Mr. Butler's Discourse. 165 



that the momentous question, whether liberty was to be hoped 

 or struggled for, with all its amazing consequences, was de- 

 cided on the plains of Saratoga ; and that the foundations of 

 our independence were laid anew, on the banks and waters of 

 Champlain. 



Our civil history, since the era of the revolution, is equally 

 pregnant with striking events. Under the operation of the 

 free principles then established, the state has rapidly advanced 

 in all the attributes of greatness. No other country can be 

 named, in which forty years have made so many and such ex- 

 tensive changes. Our population swelled from 340,000 to two 

 millions— our improved lands from one million acres to eight— 

 55 counties separately organized— 757 towns— 5 incorporated 

 cities, one of which contains more than 200,000 inhabitants— 

 93 incorporated villages, many of which are populous and 

 flourishing — several colleges, and numerous institutions for 

 instruction in general literature and in medical science — se- 

 lect, common, and free schools, sufficient in number to edu- 

 cate all the children of the republic— penitentiary establish- 

 ments, in which the great problem, whether the ends of crim- 

 inal justice can be united with the melioration of the penal 

 code, has at length been solved ; and happily for mankind, 

 solved in the affirmative— 484 miles of canal navigation con- 

 structed at the public expense, and owned by the state, and 

 81 miles constructed and owned by an incorporated company 

 — salt springs, whose annual produce amounts to near a mil- 

 lion and a half of bushels— 1,406 post-offices— 73 steam- 

 boats, plying wholly or partly in the waters of the state— 211 

 newspapers, 14 of which are published daily — 214 incorpora- 

 ted manufacturing companies, and several hundred manufacto- 

 ries owned bv individuals or associations not incorporated— 44 

 banks, and 53 insurance companies, now in operation— 350 

 turnpike and bridge companies— 5 savings banks— numerous 

 literary, scientific and benevolent institutions — and a militia 

 of nearly 200,000.* These are some of the results to be re- 

 corded in the recent history of New- York. The several steps 

 in a career so rapid and illustrious, ought not to be unknown. 

 We owe it to ourselves and to the world, to furnish a modest 



