Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-22
For the Portage Sentinel
ACGuiSitiOn of Territory.

Acquisition Of Territory.
MEssRs. EDIroRs:-As much is at pre-
sent written and promulgated against thu
acquision OF more territory to the Unites
States; twill but be consistent Tor me t.
present this subject for examination ant
reflection. -
1 Ithas been urged by those who are op
posed to the acquisition OF territory tha
the extension of the area Of nation, al
things extran eous removed, proportionally
endangers its perpetuity. To prove this
proposition they reier to the history Of an
cient nations, and bring Rome and Greece
forward as examples. This same party
which now opposes the annexation of New
Mexico and Upper California has uniform
ly, even since the formation ofour govern
ment, and the adoption Of the constitution,
opposed the acquisition Of territory; so that
having from the first acted consistent there
is strong presumption that they acted from
principle. Ifit can be shown that their
premises are false, their reasoning illogical
and their conclusions wrong, then they in
strict keeping with honor should abandon
their positions and 60 for territory. We
will suppose that there are two extremes,
theoretically and practically in the extent
Of nations, too much territory and too little,
which depend upon circumstances, not
permanent, but changing constantly. A
nation should if practicable and expedient
adapt itself to circumstances which, them
themselves unavoidable; if opposed by its
policy, will destroy it.
1t is thought by some that Rome fell by
its own weight; and that if she had confined
her conquests to Italy she might yet have
retained her greatness.
THIS it would have deprived her Of a grea:.
ness 10 have lost. From band Of out
laws under Romulus who founded the city,
the Roman people became masters Of a
largo part of Europe, Asia and Africa; to
say that they were masters Of the world is
exaggeratlon. and only made use Of as
figure of speech. Alexander, by historians,
is said to have conquered the world, and to
have wept because he had not another
world to conquer, when his principal con-
quests were that part Of Asia which Rome
never governed. mention this to show
that we should examine into facts in his
tory as we'll as other things, and not take
for granted the ipss disit Of any author
without proof Rome first as monarchy,
then as republic and finally as despo-
tisn,, from her foundation to the reign of
the 'emperor Adrian. carried out the poll
cy from time to time according to circum-
stances and expediency Of acquiring terri
tory and conquer other nations. In the
reign OF Trejan the area of the Roman
Empire was the greatest. Adrian who
succeeded him Withdrew the Roman legions
from beyond the Euphrates, yielding the
conquests Of his predecessor. Rome did
not fall by her own weight; bu. from inter-
nal corruption and pressure from without.
Rome grew in population, riches and all
the elements Of prosperity in proportion Us
the extent Of territory which she governed
increased, and decayed with the loss Of
territory. Withdrawing her conquests
from foreign nations, she turned her resist
less energies by internal con1motions upon
herself, and in divisions and civil wars de-
stroyed her own vitals. Ii she had con-
quered and civilized Scotland, the Picts and
the Scotch would not have ravished Britton.
Where would have been the Saxons, the
Franks and the Goths if she had conquered
Germany and Scandinavia and Scythia.
Those nations which have been of great
est extent have endured the longest, and
those States the least in territory, unless
linked in alliance with some active power its
superior as protectress have declined quick
ly in proportion to their small extent.
China is a country of vast extent and
population, and yet is the most ancient of
nations, Persia has always been of consid-
erabe extent, but her limits now are some
what contracted, yet no one is unwise
enough to think that Persia has the elements
of prosperity more at her command now
than in the reign of Artaxerxes. Russia
has since Peter the Great, ever acted on the
principle of the acquisition of territory, if
practicable; and she in consequence is at
present one of the greatest and happiest of
modern nations. There is a wide difference
between the cratic conquests of extensive
countries by military chieftains, and the
steady and permanent acquisition of terri
tory by nation. Alexander and Bona
parte in their conquests illustrate the former,
and the steady acquisition of territory by
the United States, the latter.
Constantine introduced new arrange
ment into the government of the Roman
Empire. He built Constantinople and on
his death divided the Empire into the East
ern and Western. This was stroke of
Policy which the city Of Rome never recov-
cred from. If the no more territory argu-
ment was good for. any thing, then Rome
should have been exceedingly benefited by
the loss of the Eastern empire. At one time
! ,lo mo do WAR on Ca rtha oa nd fiaal lu con.