Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1843-09-28

Boundary in common with Mexico, 2 300
Coas, of The Pacific, 700 +"
Coas, of the gulf of Mexico, 1000
Coast of ihe Atlantic, 1880 Z"
Total, $500 I"
The territory thus enclosed includes also
nearly ten thousand miles of lake and 7Irer aGui-
cation, of which two thirds ia in the valley of
The Mississippi The great lakes make chain
of about two thousand miles The Mississippi
Two thousand more, the Missouri Two thousand
more The Ohio nearly one thousand; and hun
dreds of minor streams from the ST.. Croix TO
the Sabine, make up thousands more
Il is important 10 observe, that this extensive
country is admitted by geographers Of foreign
nations TO have the most various soil, climate,
and productions, of any country upon the
globe.-The inevitable consequence is, that its
capabilities for population and wealth are cor
resPondingy great No country can surpass
j, in the capacity for production
OF the whole two millions two hundred
thousand square miles Of surface, only about
two hundred and fifiy-fve thousand lie in the
Atlantic slope, and iwO-ihirds Of the whole lie
in the valley of the Mississippi. To estimate
rightly the population which, under The natural
and well-known laws of increase, will arise
and be readily maintained on this surface, il is
necessary first TO consider for a moment the
arabilty and fertabilty Of The Mississippi ba-
sin.
The first fact we observe is, that The rivers
of this basin are remarkably long. For exam
pie, the main stream of the Mississippi rises
near latitude 4s degrees, and joins the gulf of
Mexico about 90 degrees, = thus running
through about 20 degrees of latitude.
The Red river, of Louisiana. is estimated
by Mr.. Darby al one thousand miles in length.
The Ohio, on the eastern site, is also one
thousand, ascending 10 the heads OF the Monon-
gahela, and Allegheny. The result of this is
of vast importance. The rains and melted
SHOWS, which occasion the annual floods, fall
on distant mountains, and raise those streams
TO great heights, pouring forth vast volume of
water. In proportion 10 the length of rivers,
and their annual rise, must be the alIuyial
lands they feed This is sufficiently illustrated
by The river Nile, whose annual floods coming
from The distant mountains OF Africa, occasion
the fertility of Egypt.
In connexon with this fact, we have anolh-
er OF equal consequence; that in this vast re-
glon there is very little space occupied by
mountains, marshes, or lakes, incapable of pro-
ducion. Almost the whole surface is arabic.
These great facts, taken in connexlon with It's
locality in the midst of the temperate zone, de-
iermine the conclusion. that this great American
basin is capable of producing more grain, and
consequently maintaining more people, Than any
other equal space on earth. Sp far as our cult
vation has extended, he practical result cores
ponds with this theory deduced from geographi-
cal facts.
The question Of American population has
become Of great interest to spectators on The
future progress and condition of the human
family for heretofore, the United States ha 5
populated with rapidty beyond any concep,
lions which had been formed lroD The basis oi
European statistics. in the VARIOUS e1tima,cs