The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-11

TuE lecture Of Prof. WILDER on the geol0.
giral wealth Of the west, was, as u whole, an
/ excellent production aud was listened To with
unusual interest aud pleasure, One part Of
the lecture we regarded ~ failure
that portion in whica he attempted to draw
aparallel between the pecularitic- Of the PEG
pie and the geological formation of the cuun.
try in which they live; and to ia, it seemed a
most signal failure in regard to the people in
hbiting southern Ohio southern Indiana.
southern lllions aud Missouri lie charac,
tcri2cd them rs "jutternuts," and, hy infer.
cncc, he ridiculed them ~ ignorant and ntem.
perate. His story about the Posey county
resolutions evrry intelligent man knows to be
a fiction. His reierauce to an ilitcra,e sgu
he saw in southern Illinois. on which whisky
was the only word spelled correctly, is not
peculiar TO that region Of the state. We
, could show bin some quite az strong evlden.
ces OF ignorance in Rock Island county.
1t has been quite fashionable with Ger.
tain class Of politicians land we regret to see
So good Douglas democrat AS Prof WILDER
copying them) to cast ridiculc and contempt
upon the southern portion of this state, sim.
ply because the people are democrats to
stlgmatsc that portion of the state as
Egypt" and is iuhabjtaut, az ignorant
hy inference claiming, after the manner Of
the ancient Phuriscc, superiority over them
in every respect, and in effect, producing
division of our state as to its social, political
aud commercial interests. This part of Prof
Wilber's lecture was triling and undigmifed
unworthy the man or the OCCASION and un.
true IN point Of fact. The history Of this
state, from it. territorial organization to the
present hour, will show the mass Of the peo-
pie Of southern Illinois to be fully the equals
OF the people Of any other portion of the
state and it will further show that, during
all this time, southern Wiaois treats ann 9TH.
erpart Of tie state Il. the pyoductioa Of dis.
tnyU,shd men. At the bar, in the forum,
aud on the bench in the balls Of legislation,
state and national: in the executive depart
ments Of the government, state and national;
and on the fields Of battle both in Mexico
and in the present war, she occupies Il proud
and enyiabc positiOn-a position which no
other portion OF the state haze equalcd.
And III summing up the lecture, Professor
Wllber found that almost the entire mineral
rcaiM Of our state lies wlhin tie Jouads
Of " EMpt.' TWAS there only that be found
iron, and ''inquantites great enough to build
railroads five miles apart all around the
globe it was there that he found almost un.
limited quantities Of coal, enough to furnish
the state with fuel for half million Of wears;
it was there that he found the most superior
clay and sand for crockery and glassware it
was there that he found lead in great quaint.
ties. In southern Illinois Prof. WILDER found
the great mineral storchousc Of this state and
a soil and climate unequalled in the great
west. And he might have added people
which for industry, enterprise. wealth, intel.
ligence, morality, patriotism, and noble de
votion to the union will compare favorably
with any people in the west.
The greatest deposit of lead was in the north.
western portion Of the state, and there excel
lent sand for glass, was tound-aso good clay
for pottery ware under most OF the coal fields
Of the state.
Iii, illusions to the mineral wealth Of 9th.
er states in the northwest, were in general
terms, but they were highly interesting. We
do not recollect any allusion to the great
fields Of copper OF course, III one lecture,
every branch of this most interesting study
could not be illustrated But with the slight
exhibition of bad taste we have alluded to,
and which we hope he will not repeat, we
were greatly pleased with the lecture. and
should be glad if he could continue, more in
detail, course upon the interesting study
which seems to eugross his whole soul, and
to which all his energies are enthusiastically
devoted.