ANNUAL ADDRESS. 269 



ery calling, and our increasing means and facilities for improve- 

 ment and wealth — why may we not, I say, in view of all these 

 rich blessings, consider the command addressed to us : "Go home 



TO THY FRIENDS, AND TELL THEM HOW GEEAT THINGS THE LORD 

 HATH DONE FOR THEE I" 



A learned and distinguished gentleman of Massachusetts, Ex- 

 Governor Boutwell, has recently undertaken to disparage the 

 West, and to give it a bad name, by instituting an invidious 

 comparison between it and the East. In a long and labored ad- 

 dress, he attempts to prove that this great Valley of the Missis- 

 sippi, and particularly the North- west, is altogether "flat, stale 

 and unprofitable." The surface of the country is level and mo- 

 notonous — the soil destitute of proper cultivation, and therefore 

 unproductive — the people indolent and thriftless — the general 

 condition of things far from hopeful or promising — in fine, the 

 country and its inhabitants are inferior, impoverished, unfruitful, 

 with a tendency to absolute barbarism. He means, of course, 

 compared with the people and the country east ; and as a proof 

 of what he ;;sserts, he introduces figures to show that Massachu- 

 setts and Vermont far eclipse Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin, in 

 the amount of their products, not because they have a more 

 fruitful soil and accessible surface, or a general condition of things 

 more favorable to agricultural success ; but, because we, with all 

 our advantages of surface, soil and climate, lack the intelligence, 

 enterprise, industry, energy and skill of the people of New 

 England. Now, I am far from wishing to disparage the two 

 States brought forward in the comparison. I am frank to con- 

 fess that they beat us in growing granite and trap — that their 

 hills are superior to our own — that their mountains are magnifi- 

 cent and sublime — that they abound in bold and gorgeous scene- 

 ry, and possess many enchanting spots amidst green hills, by 

 dashing waterfalls, in mountain gorge and valley nook. Neither 

 do we deny them "fair women and brave men," and we humble 

 ourselves before the mighty and majestic spirits to which they 

 have given birth. We concede them superior educational ad- 

 vantages, and we honor the land that grows Yankee scholmas- 

 ters ! But, in broad rivers, in beautifal lakes, in sunny slopes, 



