Newberry Library - Autograph letter signed, addressed to John Bell

Title Autograph letter signed, addressed to John Bell

Date 1841

Extent [8] p. 33 cm

User-Contributed Transcription Prairie du Chein Wis. Tery. Sept. 17th 1841.Hon. John Bell: -Sir, Though I have not the honor of a personal acquaintence with you, I hope I shall not be considered an intruder. If I venture to suggest a few things relative to matters & things upon this frontier, in which I concieve you to be interested, as they lie principally within the province of the Dept. over which you preside. I am aware that you derive much & valuable information from the numerous officers, dependant upon your Dept. but still my residence in this country for some years and my personal acquaintence with the country for 500 miles above this by the course of River, may enable me to suggest some things which have not occured to their minds.The first thing that strikes the observing mind, here, is the rolling tide of emigration, & the consequent rapid settlement of "the West," together with the encroachments these settlements are making upon the habitations of the Aborigines or original Lords of the Soil. And as these are properly the wards of your Dept. it is in refereance to them & their final destiny, that I wish principally to direct your attention. other matters being only incidentally connected therewith. If you will spread a map of the United States before you, & cast your eye along the Allegheny Mountains, you see at once the most general line of demarkation between the whites & the red men of the forests, as it stood 50 years ago. Since then, a population of 4,000,000, have increased to 17,000,000, who have peopled 11 states in the west & Maine & Vermont in the east. Making 13, besides 3 Territories - equil to one state, & western Penn. & Virginia equil to another. In all equil to 15 states. Upon the same ratio of increase 17,000,000, will so increase as to settle upwords of 60 states in 50 years to come. But when you estimate the entire extent of the U. S. Tery. west of the new states, you will find territory enough for only about 28 states in the size of Penn.y. and consequently, our ratio of increase for 50 years past if it continues (& no one doubts it) will fill up or settle the whole Ter'y, to the Pacific Ocean in about 20 or 25 years

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number VAULT folio Graff 452

BibID 991544178805867

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Size 2406px × 3889px 26.82 MB

File Created 7/31/2012 2:41:36 AM

Filename 154417_GR_452_0001.TIF

Unique Identifier NL1V6I0

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