Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-05-03

4
Nothing in reference to Indiana is less
definitely understood outside Of tho State
than the cause Of its comparatively slow
growth up to the year 1860 II has been
simply taken for granted that, inasmuch
as we were far behind Ohio, Michigan,
and not even keeping pace with Illinois,
of'whom we had several years the start,
We were sluggish, non cnierprising peo-
Pile /; and the name Hoosier Tor mnny years
suggested little abroad except "corn dodg-
er," 'pork and BEANS" and Democratic
ignorance.
Now, it so happens that soon after the
cession of the North western Territory
to the United States, certain North Caro-.
linians, Virginians, Tenncsseeans, Ken
tuckyans, and South Caroinians, of the
primordial type, were so taken with what
they "hearu" Of "the Ingcany," that they
migrated thithcr in prodigious abundance.
They brought with them rifles, chopping-
axes, skillets. frying pans packs of hounds,
together with crude Democratic notions
of free trade, etc, and settled chiefly in
the southern and central part Of the
State. They organized our Territorial
Government, locating the capital at Cory
don in the pocket. They were people
distinguished rather for kindness of heart
than for clcarnoss Of head. While their
praiseworihy hospitality has been the
theme of numerous poetical pens and
tongues. il has ever to be admitted that
beyond little acrap O. corn "Iew
shoats" for the years meat, plenty Of wild
game, an occasional fox.chasc, n round
log cabin with clap. board doors and with
out windows, they hod no visible nspira-
tions.
Holding supreme sway through the
Territorial period, they were, when the
time arrived for the organization Of the
State, so largely in the minority that they
furnished both body aud soul TO our early
State Coycrnmcat They, as might have
been expected, framed a constitution, not
highly promoiiye of social progress and
material development. For many years
they continued TO shape the policy and
direct the course Of Indiana, aud during
the entire period Of their supremacy no
considerable advance was made.
While all of this was true Of the Hoo
sier State, Ohio, Michigan, Northern and
Central Illinois were being settled by
immigrants from New York, Pennsylvania
and the New England Staics-people al
most as superior in enterprise and intel.
lectual resources to the early settlers OF
Indiana, as the early settlers Of Indiana
were superior to the nborigines; men
who brought to the development Of their
adopted States an appreciation of the VAL
ue Of machinery, OF internal improve
ments, OF tho education Of the masses ,
men reared in sound political school,
possesseduof practical knowledge of true
economy.
1t is but reasonable 10 expect that out
Of such material as this States Of the most
progressive order may be organized, while
It cannot be expected that q State con.
structcd from "Alock's Old Field. ""Beard's 5
latter Shop, and "Dobson's Cross Roads"
in the days of their primitive purity,
should move rapidly onward. a State
settled ike Ohio was settled, having East
ern energy, Eastern talent, Eastern Wing.
gerry, unobstructcd by South Carolina
Democracy. deserves little credit for keep
ing clear of del !, establishing public
works, public schc Is. and reputation
which will invite Immigration and capital.
On the other har'l State settled as lndi-
ana was settled, with Southern lclhargy,
Southern ignorance, aud Southern De-
mocracy. deserves great credit II, in the
course Of century, il gets ou. Of debt,
and begins to talk about free education
and public improvements.
But, thanks to the spirit of the nge,
the Iloosicr State has, in less than half II
century freed itself from bad politics. es-
tablishcd its sol,ency beyond doubt,
provided itself with a system Of free
schools the superior to which can hardly
be found on The continent, made incrcdl-
BILE progress in the development Of its re-
sources, thoroughly wiped oat the stain
put upon its military character by Dem
ocratic Colonel in Mexico, and made a
reputation Of which any State might we'll
+ be proud.
10 cur assistance in this great work Of
, regeneration and improvement came, at
an early day, the irrepressiblc Yankee
and the equally irrepressible Buckeye
The old settlers who came to Indiana in
carts, whose wheels were without tires
drawn by horses geared in rope traces
and shuck cola-4--those antiquated clay.
eaters who, upon meeting a stranger cried
: "l'm from North Carlny, Chatham Coun.
ty; am a gune to the Ingeany Posey Corn
ty. Whar'rc you a guine? God bless you
give me chaw iobacker"-one by on'
a dropped off, leaving sons who, although
by no meai 5 very progressive, were fa'
$ more easily impressed with new ideas thai
r their sires.
By the year 1860, ws had suficien
n number Of Yankees, Workers and Buck
: eyes to enable us to throw off that i'm
mouso burden Of Democracy under whicl
j. We had SO long gsoancd. That great Ex