Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-07-30
OUR COUNTRY.

The place man is born is his native coun-
try. 1t may be ruled over by tyrant. Still
it is his country. 1t may oppress him and
keep him in poverty. Still it is his native
land. TO it he is bound by thousand ties.
Its history is full Of interest, and awakens a
pleasant recollection of the past. The Lap
lander, removed to tropical cline, dreams
of icebergs. Green Erin, though sad and
forsaken, is ever loved and cherished by the
exiled Irishman. Scotland is "wee bit" of
land, but its rugged mountains and rocky hills
never cease to be loved and admired by the
Scotchman abroad.
The American has country, and in many
respects it is the greatest country on which
the sun shines. 1t is washed on the east by
the Atlantic and on the west by the Pacific.
1t extends from near the equator to the re-
gion of perpetual snow. 1t is the boast of
old England that the sun never sets upon her
dominions, and her morning drum is heard
round the world. This is true; but England's
dominions are scattered over the world like so
many islands in the ocean. Ours is solid
mass Of three million six hundred and twelve
thousand square miles, with population of
thirty nine millions. Four hundred years
ago the territory known as North America
was unknown to the world. On the 18th of
April, 1912, Ponce de Leon landed on the
Peninsula now known as the State of Florida.
This is only three hundred and sixtytwo
years ago. No permanent settlement, how
ever, was effected for many years after this
date. On the 23rd of May, 1906, the first
permanent settlement of the New World, by
the English, was effected at Jamestown, in the
State of Virginia. In 1920 the State of Mas
sachusetts was settled at Plymouth. Charles
ton, the chief city Of the State Of South Car
olina, was founded in the year 1872. From
this period may be dated the settlement of
South Carolina 1t is only two hundred and
6fty-four years since the first permanent Eng
lish settlement was commenced in the United
States. Only two hundred and two years
since the State of South Carolina was all un-
broken forest from mountain to seaboard. 1t
will be recollected that the country has passed
through multitude Of calamities. Aside
from the difficulties that attended the clear
ing of the forest and putting it in proper con-
dition for cultivation, there have been many
grievous wars. From the first settlement of
the country up to the Revolutionary period,
the inhabitants were almost continually at
war with the aborgines Then came the Rev.
olutionary war; then the war of 1912; then
the Mexican war; and lastly the war of the
States. By these several wars united, more
than half million of men were killed and
millions of property destroyed. At one time
or other, all the chief cities were laid in ashes
by an invading foe. In spite Of all these dis
astrous events, the United States has grown
and hourished- Often in spite Of herself. To-
day she stands, in point of wealth, amongst
the first nations of the earth, and in point of
enterprise, the first.
In the whole world, there are estimated
to be one hundred and twenty-seven thousand
and five hundred miles of railroad. Of this
number, more than ffty.one thousand are in
the United States The cities Of the United
States rival in wealth and population the cities
of the old world. London was a city nine
teen hundred years ago. The island on
which New York to-day stands, was covered
with wild vines in the year 1913, only two
hundred and sixty years ago. In the whole
world, there are only eight cities that have a
greater population than New York. These
are London, in England Paris, in France ;
Berlin, in Germany; Constantinople, in Tur-
key; Calcutta, in India Pekin and Canton,
in China; and Yeddo, in Japan. All of
these are several hundred years older than
New York.
When we look seriously at the growth of
the United States, it strikes us with wonder
and astonishment. There is nothing like it in
the history of the past. We may say it is all
sham. Be it 50; but it is the grandest sham
the world ever saw. But it is not all sham.
The man who thinks there is nothing real
about the United States, is terribly mistaken.
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