The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-12
The Extent of Uncle Samueps "Diggins."
From the Albany Express.l

Folks complain of the length of the Presidents
message, and not without some cause but do they
reflect how large patch of this earth that message
and its topics are obliged to cover, or, least, are
expected 10 cover! Reckon not. The United
States and the territories thereof, if they should
chance to be convu sed out of existence in some
freak of Dame Nature, would create sizable blank
upon the face of the globe. If they should sud-
denly sink beneath the surface lis it gerry probable
that they will !! what hole there would be in the
earth
What is the size of Uncle Samue's possessions
The vast additions which have been made by con-
quest, have increased the old gentleman's " dig
gins that it may be well enough TO see how many
square miles and broad acres he OWNS.
The area of Texas, Oregon, New Mexico and
California as ascertained by the Commissioner of
the General Land Office from authentic informa-
ton, contains 1884, 6l square miles or 1853 $50 04O
acres. Not a small farm. that The area of the
remaining twenty mine Saies and territory not yet
organized States, east of the Rocky Mountains,
contains 2,059,5l3 square miles Or ,3lS, l26, OBS
acres. Thus Jonathan's entire possessions amount
in the aggregate to $50 STA square miles or 2Oe1,-
6S5 098 acres Compare this vast area with the
ancient and proud princpalities of Europe, and
how pea-patchy they all appear. To be sure, some
of them distance us in population, and all OF them
have got the start of us in age, but their hoary
heads we do not covet, and as to numbers, just
wait till get half filled up, and we'll undertake
to carry off twice their entire population on our
backs, and leave as many 8 cute and wide-awak
Yankees to fill their places.
In extent, diversity of scenery and climate, va
rety of products, natural and artificial resources,
elements of greatness and power, system OF gov
eminent institutions. rights, privileges, prosperity,
prospects, health, handsome girls, indomitabie 60
aheadativeness and yellow mines, we have got the
start of all creation besides, and we mean to keep
it, too. We have made brisk stir in the wide
world, already; but we have scarcely got under
way yet. Wait till we get settled, screwed up,
canked, coppered and fenced in! Then Jonathan
will be g some,'' and perhaps "leettle mossel -
spare The energies. destinies and genius of the
tcritter are not half developed yet. He has had
enough to do to clearaway the rubbish. set the ma
chine in motion, and get things :" TO rights This
done, he will slick up" and show the world,
more decidedly than he ever yet has had time or
opportunity to do, Uho and whdt he is.
The estimates above made show that the terri
tory recently acquired constitutes country more
than half as large all that was held by the
United States before their acquisition The terri
tory embraced within the limits of Texas, New
Mexico and California, is 851 ,59S square miles
545 O12, 720 acres being an addition equal to more
than one-third of all the territory owned by the
United States before they came into our possession.
Including Oregon these territories embrace an area
nearly as great in extent the whole of the conti
nent of Europe, Russia excepted) with all the
wealth, power, and hundreds of millions of souls of
that " old countree ~ The States and territories
of our Republic are as great in extent the entire
continent of Europe We have an extent of Pa
cific sea coast of 1920 miles, and on the Pacific,
Atlantic and Gulf of Mexco-three great maritime
fronts-a total extent of not less than 5000 miles of
sea coast not including bays sounds, etc. If these
be included, the total length of the shore line of
coast would be 80 063 miles
Such is the size of Uncle Samuels vast possess
sions. Who can wonder, then, at the length of
the Presidents message!