The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-04-02
.OUR COUNTRY is ALREADY TOO
IARGEn

LARGE"
Such is the parrot note, continually echoed
NV those who decry and dstust the virtue and
sagacity of the People for seli-government
The records Of antiquity are appealed 10 LOT
evidence, that a great extension OF empire was
the sure precursor of its downfall. Ana we
will add well did they deserve their fate For
,ner governments have extended their territories
by conquest They subjugated the People Of
The lands which they thus acquired; they made
of these People their hewers OF wood ana draw
ers of water; they made them pay tiibute 10
support, in their midst, armies TO Keep 'hen III
submission to CALLING expressions 'hey d'slrah-
cb;,ed them. Thus every addition OF territory
hv Cofmer nations, was 10 affix to their sides
;mnacable foes, whose irritation was kept alive
by ceaseless outrages and burdens. Armies 10
keep in subsection each annexed province, con-
tinuslly drained the parent, or rather the Iulins
country of lis strength: the more extend
ed their conquests, the greater was the NUMBER
If their enemies, while the incessant dram oil
armies weakened the conquering power. That
such policy must sooner or later render 'he
governed more powerful than their oppressors'
cannot be controverted.
Modern nations have proited somewhat by
the experience of ages. The great conqueror Vi
the present day, England, by somewhat more
humane policy has succeeded in extending her
SWAY the entire circuit of the earth. FROM all
her ACQUISITIONS she draws rich streams oil III
butte TO swell her wealth and power. That llttie
Island, the heart Of great empire, makes It's
every throb felt TO earth's remotest bounds, and
all bea, responsive TO her pulse. Her DEEPEN
denis rest in semi-contenlment, having been
either rescued by her from severer servltude,
or by their weakness and distance from others
similarly situated, being unable to cooperate, are
fearful OF the result Of separation and oil the con-
diion into which they might fall. The powerful
principle of adhesion is this, most OF her DEEPEN
denotes would fall under some dominion, and that
of England is as little Objectionable as any
other. To avoid falling into worse hands, Eng
lands dependencies are faithful 10 her. And this
is the secret OF her strength and stability. The
moment the progress of events will enable the
great mass Of dependencies TO hope for com
pete independence, that moment will the EN-
pre of Great Britain begin TO crumble.
The Union Of these States is not TO be Judged
by the history of any former nation. A new
and omnipotent principle OF cohesion constr
tutes the ligament which binds firmly together
these United States. 1t is The principle oil
EQUAL RIGHTS. This principle is the
grt at preservative against internal disruption,
and opposes a united front against attacks from
without In a country of equal rights and pri-
vileges, there are no oppressed or subjected par
ties. All houors, all occupations, are open alike
TO eyery one: there is but one path, and that is
uod by all No CALLING restrictions fret and irr-
tate the immense mass. No envy is excited by
partial privileges. It's not IN the power OF any
Government to tempt the People with more
complete enjoy ment of every facility to acquire
the means of comfor, and prosperity. No por-
ton of our People claim superiority over those
of different section Of the country. There is
no boon or blessing denied under this Govern
ment, which could be hoped for by separa-
ton. The very utmost that could be ac-
complished by separation, would he to
form another Government precisely smi-
lar. The weakness aud the multform
evils which must inevitably flow from this step
are 100 clear and terrible to be unseen by any
one while, on the other hand all the evil from
which escape could be pretended, would be
from some general laws which might be sup
posed to bear unequaIy upon different portions
of our country. This evil may be considered
4
might prevail But no laws demonslrably par
tIal and oppressive to one portion, for the benefit
Of another, can long endure. There will be
some jauing as 10 the true policy necessary for
the welfare of the whole country, but the attri-
ton thus caused, will have no other effect than
TO smooth down the asperities Of st ctions feel
ing.
Another cementing principle is the ceaseless
currents Of iotermigrauons, so peculiarly cha
racteristic Of the Americans; IL constitutes us
empha,cally Que People. No other nation I'M
der the sun has ever exhibited so remarkable a
spectacle as is that presented by the universal
interc )mmunications Of every portion Of the
Union The population of one State sees in
that Of another State, not aliens, but literally
sons, fathers, relatives and friends. No primo
geniture, or other preference, sours the social
circle, or plants in the bosoms Of migrating ju-
niors the bitterness Of envy. No State alone
could hope place herself in the enjoyment of
any element of prosperity, which is not possess
ed under the Union by separation she would
subject herself to countless and TO endless evils.
q r -
mo space or extent of,eui,ory can weaken il.