The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-12-19
KALIDA, PUTNAM COUNTY, oHlo TUESDAY DECEMBER ls ss

Ioped the capacity of republican govern
ments, TO prosecute successfully just ant
necessary iotsign war with all tho rigor usu
ally attributed 10 more arbitrary forms OF go
vernment. l, has been usual for writers on
public law 10 impute TO Republics want O
that unity, concentration of purpose; aid vi
gor Of execution which are generally admit
led to telong ID the tnonarchical and aris.
tocratic forms; and this feature of popular
government has been supposed 10 display
itself more particularly in the condues Of a
war carried on in an enenly's territory.
! Ihe war with Mexico has developed more
strikingly and conspicuously anu,het feature
81 our institutions. Ii is, that without cost
to the gove,nmep, or danger 10 our liberty;
we have in the bossms OF our society OF
freemen, available in a just aud 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 ouI capacity for extended aud sue
cessful operations on land. The Navy is an
important arm OF the national defence. II
The services of the Navy were not so brlll-
ant as those of the arm, ia the late war with
Mexico, il was because they had no enemy
to meet on their own element. While tlIe
army had opportunities Of performing more
conspicuous service, The Navy largely parti-
cpalcd in the conducl of the war. Both
branches Of the service performed their
whole duly to the country. For the able
AID gallant service of the officers and men
Of the Navy, acting Independent, as well as
in co-opeIation with our troops in the con
quest Of The Califurnias, The capture ofVera
Cruz, and the seizure and re-occupation Of
other important positions on the Gulf and
Pacific coasts, the highest praise is due
Their vigilance, energy and skill rendered
The most active service in excluding the
munitions ofwar and other supplies from the
enemy, while they secured safe entrance
for abundant supplies for their own army
Our extented commerce was no where in
terrupted, aud for this immunity from the
evils of war, the country is indebted 10 the
Navy.
High praise is due TO the officers Of the
several executive bureaus, navy yards, and
stations coinec,ed with the service, all ln-
der the immediate direction Of the Secre-
tary of the Navy, for the industry, foresight
aud energy with which every thing was d.
rected, and furnished TO give efficiency TO
that branch Of The service.
The same vigilance existed in directing
preparation Of the Navy, as Of the army
There was concerl of action and of purpose
between the heads Of the two arms of the
service. By tho orders which were from
time 10 time issued, our vessels of war on
The Pacific, and the Gulf of Mexico, were
stationed in proper time and 10 proper posi-
lions TO cooperate efficiently with the army
By this means their combined power was
brough, 10 bear successfully on the enc
n.y..
The great tcsdlts which have been devel-
oped aud brought to light by this war, will be
OF immeasureable Importance in the future
progress Of our country. They will tend
powerfully TO preserve us from foreign collis-
ions, and enable US TO pursue uninterrupted
" our cherished policy of "peace with all
nations, cnlanging alliances with uone."
Occupying, as we do, more commanding
position among nations than at any former Pc
rod, our duties and our responsibilities to
ourselves and posterity, are correspondingly
increased. This will be the more obvious
when we consider the vast additions which
have recently been made TO our territorial
acquisitions, and their great Importance and
value.
Within less than four years the anncxa-
ton of Texas TO the Union has been con-
sumliia,ed; all conflicting title to the Oregon
Territory sou'h of 49o north latitude, being
all that was insisted on by any Of my prede-
cessors, has been adjusted; and New Mexi-
co and Upper California have been acquired
by treaty. The area of these several terri
tories according to report carefully prepared
by the Commissioners of the General Land
office, from The most authentic information
in his possession; and Which is herewith
transmitted, con'ains l,l92,0Gl square
miles: or 763, ,559, ,040 acres, while the area
Of the remaining twenty-nine States, and the
territory n / yet organized into States east
Of the Rocky Mountains, Contains $780,
5l3 sqlare miles, are l,3lS,l26,05s acres.
These estimates show that the territories re-
Gently acquired ,--and ,ver which our exclu-
siye jurisdiction and dominion have been ex-
tended, constitute country more than half
as large as tina. which was held by the U .
States before this acquisition. Il Oregon
be excluded from the estimate, there will
still remain within the limits Of Texas, New
Mexico an. California s51 ,59S square miles,
or 545 5,12O,720 acres--being an addition
equal 10 mole than one-third Of all ibe ter
rtory owned by the United States before