The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-20
The Scenery of the Upper Mississippi
What Edward Everett says Of It.

| AhC SCcttcTy VI tne upper NAtSShSShppa-
What Edward Everett says OF 1t.
Through the kindness of friend. whose
notes were placed in our hands, we have the
pleasure of Presenting to our readers the eX-
ordium of Mr.. EvERErr's lecture on Thursday
evening. We do this principally tina his high
appreciation of the surprising grandeur and
beauty of the Upper Mississippi, may become
generally known in other sections of the coun.
| try.]
have had opportunities of descending
the Ohio and Mississippi from Pittsburg to
New Orleans twice in my life, and often
have visited st. Louis. Yesterday and
Gay before l was gratifed in the contem-
plation of the magnificent, the beautiful
scenery that line the banks of the Upper
Mississippi; and more beautiful, more mag~
nifcent scenery have never seen upon the
Rhine or the Danube. Even that feature,
supposed to be peculiar only to the scenery
OF tue ruins OF Europe, with armed castles
of the robber counts of the middle ages,
having no architectural beauty whatever,
no interest except as they call associations
of the past, and these not of the most agree.
able character,-i say, these peculiar tea
lures of the Rhine and Danube, are to my
eye, well replaced by these castellated crags
OF fossiliferous limestones which the Great
Architect has piled upon the banks of your
noble river.
With this opportunity of becoming &C,
quainted, may say, with the greet Misss-
sippi, from the almost head waters to its
mouth, formed new ideas of that plan Of
Providence which poured out this mighty
stream, reaching 10 its course from the snow
of the North to the tepid gulf formed
new conceptions, l say, of the designs of
Providence in leading these waters across
the continent, to make them ligament to
bind our glorious Union together.
May not say, l find new illustrations OF
the oiiy and wickedness of the Cotton
States, in assuming, even if they were per-
mitted to break this sacred bond, that the
three millions scattered along the banks OF
the Upper Mississippi would ever permit
its delta to pass into the control of an alien
power.
know that these illustrations, and all
illustrations OF the folly and wickedness of
this war, may seem 10 some sense too old.
1t was said nearly twelve months ago, that
the time for words had already passed, and
that the season for action had arrived.
This is certainly true. The season for ac-
ton has long since arrived, and our fellow
citizens, on the land and on the sea, in the
East and in the West, who with their lives
in their hands, have FASTENED to the res
cue of the Union, have shown that the
time for action has long since arrived. l
know that it necessarily follows, my friends,
that the season for words has past, but the
true principle, 1 suppose. in this respect, is,
that it is never too early for brave and
virtuous action-never too late for kind
and encouraging word. Engaged as the
country is, IN this struggle of tremendous
magnitude, the like of which we shall hardly
find in the annals of civilization, the first
object of course is, that it should be brought
as soon as possible to triumphant and
honorable close. And this end can only be
obtained by the strenuous exertions of the
loyal people throughout all the country.
That in order that these exertions may
be made persistently and successfully,
it is necessary that the public mind
throughout the loyal States should be fully
enlightened as to the original nature and
tendency of this great struggle, and still
more that the public heart should be deeply
impressed with the necessity of bringing it
at tie earliest possible moment, to an aus
picious issue. These are the topics, my
friends, on which have to offer you a few
remarks, at this time, and for which have
the honor to appear before you, this most
distinguished audience.