Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-03-03
From the rort Dies Moines journal
Tho FESTIVAL.

Festival, in response to the toast
"THE OLD SETTLERS OF Iowa =
MAY they live to see the buffalo tracks
obliterated by railroad tracks-the
Indian train by the iron rail-"
Mr.. Patterson said:
Mr.. President, and Ladies and Gen.
tieman
Your call to respond to the senti-
nent just offered, accept with pleas
ure, and tend, you my acknowledge
ments for the kindness which prompt
ed il. whilst must admit my entire in
ability to do il Justice. Had | never
entered into any matrimonial alliance
| would feel further reluctance in re-
.ponJ,ns 10 il before the array of beau
" which grccts the eye on this festive
occasion, as it might very naturally be
inferred from my being selected, that
the weight of age had settled upon
me. am not aware how long a
residence it requires in this growing
State, for any one to be entitled to the
appellation of old settler" bat ar
very certain that many here are bet
ter entitled and more competent to re-
spond to it than myself. see before
me those who have seen Iowa when
she first attracted the attention Of the
pioneer-who have seen her arise from
the chrysalis condition OF dependent
territory, and assume the gorgeous
hues and butterfly wing OF an indie
pendent State. 1t is to them the peo-
pie of Iowa owe debt of gratitude.
1t is now comparatively. an easy
journey with the facilities afforded for
travelling, for our eastern friends to
visit our young and tlourishing State ::
but twenty years ago how different,
how uninviting. 1t is true, the broad
praries, bedecked with flowers Of every
hue, presented scene on which the
eyes of poet and artist might linger
without growing weary. 1t is true,
the rich productive soil Of Iowa, as
well then as now, offered inducements
to gladen the heart of the husbandmen
but civilization did not settle upon the
favored land, and it required that reso-
luton and nerve to break off the cher
ished associations Of home and friends
which characterize the early settlers of
this county.
The traveller may grow weary Of a
long and tedious journey across our
broad praries, yet how inviting the
prospect and enjoyment of bright
glowing fire, good cheer, and couch
wherein to repose his weary limbs
How different twenty years ago, when
with sluggish team, the pioneer
wound his weary way without the
prospect Of even meeting friend,
when night spread her sable curtain
over lonesome earth, to respose npon-
without friendly eye to watch his
peaceful slumber, save the sentinel star
that begemmed the throne Of midnight.
May those who first reared the rude
hut and broke the virgin soil-who
assisted in framing wholesome laws
under which we have grown and pros
pered, ever be honored by the present
and future generations of this State, so
long as memory serves to record the
deeds of the past.
The buffalo hearing the tread Of the
white man, and shutting the breezes Of
civilization, has been forced to seek a
home near the Pacific. The red man
fingered for time aaound the favored
SPOTS of his early youth, but the conn
Gil fire has gone out, and he too has
gone close upon the track Of the buff
falo.
But short time since your own
beautiful Des Moines wound through
uncultivated valleys and hills of undis-
covered mineral, and sought the cur
rent of the Mississippi, with its wave
unbroken save by the paddle of the
light canoe" Those valleys are now
cultivated fields and luxuriant land
scapes-the hills are daily yielding the
richest mineral treasures, and the ca
noe has given place to the mighty
steamboat which plows the waters and
defes the winds, and this again must
yield to more powerful and swifter
agent, to meet the pressing wants of
immigration and commerce.
But few years ago the old Father
of Waters; disturbed in his oozy bed,
rose in his wrath, and with a tyrant's
power and giants strength, waived
his watery sceptre and claimed the
right to bear upon his ample waves the
whole commerce of the West, from the
Northern SHOWS to the Southern Gulf,
but the iron horse, conscious of supe-
rior fleetness, bounded across the NIGH
ty river with velocity that outstrips
the wirlwind, and claimed Iowa az a
race track, one every way worthy of
its mettle, whstling tune of defiance
to the comparatively lazy old river,
and telling him, "you are behind the
times old fellow, ten miles an hour is
too slow for young America to travel.
In the benign effort to brighten the
chain Of union between the several
States-to hold together as a unit the
rich legacy bequeathed us, how replete
with interest is the fact that, as it were
by some unseen power, this chain has
given place to thick bands of iron,
welded together by the solder of mutu-
al interest, and the ELECTION of a free,
Intelligent and virtuous people.
For long time the Iron Horse was
content to play under the green shade
and drink at the refreshing streams in
the valleys Of the East, but not content
with So limited space for his gam
bols, he dashed his way over and
through the "rock-ribbcd" hills Of old
ALL ~Lc~v ccl