The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-03-26

former with, while, at the same time, II has
added three-fold 10 the rapdity of intercourse by
land. Within the same period, electricity, the
greatest and most dffused of all known physical
agents, has been made the instrument for the
transmission ct thoughts, will not say with the
rapdity of lightning, but by lightning itself
Magic wires are stretching themselves in all di
rections over the earth, and when their mystic
meshes shall have been united and perfected our
globe itself viii! become endowed with sensitive
ness, so that whatever touches any one point,
Will be instantly felt on every other. All these
improvements-all this increasing civilization
all the progress now making, would be in great
measure arrested by between us and Great
Britain As great as il is, il is but The com
mencement--the dawn of civilization, more re
fined, more intellectual more moral, than the
present and all preceding it. Shall it bo we
who shall incur the high responsibility of rotard
ing its advance, and by such war as this would
be-
am, in this connection, opposed to war be-
tween the United States and Great Britain. They
are the two countries the farthest in advance in
this great career of improvement and amelioration
oil The condition OF oukrace. They are, besides.
the two most commercial, and are dlTusing by
their wide extended commerce, their blessings
over the whole globe We have been raised up
by Providence for these great and noble purposes,
and trust we shall not fail to fulfil our high des
tiny. am besides, especially opposed to war
with England at this time because hold that
II was now To be decided, whether are 10 exist
in future friends or enemies. War at this
time, and for this cause, would decide in which
OF the two relations shall hereafter stand
1T would give birth TO a struggle in which one or
the other would have to succumb before il termi-
mated and which, in the end, might prove ru-
inous TO both. On the contrary, if war can be
avoided, powerful causes are now in operation
calculated to cement and secure n asling-I hone
perpetual-peace between the two countries
by breaking down the barriers which impede their
commerce, and thereby uniting them more closely
by vastly enlarged commercial intercourse equal
iy beneficial to both. IL should now succeed
in setting the example of free trade between u.s.
1t would force all other civilized countries 10
follow ii in the end. The consequences would
be, to dllfuse prosperity greater and more uni
versal than can be we'll conceived and to unite
by bonds of mutual interest the people of all
countries. But in advocating the cause of free
trade, am actuated not less by the political con-
sequences likely to flow from il, than the advan-
tages to be derived from it in economical point
OF view. | regard it in the dispensatun of Prov
1dence as one OF the great means of ushering in
the happy period fOretOld by inspired prophets and
poets, when war should be no more
am finally opposed to war, because peace
peace is pre- emlnently our policy There may
be nations, restricted 10 small territory, hemmed
IN on all sides, situated that war NAV be ne
cessary to their greatness. Such is not our case
Providence has given us an inheritance stretch
ing across the entire continent from East 10 West
from ocean to ocean, and from North TO South
over by far the greater and better part of the
temperate zone. IL comprises a region not only
oil vast extent, but abundant in all resources eX-
cellent IN climate fertile and exuberant in soil
capable OF sustaining in the plentiful enjoyment
OF all the necessares of life population of ten
times our present number Our great mission
as people, is 10 occupy this domain to re-
PenIsh 1t with an intelligent, virluous, and indus
trious population; to covert the forests into cul-
1IVated feids 20 drain the swamps and morasses
and cover them with rich harvess TO build up
cities, towns, and villages in every direction and
to unite the whole by the most rapid intercourse
between all parts. War would but impede the
fulflment of this high mission by absorbing the
means and divertlng the energies which would
be devoted to the purpose. On the contrary, sc
cure peace, and time, under the guidance of sa-
gaclUus and cautious pnlicy, wise and mastery
inactivity, will speedily accomplish the whole
veniured to say wise and maslcrly inactivity
IN despite OF the attempt 10 cast ridicule upon the
expression. Those who have made The attempt
would seem 10 conlound such inactivity with mere
Inacllon. Nothing can be more unlike. They
as wide apart as the poles The one is The
offspring of Incidence, ignorance, or indifTer
ence. The other is the result of the profDundest
sagaclty and WISDOM sagaciiy which looks into
the operations of the great causes in The phyical
moral, and political world; which, by their in
cessant operation, are ever changing the condition
of nations for good evil and wisdom, which
knows how 10 and direct them when acting
fayorably, by slight touches TO facilitate their pro-
gress, and by removing impedimenis which mi ghl
thwart or impede their course-and not least, ave
TO wait patiently for their operation. He who
does not understand the difference between such
inactivity and mere naction--the doing of no
thing--is still in the horn book Ofpocs, with
ont glimpse Of those higher elements of states
manshp by which country is elevated to great
and prosperity. Time is operating in our
favor with power never before oxercd in favor
of any other people. 1t is our great friend and
under the guidance of such policy it will accom-.
Plish all that we can desire. Our population is
now increasing at the rate Of about 100000 an
nuaDy, and is progressing with increased rapidly
every year. it will average, if not impeded
nearly million during the next % years; at the
end Of which period our population ought 10 reach
to upwards Of forty millions. With this vast in
crease, it is rolling westwardly with strong and
deep current, and will, by the end Of that period
have spread from ocean to ocean Its course is
irresistible. The coast Of the Pacific will then