SOLON ROBINSON, 1845 497 



selves from starvation, they had better emigrate at once 

 to the far-famed American Bottom, which I consider is 

 very productive of corn and ague-and-fevers of all names 

 and grades, and as pooly formed and as destitute of what 

 Yankees call "comfortable living," as can be found in all 

 Suckerdom. Now although I did not "distress myself 

 with the American Bottom," yet you have placed me and 

 my fellow citizens of Lake county in a very distressing 

 situation. 



And I am "invidious," too, am I? Well, that distresses 

 me more than all the rest — and I'll try to improve. And 

 I'll make no more comparisons between Vermonters and 

 North Carolinians, saving my own private opinion, that 

 the latter in the matter of "corn bread and common 

 doings," can beat all the Yankee nation, though some of 

 the latter, after they become Suckers, get about as un- 

 comfortable as those to the "manor born." My prayer 

 is that "intermarriage" will be fruitful in "setting these 

 matters to rights" — it's needed. 



One more item. It must have been painful news to 

 my friend Brewster 1 to hear that I had "run away to 

 Missouri." He will doubtless be pleased to know that I 

 have run back again, having only got into one peniten- 

 tiary while I was gone; 2 from which I escaped, and 

 where I saw the only true illustration of the "non-en- 

 closure system;" that is, every one to fence in his own, 

 and not fence out his neighbors' animals. This is the 

 system that we contend for — but one upon which I shall 

 not write, while answered with abuse and sarcasm in- 

 stead of argument. I leave the matter to the more able 

 pen of A. B. Allen, Esq. of the American Agriculturist. 



I am glad to hear that "there is no more danger of 

 sheep getting short of feed than the birds short of 



1 Edward W. Brewster, Kane County, Illinois, treasurer of the 

 Union Agricultural Society of northeastern Illinois in 1843, and 

 corresponding secretary in 1844; contributor to Prairie Farmer 

 and Albany Cultivator; postmaster of Little Woods, Kane County, 

 1842-1850. 



2 See post, 503. 



