CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 353 



three thousand souls to one million six hundred thousand. Du- 

 ring this very period, we have had two wars to pass through, pro- 

 secuted by England, with all her means of annoyance ; and 

 she was assisted, too, by hordes of the wildest, most cruel, most 

 brave, and warlike savages on the globe. We had, too, an 

 immense forest to clear off — a sickly climate, originally, to 

 contend with, as all settlers in any other new country have. 



It may be said that congress has done much for us. We 

 answer, not much. All the lands which congress have grant- 

 ed to us, to the very last acre, have been paid for, either di- 

 rectly or indirectly. Being weak, when admitted into the 

 Union, we made as good a bargain as we could with congress; 

 but still a very poor bargain, by agreeing not to tax congress 

 lands. It was on our part a most wretched bargain. " But 

 congress gave us some lands to assist us in making our ca- 

 nals." Yes, congress gave us five hundred thousand acres of 

 land, which congress could not sell at any price, on condition 

 that we made a canal through congress lands ; and by means 

 of our improvements, the remaining lands of the United States 

 have sold for six dollars and upwards, on an average, an acre, 

 which congress could not otherwise have sold, to this day, for 

 six cents ail acre. We feel grateful that we have had many 

 votes for western measures, in congress, at different times, 

 from all the states except New Hampshire and Maine, and the 

 New York Bucktails. Ohio has, in return, been friendly to 

 her friends, in congress. 



In the west, our young men take precedence, of the older 

 men, whereas in our eastern Atlantic cities, the younger law- 

 yers and physicians, complain, with what propriety, we do not 

 pretend to know, that the older men of their professions, keep 

 all the business in their own hands. Should these young men 

 visit Ohio, they would find every thing reversed. They would 

 see placed on the bench, very young men, generally, presi- 

 ding there; and the older and more experienced lawyers, 

 standing before them, at the bar! And as soon as a judge be- 

 comes qualified for his station, some younger man, who per- 

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