The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-11

OF nations, az well as controls the Ansrs OF men,
every direction. From the East came the sound OF
alarm and the tidDgs that men of wealth were
clasping their gold and tremblingly hugging tito
their b0soms the air castles OF the West began To-
rock to and fro the owners flying from the imasi.
nary pile of rubbish As II for life. The supposed
fortunes vanished like the soap bubbles Of the
schoolboy, and with them large amount OF real
wealth.
In those days of wild speculation Chicago was
swarm,pg with life and hustle, the hotels were
crowded to overlooking. life exceeded Broadway,
prices and everything moved on the high pressure
system; marble palaces were erected tor the resi-.
dences Of the supposed miliiOnares; the prediction
was daily heard that the day was not far distant
when this city wond be the centre OF the world,
around which would revolve oil such cities as New
York London and Pekin, rejecting the lustre Of
Chicago upon the villages OF their surrounding |
country But all things forced beyond their natu
raj progress must have reverses 50 Is the West |
reaping the reward OF the visionary schemes OF the
past The arrivals at the hotels in this city then
numbered hundreds daily-now they come !
by ones and twos. For sale aad TO- let !
are groanipg under their heavy loads, aud real |
estate dcalers have collapsed Notwithstanding |
all of this the West ia better of to-day than IT ever
was BEFORE There are not a. many imaginary for !
tunes made formerly, but the entire West has in
creased more in the real and substantial wealth |
during the past year than any three former years
1t is agricultural country, and possesses attrac
ton for the tler of the sod beyond aay other
known portion Of the world. Her rich prairies
stretch out in every direction ready for the plough
share. and need bu. to De opened to cause
wealth to spring up on all sides. Let oil OF her
broad acres be brought under cultivation, and one
half the labor bestowed upon the hy farms OF me
East would annually furnish grain enough to supply
this nation with food if seven years famine were
to follow.
Those who are to-day traducng the Northwest
are principally those who aided her in the nnnasn
raj progress that she was taking prior to the crisis
Those who furnished money at enormous int.
nh tl,ena of1 fnttr ant rrnfh a,I
took security upon landed property at fabulous
prices having been compelled 10 take the property
and finding it worth but small fraction to its for
mer stated value, now declare the West as ruined
and worthless Prior to the crisis but few could
fpd time to cultivate their land, but all were en-
gagged in building cities and making out additions
to some imaginary town, and obtaining railroad
charters. The events Of 1851 brought a00u.
change and these gentlemen have been forced to
til the soil. The change was hard one for them.
To come down out OF their air castles OF velvet
and Brussels tapesuy aud Chandeliers OF goJ,
aud take hold Of the handles Of the plough,
| was q task that they reluctantly assented u.
The number Of acres brought under the plough
this season is at least fifty fold greater than any
former year, and this amount will be increased Ia
like proportion next season. Had it not been for
the enormous Indebtedness Of the West this would
| have been felt in the demand for goods in New
York, In this light is the wealth Of the country in
eredsng. Railroads were also built in rapid sue
cession, which have in most instances proved a
poor speculation to the capitalists; but the roads
are all here their iron bands stretching the
praries in every direction, furnishing an outlet for
the produce Of the interior counties; and although
many Of these roads are but barely paying running
expenses. the time is not far distant when all of
them will be demanded in Transporting the products
o. the county, and returning in exchange the mer
chandise oftLe East, furnishing fair remuneration
tor the capital Invested.
The cities and towns we're mostly built faster
than the country around them demanded. Most Of
them now alta stand still, aud will thus remain
until the farming districts in their locality catch
up with them. Had all the money that was brought
to the West been employed in real improvements
ard breaking mp pew lands, different picture
would have been presented But the bitter school
of experience is bringing every tning to It's proper
| level. The inhabitants have abandoned their Vi
sioaary and hytng horses, and are now living IN the
! same world with the rest Of the human family. 1t
only needs time for them TO recover from the embar
easements that their wild speculation got them into.
when the West will be classed as the best paying
/ section of the country, and their trade the first
sought after by the Eastern merchants. The les.
sons Of economy taught by and practsed since the
crisis are already working wonders.
| The nomination OF General Scott NJ the Union
meeting in New Y9tk seems "a hnge Hps re- w yhs
/ received by telegraph, announcing the fact, but
little was said about it, but upon tie arrival OF the
| New York papers, containing full reports Of the
! speeches, the politicians that copgregate at the
! fremont House commenced discussing the nonina-
| ton, which seems to be ayerse 10 their wishes.
Most OF them found consolation in the fact that he
| was nominated at an outside meeting, and not at
that he j. too old he won't do, &c. Their nervous
expression however, At once revealed the fact
that movement Of the conservative masses in
that direction would spoil many of their nice
plans. The whole thing was classed as one OF the
schemes OF the HERALD. and created 10 little IN
easiness. BY minglpg with the masses person
can soon find that these politicians do not reflect
the sentiments OF the people. The bone and sinew
OF the city hail the movement as an effort 10
strapgle and kill off the scheming politicians of
the day. ard as such are ready to cooperate in it.
Give US General Scott, aad we viii hear no more
OF disunion i their cry But few realise the feel
ing in favor OF the hero OF many battles Let him
| be but brought forward in earnest by peoples
movement and you would see a demonstration
J throughout the West that would astouish even his
| greatest admirers. Let the fire be but kinded
upon the ptai,es and the cry for Scott woald echo
from almost every dwelling in the West: the flames
| would spread in every direction, from which TIE
politicians could not escape, with all ,heir macAna-
| tons.
| Tlere is more sympathy in Chicago and vicinity
for Brown than ia any other section OF the State.
| The dmy Democrat. Long John Weutworths paper
occasionally ndGges in euogies OF him calling him
martyr, &c bat tie majority Of the republicans
! do not endorse his course There were u number
| otprayer meetings before and on the day OF his
execution which are the only public manifestations
| that have been held in this city. There has also
been considerable sympathy for Brown in both par.
ties that had us origin exclusively in his treatment
at the trial The course cf the Virginans in drag
gng Brown into court withon. waiting for hi,
wounds TO heal OR his lawyer to arrive, is severely
denounced On al sides Were ii not for this fact
the synpathizers for the aarper.s Ferry invader
wonld be confined to mere handful
The fremont Hoase is tie headquarters of the
leading politicians, and be put down as the DO
liticaf weatheTgage of Chicago The politicians
oonsregate there every evening to talk over the po
liicai events Of the past day, sharpen their poit.
cal appetltes, and get themselves wound up for the
next day operation. There all great events OF the
day are oanvassed, Presidents made and uamaie,
ana thousand other schemes concocted. John
Brown for long time was one of their princi.
pal topics Of conversation, but amongst them all
there were only two or three that had the holiness
TO endorse him out anu out. large majority Of
those who are in the habit Of gathering there look
upon lin as being an honest and consistent man.
but ianatcal in his notions. They also look upon
his being hung as an impolitic movethat as far as
policy Is Concerned, bis confinement in State prison
would have been preferable notice that none of
the republicans CONE oat and pointedly condemn
tie course Of Brown. IL they do not endorse hibn