Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-12-09


of republican governments 10 prosecute successfully Just
necessary foreign with all the vgor usually attributed
more arbitrary forms OF government IL has Teen usual fol
writers public law to impue TO republics OF thai
unity concentration OF purpose, and ygor Of execution,
which generally admitted TO belong tohe moaarcha and
arstocratc forms and this feature OF popular has
been supposed to display Itself more particularly in the
duet OF carried IN enefnys erritoy The war
with Great Britain in 1872, 10 gea extent confined
within limits, and shed but little light this sub
ect But the which We have lust cod by honorable
peace, evnces beyond all doubt that ppua
government s equal any emergency WHICH Sey to alisc
in the ailiirs Of a nation.
The war with Mexico has developed most strixingy and
conspcuousy another feature in eions is that
without cost to the Government danger liberties,
have IN the bosom of society Of cenen, available in
just AND necessary war; virtually sandinaruy Of two nil
lions Of armed czensoders, such usht The battles OF
Mexico.
But military strength does not consist alone in
paciy for extended anu successful operations land The
navy an important arm of the national deenee II the
vices OF the not hcant a. those OF The army in
the late with Mexico because they had enemy
to meet on their element While The army had oppor-
tunity OF performing conspicuous rvice the navy
largely participated in the conduct of the war; Doth branches
Of the service pe.rmcd their whole duty he country. For
the able and gallant Of the officers and of the
naryactng independently well in % operation with
our troopin the conquest Of the CALIFORNIA;, the CAPTURE Of
Vera Cruz, and the and occupation other important
positions the Cult and Pacific coasts, tia highest praise
effective service excluding munitions of aud other sup
plies from the enemy while they secured safe entrance Tor
abundant supplies for our army. Our extended com
nerce was nowhere interrupted and for this Immunity from
the evils OF war, the country vs. indebted TO he navy
High praise is due to the officers Of the several Executive
bureaus navy yards and stations connected win the service,
all under the immediate direction OF the Secretary Of the Navy,
Tor the industry foresight and energy with which every thing
directed and furnished to give efficiency that branch OF
the service The vigilance exsedin directing the opera
lions OF the navy as Of the array. There coGcer Of &C
ton and of purpose between the heads of the TWO Of the
service BY the orders which from tire to time Issued
our vessels of the Pacific and tie Gulf Of Mexico
were stationed 10 proper time ana in proper positions to
operate efficiently with the army. BY his means their
bined pow brought to bear successfully on the enemy
The great results which have bee, developed and brought
to light by this war will be Of ms uraoie Importance in The
future progress OF country Iley will tend powerfully
preserve from foreign coson and to enable pursue
unlnterruptedy our cherished pocy " "peace With all
TONS entangling alliances Will none.
Occupying as we DO more commanding position among
nations than atty Former PERIOD duties and respon
bes to ourselves and 10 pos,eiy corrcspond1gy in
creased. This will bs the obvious when consider
the vast additions which have been recently made TO terri
orIel possessions AMI heir great importance AID vaue
Within less than four years the annexation OF Texas to the
non has been coHummated all conflicting title TO the Ore
Territory south IF foyGnh Cegree Of north latitude,
being all that insisted by any my predecessors Las
been adjusted AMI New Mexico aud Upper California hav;
been acquired by treaty The Of these sevea! Terrific
scner of The General Land Once from the most authentic in
formation in his possession, and which is herewith transmit
ted, contains million hundredan nnetyhree thou
sand and slxyone square miles, hundred and sixty
three million Ave hundrel and yIn" o!sand and forty
acres while the Of the remaining wenyEine States,
and the territory yet organized into states of the
Rocky Mountains contains two milioE ftynne thousand
five hundred and thirteen square miles, thirteen hundred
ard eighteen million hundred and thousand
and fyegL These eslimites show that tie terrific
recently acquired, and which exclusive urislc
ton and dominion have been extended, constitute country
than halt large all that which held the Uni
ted States before their acquisition. II Oregon be excluded
from the estimate there will still remain within the limits of
Texas, New Mexico, and California, eight hundred and ty
thousand five hundred and rney egh. square miles, or
five hundred and foryve million twelve thousand hun
bred anJ twenty acres; being addition Ul 10 than
onethd Of all the territory owned by the Eed States be-
their acquisition and including Oegot nearly as great
extent of territory the whole of Eupa, Russia only
excepted TIE Mississippi 50 lately the irpne of
Try, IS only its With the addition u tie late
questions, the United States estimated be nearly
large the whole Of Europe is estimated ~ the super
ntendan Of the coast survey the accompanying report that
the extent Of the Of Texas the Gu Of Mexico
upwards Of four hundred miles of tie Of Upper Cali
orna, the Pacific, OF hundred and seventy miles
and Of Oregon, including the Straits Of Fuca al six hundred
anu fifty miles, making the whole of on the
Pacific thousand fix hundred and twenty miles, and the
whole extent both the Pacific and the Gull Mexico
thousand and twenty miles The length Of the coast on the
the Capes o Florida the Sabine he boundary
Of Texas estimated to be three thousand hundred miles:
80 that tie addition OF seacoast including Oregon, very
nearly twohlrds great oil possessed before and
GLIDING Oregon addition Of thousand three hundred
and seventy miles being nearly equal to bali Of the
tent Of coast which possessed before these acquisitions
We have three great maritime ffon.son the Atlantic
the Gulf al Mexico and the Pacic-mang IN me whole m
extent Of seacoast exceeding five thousand miles This the
extent OF the Of the United States including bays
sounds and small Irregularities Of the main shore and Of the
SEA islands these be included the length OF the shore line
Of coast estimated by the superintendent Of the cast sur
vey IN his report, would be thryhree thousand and sixty
three miles.
It would be difficult to calculate the value Of these immense
additions to territorial possessions Texas lying CONT
gunus TO the western boundary Of Louisiana embracing with
IN It's limits part Of the nayigahle tributary of the
Mississippi and extensive seacoas could long have re-
malneI in the hands Of foreign Power without endanaernp
the peace OF our southwestern frontier Her products in the
vicinity Of the tributaries Of the Mississippi haze sought
market through these streams, running into anG through our
territory and the danger of irritation and collision OF interests
between Texas foreign and ourselves wou have been
imminent while the embarsments in the commercial inter
course between them have been and unavod
able Had Texas fallen into the hands under the nfu-
ence and control OF strong maritime military foreign
Poser as she might have done, these dangers would have
been still greater They have been avoided by her voluntary
and peaceful annexation the United States Texas from
her POSITION natural and almost indispensable part Of
our territories. Fortunately she has been restored to our
country, and constitutes Of the States Of our confe
deracy, upon equal footing with the original Stacs !"
The saubry Of climate, the fertility Of SOIL peculiarly adapt
ed 70 the production OF Of valuable staple
modes and her commercial advantages must soon make her
| ono OF our most populous States.