The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-01-19
Our Population.

agriculture and the mechanical arts has
not diminished, and we are continually
making improvements in every material
point of view, with fertility Of concep-
ton, variety of detail and energy OF pur-
pose that must excite the establishment
of all foreign nations. Turn to what
point you will, or branch OF business,
you will find that it is flourishing to an
extraordinary degree, that our cities and
towns, churches and school houses, rail
roads and lelegraphs are being built, ex
tended and completed, that new terri
tories and regions are being laid under
tribute, and that every trade, occupation
or business is in as prosperous state as
when the war commenced. Of no other
nation who have ever carried on war can
this be said. Whenever this scourge
wakes fierce in intensity, science and the
liberal arts vanish, while confusion,
anarchy and riot take their place, and
the laws and civil forms of government
are disorganized, and become wholly
corrupt. That we have succeeded in
maintaining our business relations nnim
paired TO such remarkable degree is
owing in great measure to the sterling
character and qualities of the citizens
who compose our population, welded to
the principles Of liberty and justice, and
who act solely from moral motives. But
the movements of emigration before the
war commenced, and since, present a
curious contrast, and one which cannot
fail of being instructive TO our readers.
In Kansas we were trying to reclaim
from nature that belt of country known
as the great American desert, four
hund red miles in width, on this side Of
the Rocky mountains. Had peace con-
tinued, but few years must have elaps-
ed before the fertile portions of Mime
sDta, Dacotah and Nebraska, would have
been teeming as thickly with farms and
villages as Iowa is at present, and by
this time we should have had to look to
new quarters for our annual increase of
population, and a question for the minds
ofStatesmen 10 ponder over would have
been raised, as to where we should find
room for the hundreds Of thousands that
every year is adding to US. Not one Of
the hardy emigranls who came over in
our ships, would settle at the South,
where their labor would be brought into
competition with that of slavery. and SO
all turned their attention TO the North
and North west, filling up our vast pra-
tries and developing our agricultural and
mineral resources to the fullest extent,
while at the South decay had set in, and
the forest, the swamp and the natives,
were retaining what had originally been
their own. But with the breaking out
of the rebellion all this was changed, and
our population will now move to the
Southwark, instead Of to the West as be
fore. From the moment secession be-
gan to assume an organized shape, many
of the southern people anticipating the
coming storm, began TO move towards
the free States Those whose instincts
and principles taught them that slavery
was wrong, had all been driven out be-
fore the trouble commenced, but now AL
classes who were hostile to the designs
Of the southern leaders were forced 10 90
During the whole of 1861, this exodus
Of Southern Unionists continued. At
any port where vessel could safely
touch. they Aocked on board in large
numbers, they came up the Mississippi.
the Tennessee and the Cumberland,
they crowded the cars on the Louisville
and Nashville R. R., they streamed up
from Southwestern Missouri, they
threaded the jungles of the indian Ter
ritory, until they found rest in Kansas,
they poured through the Alleghanies in
to Western Virginia, and thence into
Pennsylvania and Ohio, while the Chesa-
peake and Potomac were crossed on
every kind of craft that would keep
aloat. The southern cities were de
prived Of their most active business
classes, and the mountain region of the
Stare States lost nearly one half Of their I
population. In The city Of New York
alone, il is estimated that twenty thous-
and Southern Unionisls have taken
refuge. Another class Of persons, who
at the commencement OF the Rebellion +
identified themselves with 1T, a,e now
beginning TO repent Of their rash conduct,
aAd are now seeking localities where