Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1859-12-15

49,h parallel of Latitude, was indeed
found to be only desert of sand and
stones"
And within this very year, have seen
speeches of statesmen, gentlemen Of high
position in the country, who speak of "the
remoteness, the barrennesss and extreme
cold of Nebraska, as if we lived under
the North Pole, instead Of being, as we
are. directly west of Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania, and blest with soil, which, for
all purposes. of agriculture and hortcul-
ture, has no superior between the two
great oceans that bound the American
Union. The pioneers and settlers, whose
farms already extend almost two Hundred
miles westward from "the meridian Of
the Mouth of the Platte" towards the
Rocky Mountains, will be surprised to
learn from this historical romance, that
their rich and unriyalled soil is almost
unfit for cultivation. And however great
their surprise, it will find abundant
sympathy with the citizens of Nebraska
and Kansas, who are informed by solemn
history, that from the 39th parallel north
ward there is a great desert stretching
eastward from the foot Of the Rocky
Mountains, distance of FIVE hundred
miles without a blade of grass, a tree or
a flower, to relieve the dreary landscape
of sand and stones. 1t is time that mis-
representation and error should be met
and corrected, and that Nebraska should
be vindicated against the false impress
sions produced by ignorance or interested
perversion. Let facts and facts only
speak, for the plainest truth is the sur
est safeguard. Some Of these facts are
the almost miraculous production of corn,
melons, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, wheat,
rye, oats, barley, and Chinese sugar
cane, and every garden vegetable COM
mon to a temperate climate f; and as far
as experiment has been pursued to re-
suit we have satisfactory evidence that
all the fruits which thrive in Illinois or
Ohio win prosper here. feel confident
that but few years will elapse before
peaches. apples, pears, plums and grapes
of excellent quality, will adorn and en-
rich the farms and gardens Of our peo-
pie. Indeed, it is well known that at
our Territorial Fair, in September, six
varieties of delicious peaches were ex-
hibited, products from a farm not thirty
miles distant from "the Meridian of the
Mouth of the Platte"
That the exploring party Of I8l9-2O
comprised a large number of officers
and men of SCIENCE" is well known
But how they could pass the summer Of
the year in examining the Lower Mis-
souri,, and the next winter at Old Coun-
Gil Bluffs (showing that they had not
gone twenty. miles from the Upper Mis-
souri, into the interior Of Nebraska and
Kansas) and proceed thence up the val
ley of The Platte to the confluence of the
North and South Forks, and continuing
along the South Fork, to its sour ;e in the
Rocky Mountains, near the 10th parallel
and then striking the head waters of the
Arkansas in the same Mountlin, pass
down the valley Of that river to It's juno
ton with the Mississippi, how they could
do as the historian says they did, and
establish "by observation" that the en-
tire Territory between the 29th and 49th
parallels, for five hundred miles east
ward from the Rocky mountains was
desert of sand and stones, passes COM
prehension, and would make the most
confding believer, curious to know, how?
And would. loave him, as it leaves you
and me, full of unbelief.
Nevertheless it is true, as the old pi-
Uneers all attest, that the soil of forty
years ago bore no comparison to the deep
and affluent formation of to-day. In the
wilderness, "when there was no mar"
rain was almost if not altogether unknown
and now refreshing and abundant show
ers are supplied in needful season for the
earth. II is no longer a wilderness and
man is there. The country at one time
covered with the short buffalo grass,
presenting the appearance of a poor and
unproductive sol" is now luxuriant with
the lofty grasses of the prairie, which,
even at less than full height, reaches to
the horses brides. The footsteps of
civilization and improvement are prece-
ded by divine preparation and all these
things are 'ethe wondrous works of Him
who is perfect in all his knowledge
The gold fever, which during the past
twelve or eighteen months has ragged and
RENTED at periodic intervals, has been
replaced by a calm and healthy conf
dence. Ii seems now to be settled by
sufficient and conclusive evidence, that
the question of large and rich deposits is
not any longer a matter of discussion or
doubt Since the Base Line between
Kansas and Nebraska has been establish
ed, it is plainly ascertained that a full
share Of the gold fields is to be found in
the western portion of this Territory
| The influence which the discovery of gold
is to have upon the future, will not at
tempt to estimate; but that it will hasten
the establishment Of great and perma-
nent public highway between the Mis-
souri, River and the Rocky Mountains is,
as l think. inevitable. And does it not
/ seem as if fnature herself designed to end
the dispute between States and States
men, politicians, Spectators, and all 9TH
+ ers, as to the route Of railroad to the
Pacific Ocean?
! Perhaps the most difficult and delicate
part Of Legislation, is that which relates
to the revenue of a free and representa-
tive government. The people, who are
| the only source Of power, bear all the bur-