Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-03-29
For the Portage Sentinel.
ACQUISITION Of Territory.

Mr.. Sentinel:-In examining this sub
ject there is propriety in referring 10 the
earliest settlements Of this country, when
the EpseopaliaHs at jamestown and the
Puritans at Plymouth, for adventure, profit,
religious liberty and civil rights, having
severed the ties and associations that united
them with the old world, formed colonies
and domestic governments on the common
principles of equality in this then wilder
ness and savage land. ~ -...
The country was all to be acquired by
the Anglo Saxon race from 1.-The state Of
nature and the beasts and the wild men of
thsimerminable forests, from the frozen
North to the sunny South, and from the
Atlantic to the Pacific.
A thousand motives induced adyenturer
after udven,urer to brave the dangers of
the oceans passage, to find home in the
wild woods with the red race. Golony af-
ter colony was formed, until at length they
contained three millions Of happy people,
and their trade and commerce made them
an important part of the proud British en-
pire. .--ss
AT this epoch, the mother country wish
ed to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction
over them, which led to the revolutionary
war. Single-hand the colonies were able,
chas,ise the perfdious Indians; but to Cope
with England in arms, required Union of
the thirteen colonies. They weresextend-
ed from Maine to Georgia in detached set
Elements, and for the most part on or near
the Atlantic and the large streams flowing
into it.
Boston and the Massachusetts colony
were peculiarly obnoxious to the English
in consequence ofthe patriotic stand there
taken against taxation without representa-
ton, and the other tyranical measures Of
the British ministry.
Virginia too was in the forefront Of OPP
position to the aggressions of the mother
country. The colonies united by articles
Of confederation; and the North and the
South fought together the battles Of free
dom. independence was the result; and
more perfect Union followed by the adop-
ton Of the Constitution. The march now
of our nation to greatness with unexam-
pied rapidity commenced; our fellow citi.
zens swarmed over the Allegheny noun
tains and occupied the Mississippi Valley.
We purchased Louisiana and Florida, and
formed seaports in Oregon. State after
State has been admitted into the Union on
an equal footing with the thirteen original
ones, until the constellation on our flag
contains twenty-nine stars. Our popula-
ton has increased from three to twenty
millions, and the business and the prosper
ity OF the country in the same proportion.
At this stage ofour nations greatness an
effort is being made to introduce section
al jealousy and animosity between the
North and the South. A wedge is being
introduced to divide the Union; and the
very evidences of unbounded prosperity of
the nation are the arguments disingenious.
ly used 10 deceive and mislead the people.
Again we have acquired Texas, New
Mexico and California. This vast region
heretofore unoccupied by civilized inhabi.
tants will in few years be the home, like
! Ohio aud the Mississippi valley, Of many
800 s. 6@ll-'-st ra- zeI4@eas. asj4a