94 FACILITY IN ACQUIRING LAND. 



personal knowledge, I am sure that there are many hundreds 

 of our northern agricultural labourers possessed of the requisite 

 skill and prudence, to ensure success. To such men, I should 

 be happy to offer any information in my power, on application 

 being made to me. 



One great advantage that an emigrant of any class pos- 

 sesses in the Western States is, the facility with which land may 

 be acquired ; not merely its cheapness, but the readiness and 

 simplicity with which it may be legally transferred. Every 

 five pounds that a man saves, may at once be invested in land. 

 He needs to run no risk of bank failures ; and his landed in- 

 vestment is constantly improving in value, though he does noth- 

 ing whatever with it. The same process is going on at home, 

 but the labouring man at home cannot share in an advantage 

 to which he himself contributes, as the land is too dear for him, 

 and the cost of transferring a small parcel of it is nearly as 

 great as the cost of the land itself. He is thus shut out alto- 

 gether from the hope of ever being the possessor of land, and 

 cannot therefore participate in that increasing value which is 

 the good fortune of the rich alone. 



Though I have doubts of the success of even prudent men 

 who have no more capital than their wits, and no agricultural 

 knowledge or experience, I feel bound to say that such is not 

 the general opinion of experienced men in Illinois. One gen- 

 tleman of high reputation and fortune in Chicago, assured me 

 that he knew innumerable instances of people brought up in 

 towns, with no knowledge of country life, and very limited 

 means, who had blundered into experience and comfort in a 

 year or two. In this country, he said, that every necessary of 

 life is sluttishly plentiful ; that it is not possible here to find a 

 man hungry ; that nature is so abundant that no prudent man 

 can help becoming rich ; and that, though they may sometimes 

 have a set back for a time, they will soon rebound and take a 

 fresh start, and that there is plenty for all. 



