, while during a tenn
porary pressure in the moneyed circles of the
country, and the consequent interruption
which it Jper-induces, upon the dark tide of
the picture, recollect the real, substantial
condition of abundant resources and conpar-
ative comfort in which we actually find our
selves, and not add through mere hypo:on-
driacism and imaginary wretchcdncss, tothe
Inconvenience and general evils of the hour
which the financial explosion has produced.