Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-12-08

winch they nave won lot DULL
When all these facts are considered 1t may cease
to be matter of so much amaZement abroad how
it happened that our noble army in Mexico, regu- |
lars and volunteers, were victorious upon every
battlefield however fearful the odds against them;
The war with Mexico has thus fully developed
the capacity of republican governments 10 ploso
cute successfully just and necessary forelgh
with all the vgor usually attributed to more a. f
trary forms of government. 1t has been usuar
writers on public law to impute to rcpuDllcsS -; 49,
of that unity concentration OF purpose: "nI ~ e.
of execution which generally adLll.;eeu ~ We
long to the monarchcal and arlstoCia'i loii
and this feature of popular goVeIiinonS haS oeen
supposed to display itself more particularly IN tle
copdnct of q war carried on in an enemys terrific
~ The war with Great Britain, in 1872, was to a
great extent confined within our own limits, and
sbed bnt little light on this subject. But the war
which we have just closed by an honorable peace,
evinces beyond all doubt that popular represen-
tative government is equal to any emergency
which is likely to arise in the affairs of nation.
The war with Mexico has developed most stfl-
kingly and cOnspicuOusly another feature III oui
institutions. 1t is that without cost TO me g1S
eminent danger to our liberties, we nave II! lo
bosom of our society of freemen; aValiaDIe III
lust and necessary war, virtually standing army
of two millions of armed citizen soldiers, such as
fought the battles of Mexico
But our military strength does not consist alone
in our capacity for extended and successful opera
tons on land The navy is an important arm OF
the national defence. If the services OF the navy
were not so brilliant as those OF the army IN the
late war with Mexico, it was because they had no
enemy to meet on their own element. Nhhe Tie
army had opportunity of performing more con-
sDcuous service, the navy largely participated in
the conduct of the war. Both branches OF the
service performed their whole duty to the country.
For the able and gallant services Of the officers
and men of the navy-acting independently as
we'll as in cooperation with ur troops-ln the
conquest of the CALIFORNIA;, the capture OF Vera
Cruz and the seizure ard occupation of other I'M
pOrtant positions on the Gulf and Pacific coasts,
the highest praise is due. Their vigilance, energy,
and skill rendered the most effective service IN eX
Guiding munitions of war and other supplies from
the enemy while they secured safe entrance for
abundant supplies for our own army. Our extern
ded commerce was nowhere interrupted; and Tor
this immunity from the evils of war, the country
is indebted TO the navy.
High praise is due to the officers of the several
executive bureaus, navy yards, and stations con-
nected with the service, all under the immediate
direction of the Secretary of the Navy, for the IN
dustry, foresight, and energy with which every
thing directed and furnished to give ethciency
to that branch of the service The same vigilance
existed in directing the operations of the navy, as
of the army. There was concert of action and OF
purpose between the heads of the two arms OF
the service. By the orders which were from time
to time issued, our vessels of war on the Pacific
and the Gulf of Mexico were stationed in proper
time and in proper positions to cooperate eff
GENTLY with the army. BY this means their COM
bined power was brought to bear successfully on
| the enemy.
The great results which have been developed
and brought to light by this war, will be OF I'M
measurable importance in the future progress of
our country. They will tend powerfully to pre-
serve us from foreign collisions, and to enable US
to pursue uninterruptedly our cherished policy OF
"peace with all nations entanghng alliances with
! none"
| Occupying. as we do, more commanding po-
sition among nations than at any former period,
duties and our responsibilities to ourselves ana
to pOsterity are COrreSpOndingly Increased. inns
will be the more obvious when we consider the
vast additions which have been recently made to
our territorial possessions and their great lmpor-
lance and value.
Within less than four years the annexation o.
Texas TO the Union has been consummated; al
i-confiicting title to the Oregon Territory south o
the forty-ninth degree of north latitude, being al
that was insisted on by any OF my predecessors
has been adiusted; and New Mexico and Uppel
California have been acquired by treaty. Inc
area of these several Territories, according to
report carefully prepared by the Commissioner O.
the General Land Office from the most authentic
information in his possession, and which is here
; with transmitted, contains one million one hun
dred and ninetythree thousand and sixty,on
square miles, or seven hundred and siXty-thre
S million five hundred and fifty-nne thousand ant
g forty acres; while the area of the remaining
e twenty-nine States and the territory not yet or
0 ganiZed into States east of the Rocky Mountains
contains TWO lLf Z nun
= dred and thirteen square miles, or thirteen nun
: dred and eighteen million one hundred and TWEEN
ty-six thousand and fifty-eight acres. These est
mates show that the territories recently acquired
: and over which our exclusive jurisdiction, and do
minOn have been extended, constitute cOuntr
more than half as large as all that which was he'll
: by the United States before their acquisition
= Oregon be excluded from the estimate, there vii
. still remain within the limits of Texas, New Mex
: leo, and California, eight hundred and tltty-on
n
miles, or five hundred and forty five million twelv
thousand seven hundred and twenty acres; bein
an addition equal to more than one-third c
, all the territory owned by the United States be
fore their acquisition; and, including Oregon
nearly great extent of territory as the Who'll
= of Europe, Russia only excepted. The Misslss
ippi, SO lately the frontier of country, is nov
II only its centre With the addition of the late &C
T quisitiOns the United States are now estimated t
u be nearly as large the whole of Europe. 1t i
d estimated by the superintendent of the coast SUI
: vey, in the accompanying report, that the exter
S of the SeacOast of Texas the Cult OF MeXlc
), is upwards Of 400 miles; Of the coast OF Uppe
California, on the Pacific of 97O miles; and
Oregon, including the Straits of Fuca of Us
miles; making the whole extent of seacost on tn
n Pacific 1920 miles, and the whole extent on bot
g the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico 1920 miles,
r The length Of the coast on the Atlantic from tn
n northern limits of the U. S. around the Capes
II Florida to the Sabine on the eastern boundary
e Texas, is estimated to be 3, 100 miles that tn
o addition of seacoast including Oregon, is yer
u nearly twO-thirds great as all we possessed b.
II fore and excluding Oregon is ADDITION of l31
+ miles; being nearly equal to one half of the e.
q tent of coast which we possessed before these a.
S quisitious. We have now three great martin
o frOnts-On the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, an
II the Pacifc-making in the whole an extent of SCI
d coast exceeding five thousand miles This is tt
y extent of the seacoast of the United States, NJ
e including bays, sounds and small irregularities
o the main shore, and of the sea islands. If thes
Ell be included the length of the shore line of
L as estimated by the superintendent of the Goa
10 survey, in his report would be 30, 063 miles.
&c 1t would be difficult to calculate the value
q these immense additions to territorial posse
u sions. Texas, lying contiguous to the westel
8 boundary of Louisiana, embracing within its lin
IS its part of the navgable tributary waters of Il
s. Mississippi, and an extensive sea coast, could n
/ long have remained in the hands ola foreign pow
II er without endangering the peace of our soutl
IL western frontier. Her products in the vicinity
e the tributaries of the Mississippi must have sougi
l. a market through these streams, running into ar
$ through our territory; and the danger ofirritato
and collision of interests between Texas rs a TO
Il eign State and ourselves would have been imm
Re nent, while the embarrassments in the CONNIE
ID cial intercourse between them must have bee
i constant and unavoidable. Had Texas fallen in
~ the hands, or under the influence and control of
d strong maritime or military foreign power, 81
10 might have done, these dangers would have bee
still greater. They have been avoided by her yC
~ untary and peaceful annexation to the L. State
hor 4