Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-09-24
THE UNITED STATES A CONTINENT.

relation 10 luc fuSt uHu HAHiVsi HHutHHitt
evanston Of our Republic of confederate,
States. blended into one mighty nation 70
great and common purposes, and yet pre-
serving their separate identity in reference
a local and domestic affairs When W.
emerged from our colonial state, through :
war Of revolution, peril, and suffering, int
he triumphant condition Of national indie
rendence, we numbered but thirteen States
with population Of but three millions
and owned territory encompassed by the
stormy Atlantic on the east, The father Of
rivers on the west, the great lakes on the
north, and foreign power on the south,
bordering the Mexican Gulf, aud com
mnnding The mouth Of the Mississippi, the
great outlet Of our western commerce. In
less than seventy years with what giant
strides have we marched to strength and
greatness! Our northern and eastern
boundaries remaining as they were, 1.-THE
great outlines impressed by the hand Of
nature, the acquisition Of Louisiana and
Florida, obtained by peaceful negotiation
aud purchase, has given us the mouth of
the Mississippi, and the secure natural
boundary of the Gulf of Mexico; and
both maritime discovery and exploration,
by land and river, have yielded US tile
10 transcend the Rocky Mountains, and
claim the vast Pacific as our western boun-
dairy. Recent negotiation, too, has added
10 our already vast domain the fair and
fertile plains Of Texas, peopled with those
who are bone Of our bone and flesh of our
flesh, our kindred and brethren in blood
and Institutions. The original number OIL
our sister Republics, the glorious old
Thirteen, which blazed ia emblemaiic
and starry efuIgence on our revolutionary
banner, are more than doubled in number
--our territory has expanded in yet larger
ratio, until laved by two oceans, and as
well by the great Southern gulf, as the vast
inland seas OF the Norh--and our popu
lation has swollen 10 sevenfold increase,
from three to perhaps twenty .one millions!
Corresponding, too, has been our progress
sion in all the elements Of national great
ness and renown, and the umquhile colo.
mics of England nov rank in The national
scale with the mighiest powers of the
earth, and will not shun comparison with
the mother country, from which they wrest
ed their independence. Our population
continues to increase in scale Of progress
sion unexampled in the history Of the past,
and new States continually crowd on the
field and heighten the ldstre of our star.
spangled banner. Blessed, too, are we
with political constitution framed with
such profound wisdom and skill, that it
seems capable Of expansion, in we'll ba. Il
lanced rule, overat least all contiguous ter. /
ritory-- being SO admirably constructed and /
exqaisitey poised that, according to Mr.. /
Jefferson, every new State added TO our c
republican family, at once increases our Fl
national power, and YIELDS the more Sc. n
cnrely our national Union---as, 10 use his d
own idea, in case Of domestic discussion, a
there will only be the greater number of n
sound States 20 face the disaffected ones. p
Who then can set bounds 10 our territorial y
expansion, short Of the continent on which Is
our destiny is cast--what earthly power a
shall say to us $50 far shalt thou 90 and no [
lariher,' within that ample area! Coming "
events cast their shadows before! Louis. Fix
lana is ours, Florida is ours, Texas is ours, n
Ihe Oregon must be ours, inundated, in the
course OF nature by the advancing tide ofIu
Dur population. Mexico threatens war, n
Which will provoke, if not invite her an. v
leSatlon--Canada will, in due season, fall et
Ike ripe fruit into our ap--and all The "
est will then follow of course, ill the m
slhr1us Of Darien form our equinoctiaL, Ct
90 the.Arcticsea our polar boundary - III
coming events cast their shadows before DC
| lAme was when our Republic, although nj
" short Of her now colossal proportions, IN
Vas deemed too vast and unwieldy for one ed
overnment--when it was thought the far pr
'est would naturally flake off and form an re,
Independent empire or when at least the Els
,atlonal capitol must tower on the Nilsson We
instead Of the Potomac, 10 prevent our vi
vergrown Republic from breaking into me
Iagments. All such fears and specula. fer
ons arc now as a tale that is told as d riff
'gend Of the past The discovery and it,
ppcaon Of the uses Of sieam--lhe in ser
enlion OF the steamboat, the railway and mn
y locomotive Ito say nothing Of the at. dis
ospheHc pressure and electromagnetic
'wer' pregnant with mighty issues--and
,ove Al, the invention Of the magnetic obt
Aegraph, able to fash intelligence with foil
Y speed q lightning from ocean 10 ocean. bee
" POE 70 islhmus -lilerally annihilaiing pos
s'an :. and bringing every part Of our IN
" Republic practically into iuxta posi- nev
TO bethe appointed means and Off
'plances 10 the hands Of wonder work. ave
Y providence, TO effect the expansion mo-
1. ouf Republic, until Ihe whole continent sho
Worth America shall rejoice il our free but
SlllnllOns. md firm nnn 49, "a The