Saturday morning visitor., 1848-12-23

! Pacific and the Gulf Of Mexico, were sta
toned in proper time, and in proper po
si,ion, TO cooperate efficiently with tn,
army. BY this means, their combined
power was. brought TO bear successfully
! upon the enemy. The great results whcil
have been developed and brought TO light
by this war, will be Of Unreasonable i'm.
portance in the future progress of oui
country. They will tend powerfully tc
preserve us from foreign collisions, and
enable us 10 pursue nninteruptedly, our
cherished policy-peace with all nations
entangling alliances with none.
Occupying, as we do, "a more command
ing position among nations than at any
former period, our duties and our respon-
sibiliies TO ourselves and our posteriiy,
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 annex
alton of Texas 10 The Union has been con-
sumated and conflicting titles 10 The Ore
gon Territory south of lorly-nine degrees
Of north latitude, being all that was insist
ed Oh by any of my predecessors, has been
adjusted; ard New Mexico and Upper
California have been acquired by treaty. -
The area Of these several tcrritorie, ac-
cordlng TO the report carefully prepared
by the Commissioners OF the General Land
q flee, from the most authentic inlorma-
ton in his possession. and which is here
with trans mitted, Is one million one hun
dred and nine,y-three thousand siXty-one
square miles, or seven hundred and sixty
three millions five hundred and iily-nine
thousand and forty acres. These estimates
show, that the territories recently acquir-
ed, and over which our exclusive iurisdic-
lion and dominion have been extended, con-
slitute country more than half as large
as that which was held by the United
Stale. beiore this acquisition. Ii Oregon
be excluded from tie estimate, there will
still remain witI.in the limits of Texas,
New Mexico and Calf rnia. S5l ,59S
square miles, or 5I5, 20, 72O acres, beirg
an addition equal to more than one-third
OF all the territory owned by the United
State before this acquisition, and inclu-
ding Oregon, hearty great an extent of
territory as the whole OF Europe, Russia
only excepted.
The Mississippi, so lately frontier of
Our country, is now only lis centre. With
the addition Of the late acquisition, the u
nited States are now estimated lO be near
ly as large as the whole of Europe.
1t is estimated 10y Tie Superintendent of
the Coast Survey, in the accompanying
report, thst the extent OF the SEA coast Of
Texas, on the Gulf OF Mexico, is upwards
of 400 miles of the coast of Upper Cal
ilornia OH the Puciic, $40 miles and Of
Oregon. including the Straits of Fuca, of
$50 miles making the whole extent of sea
coast on the Pacific 1920, and the whole
extent on the Pacific and The Gulf of Mex
leo, 2020 miles. The length of the coast
OF the Atlantic from The northern limits O.
the L. States around The Capes of Flori-
da 10 the Sabine on the eastern boundary
Of Texas, is estimated 10 be 80, 900 miles;
so that the addition of sea coast including
Oregon, is very nearly two thirds as great
as all possessed belnre, aud including Ore
gon, an addition Of 1870 miles; being
nearly equal TO one half the extent OF coast
which We possessed before. We have
now three great maritime fronts, on the
Atlantic, the Gull of MEXICO, and the Pa
cific, making IN the whole an extent of
cost exceeding 5000 miles. This is The
extent oi The sea coast of the S'uies, not
including bays, sounds land small irregular
tiles OF The main shore, and Of the sea Is
lands. Ii these he included, the length oil
the shore line Of coast, as estimated by
the Superintendent of the Coast Survey,
would he 33,o63 miles.
II would be difficult 10 calculate the val.
ne ui thesa immense additions 10 our ter
rilorial possessions. Texas, lying coniig-
unus To lhe western boundary Of Louisl,
ana, embracing within lis limits part Of
the ma, igable tributary waters of the Mis-
sissippi, aud an extensive sea coast, could
not long have remained in the hands Of
foreign power, without endangering the
peace Of our south western frontier. The
danger of irritation and collision of inter-
ests between Texas as a foreign State and
ourselves, would have been imminent,
while the embarrassment Of commercial
intercourse between them mus, have been
constant and unavoidable.
Had Texas fallen into the hands, or un-
der the influence and control Of strong
maritime or military foreign power, as she
might have done, these dangers wonld
have been still greater. They have been
ayoided by her voluntary and peaceinlan-,
aexalion TO the United Slstes. Texas :
from her position was a natural and most
indispensable portion of our tersilories.--
Fortunately, she has heen restored 10 our
country, and now copsliluies one Of the
States Of cur confedsraSy, upOh an equal