re
materials all lie near enough for the purposes of either work or
distribution. Birmingham, Manchester, Lyons, and Cincinnati, have
their materials no nearer. There, if anywhere, is a site peculiarly
proper for a manufacturing town.

But, neither agriculture, commerce, nor manufactures are the only
things necessary to build up a large city. Healthiness is more
important than either. Here again, Mackinaw has more advantage over
Chicago. Mackinaw has been proved by two hundred years experience to
be one of the healthiest points in America. Chicago is generally
healthy, but is subject to more severe epidemics. The cholera visited
it in 1832 and in 1849, with fearful force; while its very low
position and muddy streets expose its inhabitants to those diseases
which arise from damps.

The Legislature of Michigan, recently passed a bill to provide for the
drainage and reclamation of the swamp lands of the State by a system
of State roads, accompanied by a lengthy and able report. The bill
provides among others, a road from Ionia north to the straits, and
thence to Saut St. Mary.

They also passed a bill entitled the "Forty Acre Homestead Act." This
act requires the commissioners of the State Land office to issue a
certificate of purchase to every settler on the swamp lands belonging
to the State, for forty acres of said lands, whenever such settler
shall have resided upon it for five continuous years, and when he has
drained the same so as to comply with the provisions of the Act of
Congress making this grant to the State. Before the settler can
acquire the right thus to occupy and drain any of the swamp lands, he
is required to file with the commissioner his application, accompanied
by an oath of his intention to settle upon and drain it for the
purpose of obtaining a title thereto. And he must also make oath that
he is not already the owner of forty acres of land in any State of the
United States. It is also expressly provided that he shall not cut or
carry away any timber from said land, unless it be to clear it for
cultivation, under such penalties as are now prescribed for
trespassing upon State lands. It will be seen, therefore, that the
object of the law is to provide homes for the homeless, and at the
same time promote the actual, _permanent_ settlement of the northern
portion of the State. No man who possesses forty acres of land either
in Michigan or anywhere else, is entitled to the benefits of the act.
It i