The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-02-24

WHAT ARE WE COMING to-?

We live in great country, and the area
of freedom seems to be in no wise advt rse to
stretching itself, yet little farther. Our
good old uncle Sam, every little while, takes
on few acres to his woodlands and moving
lots, and often, not putting up any fences, it
is difficult to say exactly where his bounda-
ries are. The great empires Of antiquity
never had so much contiguous territory as
we now hold undisputed possession of, and
then as for navgablc rivers, extent Of sea
coast upon the East and West, with lake coast
and gulf shore on the North and South, and
magnificent, commanding and disable ports
why, the world never saw the like Of it, for
all the purposes Of commerce, prosperity and
enterprise, and never will.
Then Just think what huge family Of chill
drcn are springing up! Only imagine the
old gentleman, only Scccnty-onc gears old, and
no less than trenty-one millions of boys and
girls to jump up in his lap, take his beard and
call him father! The family is so prolific, it
is hard to count them. The estimate is, that
in the year 1859, or about century from the
present time, we shall have 270,OO0O0o as
the probable number of living souls that will
inhabit the valley of North America. The
thought is a startling one. 1t seems impossi-
!
in SO short a period. And yet it is not a whit
more wonderful than the fact while in 1898
our population, as officially ascertained, was
less than four millions, it should in 1915, just
| fifty wears, have reached over 1900, 000,-
Ii its future increase shall be at the rate o.
thirty-three and q third per cent, for each
coming period of ten years. we shall, in 1910
have population of upwards of 30O,0O0,0OO
If we measure the future by the past, sucf
will be the result.
There is very pretty list of voters to CONF
up, and then what sort of scenes will b.
about them, and what sort OF people will the,
be ? 1t is rather a startling question, TO
they who live hundred years from this day
will be partakers in events, changes and re
suits, almost Incredible TO the widest ima~in
alton. We who live at the present hour, ar
vain and boastful. We talk Of our might, on
power, our millions Of inhabitants; and yc
we shall seem but as pigmies, in a nation'
point of view, to those who come after us
We, after all, may be regarded merely as p
onccrs and founders of great nation. Ih
mission is a mighty one, and full OF moral II
sponsiblity.
We have had a most wonderful and tr
: umphant career thus far, but we have onI
begun. Great Britain and France are oil
and in their dotage and tremble like oil
, men on crutches, while we are like youn
giant in swaddling clothes, as yet. We mu
y increase, aud they must decrease. Such
, the teaching of History, and the world wi
, see it. The future opens wide and wonde
=. full before us. We see in the distance ne
q States and towns and villages, and popu
= ton Of many millions swarming like bus
q human hive, the virgin soil that has yet
5 receive the impress of the first spade. o.
q statesmen, our phlanthropists, our philos
= pliers should look at these things calmly, an
=. govern themselves accordingly. The destir
IS of the Republic may be made truly glorious
.. but to effect u result so desirable, truth, ju
h tee, virtue, and religion should guide, an
: influence, not only the conduct of our ruler
"a but of the millions.