The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-23
Resources OF our Country.

Resources q Country.
The "London Times" destined never to be able
to understand the enterprsng and expansive character of
our people. Two years ago it moderated our military
resources. When, in the summer of 1915, it was ex-
hotng Mexico not to abandon Texas, aud not to regard
war with us-when it telling them that we had
only small standing army, not sufficient to man our
few forts on the seaboard in the west-and when it
asked where to procure troops to fight Mexico,
deemed it duty to point to the enerprsing charac
ter of free people, to the generous spirit of institu
TONS and to show that thirty thousand men could be OBJ
tanned without difficulty, the standard of our
country was displayed We said that even fifty thousand
men would rush eagles Have not predictions
been more than fulfilled! Have not more than two hun
red thousand men offered their services And what have
become of the victories which the Meycans 10 win
Let the present of the battle field its predic
tons
The "London Tines of the 2Sth June, received by
the last steamer has fallen into another mistake. 1t
says, in comment upon Mr.. Cobdens letter and the
corn-aws-
We shall be told that if nntion increase the ag
egae of its doing it alter the proportion, transfer
ring its labor and capital from some things to others That
is but it is truth that must be much qualified
These transfers tedious operations The Americans for
example, directly transfer any very great amount of
pia agriculture, will they. The aggregate nation
will do its utmost but it will be hwaeted by an inliny Of
particular causes Manufactures will 60 on. Artisans
will be transferred in large bodies to the fields
rcultural population suddenly enriched will economze
scaptal by curtning its uxures; they who building
ships will not be ploughng fields and they who making
railways will not be doing either much less will they who
conquerng Mexico the accession of hands
which our famine has presented States will for
welvenonh or longer consume more than they posi-
oily produces. Turn it which way you will, and you
lind yourself checked Your possibilities very cut
down.
All this seems plausible enough; but the "Times" does
not vet make sufficient allowance for the enterprise of
people, the abundance and cheapness and fertility of
our lands the rapid increase of our population in the
course of years. from births and from at least 100000
emgrants every year from all quarters, from the sagacy
of the agrcuursts in understanding their interests,
and turning more OF their farms to the production Of
breadstufs
II is wonderful that experience has not yet opened the
eyes of all Europe to expansion and progress 1t
belongs to the very character OF people; or, Gf
we were to select one of its elements decidedly
than any other) we should say their free institutions
Their freedom is the nurse of their enterprise well
their sagacity When man is left to select his own
cupaton and especially with the OF and
unsettled territory pursue it untrammelled by polti-
cal distinctions and by anquated prejudces he will ac
qure habits of enterprise and ingenuity which will lead
to the discovery of better processes, and the invention of
useful labor saving machines. He will display aston
shng perseverance, well sagacy in the pursuit of
productive labor If necessary he cutvates great deal
more land and its productions upon the extended the
are we possess will multiply in wonderful proportion
SO with ships, so with manufactures, SO with COM
merce, according TO the demand
people like this the last to require any artificial
restrictions projections to direct their industry They
are the last dread any competition with foreign States
After short time, and little experience, we will
be able TO cope with them all, every species OF en-
povment We vie with them in ships-in bread
stuffs-in large variety of manuactures-and (may
not add in arms and in the fine Free trade is what
we most desire A free trade with all the world is the
great object of our interest and our ambition Nothing, too
il more desirable to at home, for the sake of in
stimtons and of our Union; for Union is knit to-
gether by the variety of interests which nature creates
our diversified and extensive Countrywide farmer gen.
orally producing the raw material the manufacturers
and merchants furnishing the manufactured articles. But
the variety of artificial and fictitious interests created in
different sections by legislation produces inequality,
sense of oppression and alienation of feeling which
weaken and disturb the Union, the great palladium OF
common safety, and the great nurse OF common
glory The variety of interests which nature creates
binds the conederacy together But the Fictitious in
erest cmanating in false legislation, weakens instead o
strengthens IT.