The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-03-25
First and Last Twenty Years Of the
Century.

Looking at the past twenty years, one is apt
to regard the period, without considering as full
er of great events than any other like period in
the history of onr Government. The greatest
rebellion on record began and ended in that
time resulting in its crushing failure and in the
abolition of negro slavery, which had fastened
itself upon the land from the time of its earliest
settlement. This rebellion, and the war in
Europe between France and Germany, were the
only affairs of note in the way of arms. Nearly
every American statesman who had attained
great distinction at the beginning of the twenty
years, was dead before the close. This included
Seward, Douglas, Sumner, COrwin, and many
others, including seven ex-Presidents and one
President-Van Buren, Tyler, Fillmore, Pierce,
Buchanan, Lincoln, and johnson. The success
full laying of the Atlantic Cable, and the build
ing of railroad to the Pacific, occurred in the
same period. The States added to the Union
were Kansas, Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado, and
the division of Virginia into two States. Such
are the leading noted events from 1860 to 1850.
But when We look back at the first twenty
years of the century, from 1900 to 1870, we find
them full of great events. Perhaps more i'm
portaDt history was made in that time, than in
any other like period; and the growth of
country far surpassed anything that any subse-
quent twenty years have witnessed. Washing
ton had just died at their commencement, and
the grand Presidential administrations filed up
the space. Our most renowned statesmen, such
as Clay, Webster, John Quincy Adams, Jackson,
and Calhoun, entered upon their public career
and became famous in that period The Algerine
war; and the second war with England, that ad
ed new laurels to the American Army, and I'M
mortalized our navy, occurred then. The mur-
der of Alexander Hamilton, the conspiracy and
downfall of Burr, and the establishment of the
Missouri Compromise, belong to that period.
The Purchase of Louisiana Territory by Jeffer
son from Napoleon Bonaparte, whereby was add
ed to our country all the territory between the
Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean, except
that acquired from Mexico, occurred in that
time. Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri, were admitted
as States during the same twenty years. At the
beginning of that time, Napoleon Bonaparte was
not yet famous. His carer as Emperor had
barely commenced. He fought all his great
battles, won all his great renown, met his down
fall and was banished to st. Helena, during the
twenty years and died just at their close-al-
most as near to it Washington before their
commencement. The fame of Wellington, the
conquerer of Napoleon, was all embraced in the
same period. The most melancholy events of
the Irish Rebellion occurred at the beginning of
that period, and the map of Europe was recon-
structed in the course of that twenty years.
During those twenty years, rot President or
ex-President died.
1t will thus be seen that, grand as the last
twenty years have been in historical events, the
first twenty years of tse century eclipse them
in grandeur.