New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-27
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
THE TRUE
GREATNESS OF OUR COUNTRY,
~ wILLiAN O. sEwAHo
A DIsCOUR L
b, go before te Yosrg Csao Faena.' s',rt % Bal "''
DECEMBER 3D. t5i-,

d.
s,ss.d w.ta kaowiae mat bis c,a.try Is great
..a les sul hoppy le desires ." understand
.bvltiss.. what ore 'lc elements ol iis en- iii.f
how .oae they vii. endure. and what "iH BE- ,nef
..cta-,,lotmelt because De Knows that bis
.rt,y aud MS roce are immortal, aud he iecis as
..rsl that. although mortal himself, be shall not
Altogether perish.
We have the authority Of Lord Bacon 20 the
sae,. thst
,ss TIN. Greatness OF Kingdoms and Esstcs and The
mems thereof is argument 10 for gr NJ aud mighty
rces % have ia their hands, - tee enc tha- htihti
~ aauring their forces they lose themselves 10
n suterprses, nor GA the % her iise BY under-'an.
.s them they descend 20 fearful and pusilanimous
e0snsels.'
The same profound philosopher remarked. that
che greatness Of Estate in bulk and territory doth
M uaGer measure. aud the greatness of finances ana
-sqsnue doth isl under computation. Inc pppniii"ii
y auYear By hunters and the number and greatness
az cities and towns by cards aud mai Bus yet th'f"
not anything among civil affairs more SUBJECT 70 error
han the light valuation and true Judgment concerning
iss poWer and forces Of an estate Ihere
Are states great ia territory and yct rot apt o. com
ssud ami some that bear buta small dimension 90
.em and yet apt 10 be the foundation oil great mon
s.la
Let us attempt To- make such valuation o. "ine
ssvrr and forces OF our country not merely 10
tldLuu ana tiuE4iF u iHtiiit f.''t+r ~ '-''-'->'
rds but - obtain ts necessary and useful Instructions
Comprehensive national greatness requires ample
mace In suitable region, large population possessing
mental activity aud resolution, and Government well
s.y,ed 70 the character and condition Of the people,
AID conducted with wisdom.
our territory belt ecross the Continent approach
sg on ei,he side the limit Of the temperate zone t
not into separate and distinct fragments divided
from each .ther b. impossible mountain barriers b.
Intervening States Provinces by seas subjec, to
hostile intrusion but it Is one whole dominion contn-
nous. compact and nsepsrsbe. We need scarcely say
,sst s climate il sslubrious and tina; Us land and waters
s rich in stores for the supply Of human wants in every
stage and condition Of social lie. Nowhere does Man
md more abuadanty than here the rocks Of entcssya.
rty and the trees OF numberess kinds with which he
b. ids aud adorns his dwellings his doiences bis tenn
pes bis roads his whsryes and his ships The plants and
,nmas which supply him with subsistence ard minis.
