The Arkansas banner., 1848-02-08

IS epoch in the history of North American enter prise and daring.
 But the tide of emigration and the course of Elm pire have since been westward. Cities aRd towns have sprung up upon the shores of the Pacific, and the river we essayed 10 fix as our western, now passes nearest 10 eastern boundary. From three our population has increased to twenty millions from thirteen, to twenty nine States with others in the process of formation and on their way 10 the Union. Two great European powers have with drawn from the continent yielding their posses sions, and from the Northern Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico-from the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi, numerous aboriginal nations have been displaced before the resisess tide of our prevailing arts arms and free principles. and whoever will look back up on the past and forward upon the future must sec
 that ailurea by the justice of our institutions before the close of the present century this continent will teem with free population of upwards of an hun dred million souls. Nor have we yet fal6lled the destiny allotted ns. New territory is spread out for
 to subdue and fertilize new races are presested for us to clyiize, educate and absorb new uiumPhs for us to achieve fer the cause of freedom.
 North America presents to the eye one great geo. graphical system every portion of which. under the
 present facilities for communication, may be made
 more accessible to every other than the orfgi
 nal States to each other al the time they formed the
 conlederacy-it Is sooD 10 become the commercial centre of the world And the period is by no means
 remote, when man. regarding his own wants and
 
 potent than those which prescribe artificial bounda-
 res will ordain that it shall be united in political
 we'll as natural bends and form but one political sys-
 tenn, and that free, confederaied governed
 public, represented in a common Hall in the great
 valley of the west-exhbting to an admiring world
 the mighty results which have been achieved for
 freedom in the western hemisphere. Then will
 perfect Union be formed and justice be estab- Iished upon enduring fouudations-the domestic tranquility insured-the common defence be provid-
 cd for-the general welfare promoted, and the bles- sings of liberty secured to posterity.
 Our form of government is admirably adapted to extended empire. FoSnded in the virtue and intel Iigence of the people and deriving its just powers from the consent of the governed its influences are powerful for good at inc remotest limits at the political centre.
 We are unlike all communities which have gone before us. and illustrations drawn from comparing us with them, are unjust and erroneous. The so- eial order which characterizes system is un- like the military republics of other times is the religion of the Savior of men to the imposti0ns of Mahomet. Our system wins by it's justice, while
 theirs sought to terffy by its power Our territorial boHadary, may span the eentinent-our population be quadrapled, and the number oi our States be doubled, without inconvenience or danger. Every member oi the confederacy would still sustain itsef and contribute it's influence for the general good every pillar would stand erect and impart strength and beauty 10 the edihce. In matters of national Legislation numerous population, extended territo ", and diversified interests would tend to reform abuses which would otherwise remain unredressed, to preserve the rights ot the States, and to bring back the oflegislation from the eentrasm 10 which it Is hastenng. One half the legislation brought before Congress would be left undone, as II should be--a large portion of the residue would be presented to the consideration of State legislatures and Congress would be enabLd to dispose of all mat ters within the scope of its legitimate functions without inconvenience or delay,
 The present political relations of this cohtiacnt cannot long c0ntitue. and t becomes t5is nation 10 subjects of the British crown shall consent to be ruled through all time by distant cabinet, Mexico cannot long exist under the misrale of marauders and their pronunciamentos. and this was clearly apparent before since the existence of the war If, then just acquisition is the true policy of this government. Il clearly is it should be pursued by a steady and unyieldng purpose, and characterized by the sternest principles of national justice. It should rashy anticipate the gaeat results which in progress thrust aside inc fruits when they are produced and presented. Tue national existence oi Mexico is in her own keeping, but is most endan gered at this time by her own imbeciliy and stub bornnessheT nationa, gnorance and brutality, than from the war we are prosecuting and all its conse quences. She has been hasiening to run for years upon the iioodtide of pgoAgacy and corruption and i she ;s nss: rescued and her downfall arrested and postponed for season, il may justly be attributed To tte S1iutafy lnHucnces or t0e cndsilsel0en she has received. But majority of her people belong to the fated aboriginal races who neither uphold government or be restrained by it-who flourish on- iy amid the haunts ot savage incidence, and perish under. they do not recede before he influences Of civilization Like their doomed brethren who were once spread over the several States of the Union, they are destined, by laws above human agency, to give way to a stronger from this continent or another. What has been the national progress of Mexico! When our population was three millions hers was i've and when Is twenty hers is eight and while we have attained the highest rank among the nations of the earth, she has fallen low that there is little left to wound her feelings or degrade her character. She has existed as an independent government. if her ifetful and confused being may be thus dignifed, almost quarter of cen tury, and has changed Der government by militia y revolution during that period many times as she has existed years. She has extended and some what populous territory without authorized gov ernment or the means of instuting one or the vir- tue or intelligence to uphold it. The rights of her people are lily defined and worse protected. She has now neither army or navy, or means of national defenes-ao treasury nor system of revenue. She has national anipaihes and reseaments but neither national spirit nor national virtue; and has thus far dragged out her wretched existence like the eagle of mythology chained to tue rock-gnawing at her own vitals Her valuable mines rich agricultural regions and Pacific harboIs, present tempting occasion for European rapacity 10 revive upon this continent their execrable proposal to regulate the balance o power, in furtheTanee of which England has already com meaeed seizing npoa South American possessions.
 And should our arny now be withdrawn, leaving her deirded people the prey of the ieIoeious spirits who have hastened her downfall, we may expect to zee some snpernumeraTy of the house of Bourbon placed at their head to play auomaton to the British cabinet. The policy of extending our jurisdiction over any portion of Mexican territcry, is question between Europe and America-between monarchy A nd freedom-and not between the United States and the Republic of Mexico: and we should not he's itate to extend protection to such provinces as arc held by us in undisturbed possession now. and patiently await the dsselopement of the future Should the progress of events, without injustice on part open to the enterprise of our citizens the rich mining and agrscnltural districts of that country and infuse among this semibarbaIous people the blessings of ciyiiizaion-shoult the valuable trade which has been monopalised by England be enjoy ed by the Sates and our mint coin the money ot the world; and should passage across the fsthmus be obtained, placing the mouth of the Columbia within Nt~ Dr aGa