r permitted to remain the
factors of the Western, they must be content to become manufacturing
states, and probably will compete with England. The Western States,
providentially, I may say, are not likely to be manufacturers to any
great extent, since they have not _water_ powers; the valley of the
Mississippi is an alluvial flat, and although the Missouri and
Mississippi are swift streams, in general the rivers are sluggish, and,
at all events, they have not the precipitate falls of water necessary
for machinery, and which abound in the North-eastern States; indeed, if
the Western States were to attempt to manufacture, as well as to
produce, they would spoil the market for their own produce. Whatever
may be the result, whether the Eastern States submit quietly to be shorn
of their greatness, (a change which must take place,) or to contest the
point until it ends in a separation, this is certain, that the focus of
American wealth and power will eventually be firmly established in the
Free States on the other side of the Alleghany mountains.
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Note 1. I was once conversing with one who was formerly very popular
with the democrats, but who was likely to be outset by another
demagogue, who "went the whole hog," down to the Agrarian system.
"Captain," said he, with his fist clenched, "I'm the very
personification of democracy, but I'm out-Heroded by this fellow. The
emigrants are a pack of visionaries, who don't know what they want. The
born Americans I can deal with, but with these newcomers democracy is
not sufficient; they want a mobocracy, and I suppose we must have
it."--"You have it now," replied I.--"Well, captain, I believe you're
right."
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Note 2. I don't know why, but there is no scrutiny of the votes in
American elections, or if there be, I never heard of one being made.
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Note 3. "The young men of New England migrate in large numbers to the
west, leaving an over proportion of female population, the amount of
which I never could learn. Statements were made to me, but so
incredible that I withhold them. Suffice it, that there were more women
than men in from six to nine States in the Union."--Miss Martineau.
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