The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1848-12-15

I'd owned b, the Unit'ed 3 aies before hi
," "cqusitloD. and ncfnding Oregon, near
iy as great an exieni of territory as til
il VIII" lie of Enrope. Russia opIs excepted =
D, The Mississippi 30 lately the frontier of oul
a, country, is now only its centre. With III,
70 addition Of the late acquisitions, the U. States
;, are now estimated to be nearly as large as thu
is whole of Europe 1t estimated by the super
intendent Of the coast survey IN the accom-
y panying report that the extent eff the sea
!. coast of Texas on the Gulf Of Mexico, is up
!, wards 400 miles: Of the coast Of Upper Cali
= fornia, on the Pacific, 970 miles; and of Ore
IS gop, including the Straits Of Fuca, of $50
r miles, making the whole extent of sea coast
on the Pacific, 1920 miles, and the whole
extent on both The Pacific and the Gull Of
Mexico 1000 miles. The length of the coas,
, on the Alantlc, from the northern limits Of
the United States, around The capes of Flori
da to the Sabine, on the eastern boundary of
Texas, 10 estimated to be 5000 miles, so that
the addition ct sea coast, including Oregon,
is very nearly Two thirds as great as all we
possessed before; and excluding Oregon for
an addi tion OF 1870 miles, being nearly equal
to one half the extent Of coast which we pos
sessed before these acquisitions. We have
now three great maratime fronts on tbs A..
lan,ic the Gulf Of Mexico and the Pacific, ma
king in the whole an extent of sea coast, ex-
ceeding 5000 miles. This is the extent of
the sea coast Of the States not including bays,
sounds, and small irregularities of the main
shore, and of The sea islands. If these be in
cIuded, the length of the shore line Of coast is
esnmated by the superlnte of the coast
survey ould be 33 063 miles.
1t " ould be difficult to calculate the value
of these immense additions to our territory
ssesslons-Texas, lying contagious to the
western boundary of Loulslana, embracing
withln ,ts limits part OF The iiavigabIe tribi,
tary waters ol the Mississippi, and an exten
sIve sea coa-t, could not long have renamed
in the hands Of foreign power without en
dangerng the peace ot our south western
frontier. Her products in the vicinity OF the
tributaries OF the M'ssssippl,mu have sought
market through these streams, running into
and through our territory, and the danger OF
irritation and collision Of interests between
Texas as foreign State and ourselves would
have been imminent, while the embarrassments
of commercial intercourse between them must
have been constant and una voidable.
Had Texas fallen into the hands or under
the influence and control, ola strong mara
time or military foreign power. as she might
have done, these dangers would have been
still greater. They have been avoided by
her voluntary and peaceful annexation to the
United States. Texas from her position, vas
natural and most indispensable part Of our v
territories. Fortunately she has been resto
red to our country, and now constitutes one
ofthe States of our confederacy, upon an equal
footing with the original States. The salu
brity OF the climate, the fertility Of the soil, o
peculiarly adapted to the production of some q
Of our most valuable staple commodities and I
her commercial advantages, must make her u
soon one of our most popuous States c
New Mexico, though situat ed in the in,eri- .
Dr. and without a sea coast, Is known to con
ain much fertile land, to abound in rich mines
,f the precious METALS and to be capable of
sustaining large population. From It's po- :,
,ition, 1t is the Intermediate and connecting 4
territory bet~ cen our settlements and our pos
sessions In Texas, and those on that Pacific "
,oast.
Upper California, irrespective of the vast ="
mineral ealth recently developed there. holds y
1t this day, in point of value and importance '
o the rest of the Union; the same relation that ''
Louisiana did. when that fine territory was r
acquired from France As years ago. Extend
ng nearly ten degrees OF latitude along the
Pacific, and embracing the only safe and v
,ommodiuus harbor on that coast for many
hundred miles with temperate climate and
IN extensive interior Of fertile lands, it is .
scarcely possible to estimate its value. until u
t shall be brought under the government of .
,ur Jaws, and Its resources fully developed y
From its position it must command the rich
Of China. As a, Of the Islands OF the v
Pacltic, of Western Mexico. Of Central Amer II
ca. the Soulh American States and the C
Russian possessions bordering on the Ocean. Il
A great emporium will doubtless speedily q
arise on The California Coast, which may be d
destined to rival in import ance N. o. ITSELF The Il
1epo, of the vast commerce. which must ex "
st on the Pacific, will be at some point on the c
BAY OF San Francisco, and y i'll occupy the o
same relation to the whole western coast of Il
hat ocean, as N. Orleans does to the valley e
Dt the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico.- o
To this depot our numerous whale ships will !
resort with their cargoes to trade, re6t and n
obtain supplies. This trade will largely con- Q
tribute to bnd up city, which would soon