Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-02-24

1.-THE. reasons which render such a 3meas,r
desirable ttwould give TO- us a a'iarger tel J,
Lritory, agreat deal Of it calculated. for A
naerican settlement and c1ltivatica. and (
would connect US with the great westeri
ocean, giving ita front along itss sshasa.il
eennexicn with Oregon IF perhaps ID 8,
IA degrees OF latitude. It Would giye,1
also the magnificent bay ofsSt francisco
one OF the .noblest anchorages inthe world
capable of holding all the navies of thu
earth; and from its commanding position
controlling in some measure the trade o
the northern Pacific. But, sir, besides these
advantages, commercial and geographical
there are Important political considerations,
Which point to extension as one of the great
measures of safety for our Institutions
The senator from South Carolina has pre.
sented some views upon this subject as true
as they are striking. At the commence.
ment5 OF his life and of mine, this country
contained 100000 of inhabitants, giving
rate ofincrease which doubles our mum.
bers every 22years. There are those vet
living who will live to see our conlederacy
numbering population equal to the Chi
nese empire. This stupendous progress
outstrips the imagination. The mind can.
not keep up with the fact. 1t tolls after it
in vain; and as we increase in numbers
and extend in space, our power of commu-
nlcatlon is still more augmented The tel
egraph has come with its wonderful pro.
cess to bind still closer the portions of this
empire, as these recede from its capital. 1t
is the most admirable invention of modern
days. We can now answer the sublime
interrogatory put to Job "Canst thou send
lightnings, that they may CO., and say unto
thee, Hero we are!' Yes, the coruscations
of Heaven, man has reduced to obedience,
and they say unto him, Here we are. No
man can tell what will be the effect of this
discovery upon the destinies of the world.
How it may bring nations together, and
keep them together. And what influence
it may produce by communicating events
almost on the other side ofthe earth at the
worry moment Of their occurrence. lave
been industriously engaged seventeen days
in coming from Detroit to Washington, and
the journey between here and Baltimore
once cost me two days. We have now
process within our reach, by which we can
send 10 California, and receive an answer
from there more than twenty times O day.
| shall not pursue these investigations, they
are sufficiently obvious in their general
bearing, though the practical result of this
great measure is beyond the reach of hu-
man vision. =
We are at war with Mexico, brought On
by her injustice. Before peace is establish
cd, we have right to require of her rea-
sonable indemnity, either pecuniary or ter
ritorial, or both, for the injuries we have
sustained. Such compensation is lust in
itself, and in strict accordance with the usa-
ges of nations. One memorable proof of
this has passed in our own time. When
the allies entered Paris, after The overthrow
of Napoleon, they compelled the French
governmental pay them an indemnity of
l50O,00O,OOo of francs, equal to 300, ,O00,.
900 of dollars. In the condition of NJ ext
CO, there is no dispositionin this country to
ask Of her on unreasonable sacrifice. On
the contrary, the wish is everywhere prev
alent, and | am sure the government par
ticipate in it, that we should demand less
than we are entitled to: No one proposes
a rigid standard by which the indemnity
shall be measured. But there are certain
territorial acquisitions which are important
to us, and whose cession cannot iniure
Mexico, as she mover can hold them per-
manently. We are willing, after settling
the indemnify satisfactorily, to pay for the
excess in money. The senator from South
Carolina has stated the proposition very
distinctly, "any excess on our part we arc
wifsing to meet, as we ought, by the neces-
sary payment to Mexico"
Information received by the President,
during the last session of Congress, induced
him to believe, that if an appropriation for
the purpose were made, the difficulties be-
tween the two countries might soon be ter
minated by an amicable arrangement. A.
proposition for that purpose was submitted
to US in secret session, debated and ap-
proved by this Senate. 1t was then intro
duced into the legislature with open doors,
passed the House of Representatives; and
came to US. Here it was discussed until
the stroke ofthe clock, when the hand on
the dial plate pointing to II. struck its fu-
neral knell. In his message at the COM
mencement Of this Congress, the President
renewed his suggestion, and the whole mat
ter is now before US. Such is its history
1t is now objected to as an immoral
proposition, kind Of bribery, either of the
government of Mexico, or Of its command.
ing general; and the honorable senator
from Maryland, who is not know in his
: l IL. =.