The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-12-12

= north latitude, being all that was insisted o
: BY any O. my predecessors, has been adjust
ed and New Mexico and Upper Calilorni
: have been acquired by treaty. The area
!, these several Territories. according 10 re
: port carefully prepared by the Commission
er OF the GeHeral Land Office, from The mos
= authentic information in his possession, an
E which is herewith transmitted, contains on
r million one hundred and ninety-three thou
A sand and sixty-ore square miles, or sevel
e hundred and sixty-Ihree million five hundred
> and fifiy-niDe thousand and forty acres; Will
, the area of the remaining twenty-nne States
| and the territory not yet organized init
States east ofthe Rocky Mountains, contain
1--WE million fifty nine thousand five hundred
and thirteen square miles, or thirteen hun
bred and eighteen million one hundred ant
twenty-six thousand and eighr acres
II These estimates show that the territories
recently acquired, and over which our ex
elusive jurisdiction and dominion have beer
extended, constitute a country more thar
halfas large as all tina! which was held BY
the United States before The acquisition. Il
Oregon be excluded from the estimate, there
will still remain within the limits OF Texas
New Mexico, and California, eight hundred
and fifty one thousand five hundred and
ninety-eight square miles, or five hundred
and forty-five million twelve thousand seven
hundred and twenty acres; being an addi-
ton equal TO more Than one-ihird Of oil the
territory owned by The United States before
| their acquisition; and, including Oregon,
nearly as great an extent of territory as the
whole of Europe, Russia only excepted.
The Mississippi, so lately the frontier OF our
country, is now only its centre.
| With the addition OF the late acquisitions,
the United States are now estimated 10 be
nearly as large as the whole OF Europe. IL
is estimated by the superintendent of The
coast survey, in the accompanying report,
that the extent Of the seacoasr OF Texas on
the Gulf of Mexico is upwards Of four hun
bred miles; ollhe coast Of Upper California,
on the Pacific, of nine hundred and seventy
miles; and Of Oregon, including The Straits
of Fuca, ofsix hundred and fifty miles max
ing The whole extent of seacoast on the Pa
clfc, one thousand six hundred and twenty
miles, and the whole extent on both the Pa
| cifc and The Gull Of Mexico, two thousand
and twenty miles. The length Of the coast
on The Atlantic from The northern limits of
the United Slater, around the Capes OF Flor
ida 10 The Sabine, on the eastern boundary
of Texas. is estimated 10 be three thousand
one hundred miles; so that the addition of
seacoast, including Oregon, is very nearly
two-ihirds as great rs all we possessed be-
fore; and excluding Oregon, ia an addition
OF one thousand three hundred and seventy
miles being nearly equal 10 one half The
extent of coast which we possessed before
these acquisitions.
We have now three great maritime fronts
on the Atlantic, the Gulf OF Mexico, and
The Pacifc-making in the whole an extent
of seacoast exceeding five thousand miles.
This is the extent of the seacoast Of the Uni
ted States, not including bays, sounds, and
small irregularities OF the main shore, and Of
the sea islands. If these be included, the
length o(ihe shore line Of coast. as estimated
by the superintendent of the cosst survey,
in his report, would be ihirty-three thousand
and sixiy-ihree miles.
Itwould be difficult 10 calculate the value
OF these immense additions 10 our territorial
possessions. Texas, lying contiguous 10 the
western boundary Of Louisiana, embracing
within its limits part of the navigable trIb-
utary writer's Of the Mississippi, and an ex-
tensive seacoast, could not long have re-
manned in the hands Of foreign power with
out endangering The peace of our southwest
ern frontier Her products in the vicinity of
the tributaries of the Mississippi must have
sought market through our Territory; and
the danger Of irritation and collision Of inter-
ests between Texas as foreign State and
ourselves would have been imminent, while
the embarrassmenis in the commercial inter-
course between them must have been con-
slant and unavoidable.
Had Texas fallen into ihe hands, or un-
der the influence and control Of a strong
mn ,fnr e .,ha
might have done, these dangers would have
been still greater. They have been avoided
by her voluntary and peaceful annexation TO
ton. was natural and almost indispensable
part OF our territories. Fortunately, she has
been restored 10 our country, and now con-
| stiiutes one of the States Of our confederacy,
upon an equal footing with the original
States The salubrify of climate, the fertii-
~ of soil. peculiarly adapted to the produc-
ton ofsome of our most valuable staple COM
modities, and her commercial advantages,
must soon make her one of our most popu-
lous States.
New Mexico, though situated in the int
rior, and without sea coast, is known 10 con-
tain much fertile land, 10 abound in rich mines
Of the precious metals, and TO be capable of
SUSTAINING &C PoPui"ion. FROM us p0-
sitiou, it is the Intermediate and connecting
territory between our settlements and our
possessions in Texas, and those on the Pa
cific coast.
Upper California, irrespective of the vast
mineral wealth recently developed there,
holds al This day, in point of value and i'm
poriance 10 the rest oil the Unionihe same
relation that Louisiana did. when that fine
territory was acquired from France foriy>five
years ago. Extending nearly ten degrees
OF latitude along the Pacific, and embracing
the only safe and commodious harbors on
tba, coast for many hundred miles, with a
temperate climate and an extensive interior
OF fertile lands, il is scarcely possible 10 es
'imaie It's wealth until il shall be brought
under the government of our laws, and irs
resources fully developed. From its posi-
lion, II must command The rich commerce o
China, Asia, Of the islands of the Pacific o
! Western Mexico, of Central America, The
, South American States, and OF the Russian
possessions. bordering on that ocean. A
great cmporium will donhfloes ,caaJJ,, 4,