Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-03-16
STATE OF THECOUNTRY.

STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
On tho eve OF new Administration. it
j. natural consderate minds should, under
any circumstances, look with some solicit
mjo to the actual and probablc condition Of
the country.
This becomes imperative as well as ma
tural, when circumstances are far from
.ranquilsng as TO our exterior relations,
and far from encouraging, rs TO our inter
nal and domestic means and prcpuration
In our exterior relations, We have with
England, unsettled points Of controversy,
which, to say the least, are susceptible OF
such turn as may involve US in a war
England is, at this moment, at the very
pnacIo Of apparent power and triumph.
In the affairs Of the East Of Europe, she
has played the chief part--and, setting
ASIDE France, with as little ceremony as
though dealing with mediatised German
prince, she has given law to the Egyptian
-s,ormed the almost imprcgnable fortress
Of Acre-aLd setting her foot firmly in
Syria, is taking measures, as can hardly
be doubted, 10 secure there, or thercabouts,
some permanent l'oothold by which she may
be enabled 10 firmly establish and protect
heroyorand communications with her vast
Indian Empire.
In Asia, she has subdued the revotcd
native Princes that menaccd that Indian
empire, aud has brought-unless the recent
cccocnts be strangely fabulous-the Coles
tai Empire to an unwonted pass Of huml
a,on.
Now more than over is applicable to her,
that fine description Of herpowcr used in
debate some years ago by Daniel Web-
Htr:
a power which has dotted over the
surface Of the whole globe with her pos.
sessions and military posts, whose morning
drum beat, following the sun, and keeping
company with the hours, circles the earth
daily with one continuous and unbroken
strain OF the martial airs of England
In this, her hour Of pride and prosperity,
she is called to meet and settle some vexcd
questions with Us, whom she does not 'oyc,
tut cannot affect to undcrvaIuc.
We cmphasiso the word settle, because
/. is no longer possible for us to postpone,
with honor, the definite arrangement Of the
Northeastern boundary question nor to
avoid the issue that will be presented by
the case Of McLeod, if that individual shall
ever be tried and eXccuted-as, if found
guilty no should, and most assuredIy will
be-
What should be our position IN order to
Tend on Il footing Of equality with our
aaghty and powerful antagonist? Surely
..af Of a Power not only confident in the
rgat--vhch va most surely are, in both
8 80, al. al
means and preparation 10 enforce and de-
lend, TO the uuermost, that right.
Is such our position! Let Us look lit
lie into details.
Oar army, if entirely effective, and its
regiments complete and disciplined,
amounts to about 70, 000 men.
1t. actual force, scattered from Maine to
the Capes Of Florida, ana from the Allan
nc to the Missouri. is less than 5000.
In the two Canadas alone Great Britain
has some 5000 regular troops-pickod
regiments, al OF them, disciplined, well
found, and we'll commanded. She has in
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and her
West India possessions, some 5000 more
troops making an aggregate of2I, coo re-
6ajar soldiers, that could be rapidly thrown
upon our frontiers.
The unusual aSsemblage OF troops in our
ham;spherc may be some accounted for on
,le groand Of insurrectionary movements
some vcar or two ago in Canada ; but ).
eco ~sculafs, with the aid of the we'll or
gauiscd militia Of the Upper Province par
ticulnrly, vcald-it is the opinion Of com.
rc,cnt Judges-abundauty suffice to keep
down instruction, and maintain order and
obedience in these colonies.
This array, therefore Of "cracked rcgi-
mcats" in Canada, is so much larger than
III. alleged necessity requires. may not un
reasonably be set down TO the score Of a
wise policy, which prcscr;bcs, when diff
fcult doubtrul, and long protracted nego-
citation is about to be seriously entered up
on, that it is always as well to put forth as
much show Of power 10 enforce what may
bo claimed, as can be hazarded without the
appearances Of direct menace.
1t is herein precisely that we,on our side,
arc deficient; ard al the very Enomeat when