p. 1

-649- 1848.

Wisconsin.

Lecture delivered in the Unitarian church, Milwaukee, Feb. 4, 1848
Before the Milwaukee High School and Citizens.

By I. A. Lapham

Ladies And Gentlemen--

I cannot promise you a very interesting lecture
this evening; the dry details of facts, however important,
they may be, does not admit of that embellishment and grace or
literary composition and those charms of eloquent delivery, which
are usually expected of public speakers.. besides I must necessar-
ily dwell upon facts that are more or less familiar to many of
you. I must therefore beg your patient indulgence if I should
appear tedious and uninteresting.

It is a reproach often cast upon Americans when traveling
abroad that, while they are studying other countries, they are in
a great degree ignorant of their own. Many of our citizens make
the " tour of Europe" who have not seen the splenders of Niagara
or witnessed our own majestic "Father of Rivers." When questioned
by strangers respecting their own country, they sometimes manifest
an ignorance that must appear very surprising; and which must be
rather mortifying to the pride of the" tourist."

Let us, citizens of Wisconsin, not be guilty of this