The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-04-12

at some remote period there will
spring up in that region a new
kind of agriculture, which will
cause a demand for those particu-
lar lands; and they may then
come into use and be valuable for
agricultural purposes. ButIknow,
and / cannot help thinking that
my friend from Indiana under
stands, that for he present, and for
many years to come, these pine
lands can have no possible value
other than that arising from the
pine timber which stands on them
Now, sir. who, after llstenlngt to
this emphatic and unequivocal
testimony Of these intelligent,
competent and able-bodied wit
nesses, [Iaughter,] who that is not
as incredulouS as st. Thomas him
self, will doubt for a moment that
the Goshen Of Amcricr is to be
found in The sandy v::!'crs and
upon the pine. '.;' H., -: ;'ir :.
Croix? (L&a -s:,.:.'., So" "..:
have the harll.,.',.. =. :',,.:+ - i..r
seat on this tl:,,l .:'.,: ,>>>,'i i,:;.;.
excepting the pine ha>"r>. the ,:o.
tire region would not produce
vegetation enough in ten years 10
fatten grasshopper. (Great
laughtcr.l Whcro is the patriot
who is willing that his country
should incur the peril Of remain
ing another day without the am
olest railroad connection with
such an inexhaustable mine Of ag-
ricultural wealth. Laughter. -
Who will answer for the conse-
quences of abandoning q great
and warlike people, in possession
Of a country like that, to brood
over the indifference and neglect
of their government ? Laugh
teri How long would it be be-
fore they would take to studying
the Declaration Of Independence
and Matching out the damnable
hercsy of secession How long
before the grim demon Of civil dis
cord would rear again his horrid
head in our midst, 'gnash loud his
| iron fangs, and shake his crest Of
bristling bayonets ? Laugbter.]
Then, sir, think Of the long and
painful process Of reconstruction
that must follow, with its concom-
liant amendments 10 the constitu-
ton; the seventeenth, eighteenth
and nineteenth articles. The six
| teenth, it is Of course understood,
is to be appropriated to those blush
ing damsels who are day after day,
beseeching US to let them vote, hold
office, drink cocktails ride astrad-
die, and do everything else the
men do. [Roars Of laughter. +
But, above all, sir, let me implore
you to reflect for a single moment
on the deplorabIe condition of our
country in case Of a foreign war,
with all ourports blockaded, all our
cities in a state Of siege, the gaunt
spectre of famine broodins like a
hungry vulture over our starving
land our commi>sary stores all
exhausted, and our famishing ar.
mics whitening away in the field,
a helpless prey to the insatiate
demon Of hunger; our navy rcC-
ting in tie docks for want Of Pro-
visions for our gallant seanen,
and we without any railroad COM
munication with the prolific pine
thickets of St. Croix. [Great
laughter.]
All, sir, could very we'll un-
derstand why my amiable friends
from PENNSYLVANIA, Mr.. Myers,
Mr.. Kelly and Mr.. O'Neil.] should
be so earnest in their support of
this bill she other day, andif their
honorable colleague, my friend,
Mr.. Randall, will pardon the re-
mark, l will say l considered his
criticism Of their action on that
occasion as not only unjust but
ungenerous. l knew they were
looking forward with that far
reaching ken OF enlightened states
manship to the pitiable condition
in which Philadelphia will be left
unless speedily supplied with rail
road connection in some way or
other with this garden spot Of the
universe. Laughter.] And be.
sides, Sir, this discussion has re-
iieved my mind of mystery that
has weighed upon it like an in
cumbus for years. ] cnnld never
understand btt,r: '";;!' !;,:'"a "ls
so much eXcitcm::,: ..ir"y a..
last Congress over .he ;,rHii*i'l.n
Of Alta Vela. / coai'i asver un.
dcrstand why it was that some OF
our ablest statesmen ana most dis
! interested patriots should enter
tain such dark forbodings Of the
untold calamities that were to be-
fall our beloved country, unless
we should take immediate posses
sion of that desirable island. But
l see now that they were laboring z
under the mistaken impression
that the government would need
the guano to manure the public
lands Of the St. Croix. [Great
laughtcr.]
Now, sir, I repeat, I have been
satisfied for years that if there
was any portion Of the Inhabited
/