The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-04-12

Ii was our good fortune to spend the first
ten DAYS Of this year in Michigan, travelling
through it in different directions, stopping
in nearly all its cities and some Of It's villa
yes, ueeting many old and we hope making
some new friends, and enGcayoring to add
To our knowledge of lis natural resources
by inquiry and observation Our general
conclusion was that the PcnnSular state
had been undcrestimatcd or too little con-
sidered ia the hot rush OF Westward cml-
craiion-,hat it was fairly entitled TO a lar-
ger share Of that emigration than it had
hitherto received Accordingly, impelled
by a desire to do justice TO Michigan and
especially to our thousands of steadtaSt sub
scribers and many personal friends residing
therein, We gave Il good portion of the last
day cf our visit - the preparation of Il
letter, devoted entirely to that State, and
mainly to setting forth its attractions TO fu.
ture cmigran;s We did not of course, de-
pict Nichi gan 4 perfect Paradise We
did not attempt to make her the only region
on earth that a sensible man could settle in !;
but We gave a fair, honest statement of her
points of superiority to most OF her compct-
itors further West-her girdle Of navigabic
waters, the consequent moderation OF her
climate, her abundant and admirable tim
ber, level but not entirely fat surface, gen
orally fertile soil, &c., Nc. We stated that
this description applied generally 10 all ot
the State that we bad seen; adding that
we understood that the more norrhcrly and
as yet unsettled portion of the Peninsula
was in good part moro broken and sterile,
containing many gravclly knobs aud spa
cious swamps covered with evergreen tim
Der of little value This account Of the
north end of the Peninsula was given IL
years ago by Il citizen of Michigan Of high
character who had personally travcr>ed it
month after month, and whose means oi
knowing it thoroughly were at least equal
to those OF any other person. Having mo
imaginable motive for mStatcmcnt. W. did
not suspect, and do nos now believe, that
he made any; though onr impression thence
derived NAV have given to thiS sterile, un-
invitin. region Il greater cytcn; that u ac-
tually covers. Still, We never supposed
and did not intend to state, tia, there was
no good land III even the cxtremcst north oi
Michigan, but that, rs 4 whole, that section
was far less genial aud inviting 10 cnltiva
tors Than the southern portion of the State
aud the corresponding districts west and
south of it. Such, We have 80 doubt, il
the fact; census would suffice to prove il
When, therefore, we are told that Grand
Traverse or Gratiot. or some ether county
north Of Gcnesac aud Kent. contains thou
sands of acres Of fertile -oil We reply that
We never doub;ed II, but that the general
character of the most northerly portion o
the Peninsula is such rs we have stated -
Ii it IL not, We will thank some one who
knows it intimately and thoroughly To write
Us a letter setting forth thr facts, which W.
shall be glad To publish.
That our lettc--writteu with the Sin.l,
intent of doing justice TO Michigan, causing
her TO be better appreciated 1T the East, ana
attracting 10 her soil a larger share OF emf
cration->hould have been seizod upon by
portion of the Pro-Slavery journals ct
that State and Represented - m attack
upon her. studied di-paragemeut Of hei
resources, and an attempt II rcpel c'ui gra-
ton from her borders. does not much sur
prise rs. Ii the conductors Of those jour
nals were bot black guards by nature and
liars by habit, they would b. very Unfit tor
the work 70 which their talents are mainly