pr TO his health mis- comfort add HE pride the minerals
rom which he FORCES hs implements OF peaceful toll
.adof mortal strife and the precious metals by which
ID the evsrensrging circle OF exchange, be compares
ac values Of ell spprecisbe things
Long branching rivers with deep channels aud broad
expanding lakes with spacious bays all connected or
capable Of connection offer necessary aud convenient
defence snd these natural bonds multiplied by artid
e.l lssments roads canas railroads and telcgrsphs,
continually extending and fastening upon every part
OF this comprehensive region hold II together IN Union
as indissolube as it was inevitable
The American Continent with lis adjacent Islands
Continent extending southwark beyond the Equatorial
Line and notbward 70 the Arctic Circlewi at no ola
un, period have on our Atlantic and Pacific coasts ne
cssary and natural reciprocstng markets for the pro
dcton OF all its various ATTITUDES The same markets
situated midway between the sncient Continents, and
very soon to be connected by direct highways which
will supersede a costly and dangerous navigation, viii
invite EQUALLY and with irresistible attraction on the
one side the Commerce Of Europe and Africa, and on
he other that Of the rising insuar communities In the
spthern Ocean As well rs the trade OF the pOpulous
REGIONS If China and the Eastern Indies An intellect
u,l and active people holding position so favorable
and po.sessng resources bouudess, could not fail
- secure the Freedom OF the Seas without which no
nation in modern times be great while they would
furnish political slombic which receiving the expiring
civilization Of Asia and the ripeuing civilization OF
Western Europe, and commnglng them together after
their long separation would disclose the secret OF the
ultimate regeneration aud reunion OF Human Society
throughout the world
Formulation not disturbed by arbitrary interference,
Increases and declines with the abundance and scarce
p.sof subsistence bat abundance and scarceness de-
s.rd not on the relative fertility Of the earth only but
sl,o On the comparative temperance and vigor 81
~ cul,iva,ors The soil Of the Eastern and Middle
s.ates Il lees fruitful than that Of most Of the
w,.tern rcsion Indeed only the intelligent hands
Of Freemen could have TILED the rugged hiusides
a New England, and drawn forth wealth from ITS
or,le.s rocks and rescherous seas. The population
Of the United states If II should expand on the came
r.to 10 the square mile which s maintained in New
ENGLAND would be one hundred and twcnty-siN mil
s,ns II NAV increase above twice that number and
vsf be less dense than the population OF Italy or OF
srtuce or of Austria of Spain, or OF the British
I.sud. When we consider the certainty Of immigrs'
is from Asia in addition to the torrent pouring In
hom Europe. and the constant how INTO The Western
States and Territories from our Eastern communities
md when We consider also the permsnence OF these
several sources oi increase We have no room 70 ooU2t
thsttpay be estimated for the future on the basis OF
circulation established By past experience Inai basis
demands auopulsion OF thirty millions IN lcou OF nity
Millions Ina s~O of eighty millions IN 1910 ana ni more
iaau double that uumhcy In less than one hnhui'u
ysars 49,.
lhc Americans are a Homogeneous people, and must
remain 30 because however widely they expand iaey
sxll Ia one great snd uubroken Hood. Az exotic c'e
erts are RAPIDLY absorbed sud completely sssnlsied
M nsts of the Aborigua and African tribes, oe,rg
teapabe Of such assimilation, have hitherto 10 oiurf
si WAYS AL ced and modified the force of the superior
nd controlling race. Without Specializing on the uu
u. dsstuy OF either Of those unfortunate ,ssses, We
.v a.uo. that the feeble resistance they OTTER TO the
sssranaizement OF the Caucasian tsriy IS becoming
"a and less continually aud viii hnally altogether dis
so.esr Most other Empires were composed, not OF
o. hoooeeueous people but OF various tribes, races
On paoo, discordani 10 language. religion habits and
su REDUCED after Ions CONFLICTS into more or less per
ise, rom nipsfion ut seldom into entire UNITY hO"
iconeivsby great must have been the waste OF men.
~ scusity aad energy, not 70 speak OF numbers ano
ressure resulting from such Conflicts Inc Aue1l0"N
people on toe other hand, prsctcS!iy one isuiy
fhe Romss people ike the Americans, were hoeiH ~
GENERALIZATION Like the Americans, they granted NJ
sse right Of citizenship 10 strangers ana ho' 1nS :.
Individuals but 70 families 70 cities, and someues -
ssiiOrs The Romsns also planted COLONIES As We %
6 Contiguous territories Hence II has been We" ssio'
h view of those customs of naturalization snd ooV"..
zoo that !, seemed Ne If IL not the Romans tnss
spread upon the world but Il wss the word
-yon the Romans. ,..
Bur mere numbers Independently OF moral eieihehts'
D. constitute strength do population ara re
Ssfees combined. When CrCesus os,entauously snow
ca his treasures 10 Scion, the Athen.sn rephco' IL
ay other come that hath better iron than you, ne ~i
- master OF AL this gold The spanisrd proves THIS
~ tie Halls Of Moutezums. and the Anglo.Ameries IN
asp,oved a. against toe eHeminste descendant oi the
essalsn Ia the very of his primary exiorron;
he American People are free not merely Tree, IKE
.Ns;ion recently emsncpaied, but they swsys were