Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-03-07


have stood from the beginning. and like grim
ssutinsls watched the selsmn sisep Of sgss
and vhsa ws glance at the susssusding lasd
aeaps, ~ involuntarilly sxslsim: Beautiful
and vs ere eerried back In imagiuatien to thl
tims when, before the foot Of white mas
pressed il. Scott county. and the present stte
Of Davenport was the hsbitstion OF the Indi.
ans Here they had their homes. their burial
places. and their hunting grounds here the
children sperted on the green, and the Indian
lover sung TO the listening maid.
What contrast between this spot then and
sev. Ths change wrought within the short
spose q tvsety-Av years isdssd slmosl
equale the ssehaatoenls Of Ale0dla's lamp. Te
t6e early sseolss q eesos - bot yesterday,
vhss bs 1fse ssssssd tbs nislaippi. end toek
up claim in SsetG county. and he events d
biz pioneer lie aee 70 him % but the scenes ol
TIE pase day.
Il hes net been long since the drst piosssr
settled In what is nov Scott county. He had
left. perhaps. bis happy eastern home. his
brsthsrs. sisters. parents and friends. borne
many hsrdships and brsved many dangers. oil
for the sake Of . dwelling place in the western
vida When he at last reached and crossed
the Mississippi At this place. We can imagine
that he felt himself amply repaid for what he
had endured. What sight Of beauty met his
syea II this spot 10 beautiful now, Whist must
1t have been before the westward march Of
civilization reached it,
We will imagine that the pioneer sets him.
sslf rssolutely to work, and for the first time
the axe Of the early setter 10 heard in Scott
county. The grim old osks look In sstsnish-
ment on the bold intruder, and the bills echo
back their displsasurs. but he hesds them not,
and soon has built for hinsslf cabin. and has
. small piees Of ground under cultiv ation.-
Thus be hss hswn out hems 10 the west
Seen Others. vhe have come, perhaps. under
sioilar circumstances " his own. settle near
him. In this manner 10 formed . nucleus
around which gathers . hourishing settlement;
such Vas the commencement Of Davenport, L.
Clsirs. and the many other beautiful tswns Of
our county and state.
The history Of our country. from it, discov-
cry 70 the present time, hes been . continual
record Of the deeds Of pioneers. The first
name inscribsd on the unfading scroll, 10 that
Of Columbus. He was the pioneer Of America.
He alone had the courage to combat the deep
y rooted prejudiess Of the age in which hs
livsd-an age in which any great discovery
in science Vas denounced - the effect Of witch.
craft, and the discoversr often treated - ser
cersr. Opposing his views to the opinions Of .
council Of the wise rsn Of Spain, he had the
courage to support them and carry them out.
When be at last obtained the means. Colam-
bus set sell on his voyage Of discovery, with an
unwavering faith in his mission. And nobly
vas that mission accomplished Chris, opher
Columbus rendered service to mankind that
has made his name % lasting % the granite
hills Of the country which he discovered.
When he landed on the shores Of America,
his earliest act was to consecrate his discovery
by prayer. He knslt on the virgin soil OF the
New World, and gave thanks to his heavenly
guide and director. Such was the coming OF
the pioneer Of America.
About : century AFTER the discovery Of
America BY Columbus. band Of Puritans were
driven BY religious oppression from England
to Holland, and thence to the newly discovered
continent. They had long, dangerous pas
cage to make, In . small, lsaky vessel; yet,
trusting in Providence, they launched their
bark out on the stormy Atlantic, and CON-
msncsd the voyage.
Little did the English people think that BY
sxiling this little pilgrim band they were
laying. broad and deep. the foundation Of .
nation which should, in time, rival and even
distamee proud old England herself Yet it is
80. and With cur pilgrim fathers came the ele-
msnts Of the power and prosperity Of this
nation - We see 1t to-day.
Ona gloomy December day they caught
sight Of the chores OF their future home.
Rocky, forbidding and inhosptable 90 it
seemed, it sent glad thrill to the hearts of
those weary. storm tossed wsyfarers-here
were they to find freedo n.
They landed amid tho chill blasts Of 90
Atlantic winter; aad when they first felt the
free soil of America beneath their feet, they
knelt and poured out their thanks to the
Rulss ef their dsstiniss. They Gang until
"Ths sounding aislss Of the dim woods saag
TO ths anthem Of the free"
They came
"Not ~ tue flying oone,
In silence and in fear;
They shook the depths Of tho deserts gloom
With their hymns Of lofty chee.."
Sueh vas the coming Of those Who - Colum-
bus was the pioneer Of Ameries, were the
pioneers Of the United States.
We all know of the suffsrings Of our pilgrim
fathers during the frat few years Of heir lives
in their chosen homes When afterwards
their numbers we're increased by scesssions
from England. many Of them boldly plunged
into the wilderness. axe in hand, and carved
out for thsmsslv new homes farther west.
Thus they extend.d their limits and grew in
numbers. prosperity and power; became. In
deed. 90 prosperous - t. arouse the Jealousy
Of old England, and che commenced series OF
expressions which caused the Kevolutiop,-a
struggle Of The spirit of liberty against the
spirit Of epprsssion-in which liberty and the
right triumphsd over tyranny and might. The
Of this victory ws sss In this nation
today. sstiea Of pioneers hsldius the 6rse
rank smsng the powers thst rule, sxtsading
her borders frsm the Atlantis = the Pssi6s-
from he s. LAWrsaes 70 The Gulf Of ns1ieo-
population Of thirty millions, aud
above oil, having institutions Of which ws
may veil be proud Zach 10 the country which
vss secured 70 ~ BY the suffsrings Of the pill
grim fathers and the blsod Of our ancestors,
she'd in the Revolutionary war. should not
W, Western Young Americans. prize this hsrit.
age go dearly bought. the price Of % much
blood r and should il not b. dear 70 the heart
Of every tsus Amssisanf
We. here In the West, have - long enjoyed
the blssaiags OF pease and security, that vs a.
most forget that Il was net always %; vs ios-
get that the land which ws now occupy vss
once 10 the possession sf the ssvagss, and that
it was wrsstsd from them only BY strenuous
sxsrtiona While vs securely zip the cup of
peace. the deeds Of those who claimed and took
this wsstsrn eountry from savage foss. should
thrilling drama Of border warfare hsvs gsnse-
ally retired from the stage. Where Beens,
Brady, Kenton aud Whstzel fought, dared and
suffered. whore Tscumssh and Black Hawk led
their savage followers, another generation lives
and moves the vast forests through Which they
roamed in the Wild excitement Of the chase, or
the struggls for life and death, have melted
away before the hardy pioneer and axe Of civil
iantiOn. Deaaoful homes nov rear thamsalvas
where once all vas constant dread, strife and