...opposition such as the following from Daniel Webster: "What do we want with this vast and worthless area, of this region of savages and wild beasts, of deserts,...and whirlwinds, of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs ; to what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts, or those endless mountain ranges, impenetrable...

...Crow 1939:vii). Instead they had listened to opinions like that of Daniel Webster who asked in 1838: What do we want with this vast worthless area? This region of savages and wild beasts, of deserts, shifting sands, and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? (Forbis 1973:19) and of Horace...

...Calhoun served in Congress 1811-1817, 1832-1843, and 1845-1850. He was vice president 1825-1832. 1986 What do we want with this vast, worthless area? This...and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts, or those endless mountain ranges, impenetrable...

...done. Daniel Webster was against the transcontinental railroad. He rose in the Senate and thundered, "What do we want with this vast, worthless area, this region of savages and wild beasts, of shifting sands and whirlpools of dust?" Today, we know that Webster missed the point of that debate....

...would not vote "one cent from the public treasury to place the Pacific Coast one inch nearer Boston": What do we want with this vast, worthless area? This...and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts, or those endless mountain ranges, impenetrable,...

...mouth of Columbia River, three thousand miles long. In closing a speech against the measure he said: "What do we want with this vast, worthless area? This region of savages and wild beasts, of deserts and shifting sands, and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs ? To what use could we put these...

...cross-country mail route. This is what he says in Congress of the western part of the country: hat do we want with this vast, worthless area? This region...and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts, or those endless mountain ranges, impenetrable...

...dead only a dozen years, and he had paid his respects to the western frontier in no uncertain words: What do we want with this vast worthless area, this region of savages and wild beasts, of shifting sands and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we ever put those...

...Zebulon Pike were hardly any kinder. "What do we want with this vast tractless area," scoffed Webster, "this region of savages and wild beasts, of deserts,...and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts or these great mountain ranges, impenetrable...

...speech was common enough to be attributed to Daniel Webster and to be believed: What do we want with the vast, worthless area, this region of savages and wild...and whirlwinds of dust, of cactus and prairie dogs? To what use could we ever hope to put these great deserts or endless mountain ranges, impenetrable...