SOLON ROBINSON, 1841 219 



eternity, before you might say the same of this country, 

 if an enlightened and liberal course was adopted toward 

 that numerous class who are destined to earn their bread 

 under that primeval malediction upon Adam and his race. 



I assert with the utmost sincerity of belief, that the 

 Grand Prairie can, and will be eventually cultivated to 

 good advantage, entirely without timber for fuel, fence, 

 or building. The earth itself will afford the best and 

 cheapest materials for the whole. 



Do you imagine that this is too great a change — too 

 improbable ever to be brought about? 



Look back a few years. What was this country then? 

 And what may it not be a century hence? 



I fancy there are some here, who can look back to the 

 time, for it is but a short stretch of memory, when the 

 City of Chicago, consisted of yon little stockade, and its 

 handfull of soldiers, and a few humble log cabins around 

 it. And what has wrought this mighty magic change, in 

 the little space of time comprised in the tenth of a cen- 

 tury. Is it your most beautiful inland sea whereon rides 

 those great castles moved by steam, which weekly float 

 into your, I am sorry to say unfinished harbour? Is it 

 the enterprise of your merchant princes, or princely 

 merchants ? 



No — No. Allow me to impress it upon your minds, 

 that all this wonderful change has been wrought more 

 by that humble little machine, which, when a boy, I often 

 went whistling after, than by all the wealth of merchants, 

 or power of steam, or great facilities of navigation, 

 though all these are auxiliaries to this wonderful magi- 

 cian's wand that has converted the wilderness into a 

 city, in so short a space. And would you hear the name of 

 this wonderful machine — it is the Plough. What would 

 have been your city now, if it had not been for this 

 magic wand of the husbandman? Why the sentinel 

 would have still kept watch upon his post, to guard a 

 few Indian traders against surprise from their cus- 

 tomers. And occasionally a solitary vessel, wandering 



