The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-30

traordinary tribunals of justice. Without waiting
for perfect or safe channels, a strong and steady
stream of emigration flows thither from every
State and every district eastward OF the Rocky
Mountains. Similar torrents Of emigration are
pouring into California and Australia from The
South American States, from Europe, and from
Asia. This movement is not sudden, or acct
dental, Irregular, or convulsive one but It is
for which iRen and nature nave oeen prepar.
ing Though near four hundred years. During all
that time merchants and princes have been seek
ing how they could reach, cheoply and exped.
tiously "Cathay," ''Chna )" "the East" that in
tercourse and commerce might be established be
tween its ancient nations and the newer ones of
the West. To these objects Da Cana, Coum.
bus, Americas, Cabot, Hudson, and ether nav
igators, devoted their talents, their labors, and
their lives Even the discovery of this CONT
nent and its islands, and the organization Of
society and government upon them, grand and
important ne these events have been, were but
conditional, preliminary, and anciilary TO the
more sublime result, now IN the act OF consum-
mation-the reunion OF the two civilizations,
which, having parted on the plains Of Asia four
thousand years ago, and having travelled ever
afterwards in opposite directions around the world,
now meet again on the coasts and islands of the
Pacific ocean. Certainly, mere human event
of equal dignity and importance has ever occurred
upon the earth. II will be followed by the equaliza
ton OF the condition OF society and the restoration
of the unity Of the human family. Wesee plainly
enough why this event could not have come be
tire, and why il has come now. certain amount
ri human freedom, certain amount of human
The physical obstacles - such reunion, were
necessary. All the conditions have happened
and concurred. Liberty has developed under
improved forms of government, and science
America. Navigation, improved by steam, enc.
bles men to outstrp the winds, and intelligence
conveyed by electricity excel" III velocity the
light. With these fsvorinc circumstances there
has come also a eedden abundance of gold, that
largely relieves labor from its long subsection to
reai'zed capital Sir, this movement ia no delu-
sion II will no more stop than the emigration
from Europe to Gus own Atlantic shores has
stopped, or can stop, while labor is worth there
twenty cents and here fifty cents day. Emgra
ton from China cannot stop while labor is worth
in California five dollars day, and in the West
Indies ten dollars a month, and yet is worth in
China only five dollars for that period. Accord
ingly. We have seen sixty seven ships filled, in
three months of the present year, with II 900 emf
grants in the ports of Hong Kong, Macao. aud
Whampoa, and afterwards discharge them on the
shores OF California, and OF Cuba, and other islands
of the West Indies
Sir, have you considered the basis of this move
mept, that this continent and Australia are capable
of sustaining. and need for their development. five
hundred millions, bile their population "a confined
to fifty millions, and yet that Asia has two hun
urGd millions OF excessS Al Tor those who doubt
that this great movement will quicken activity
and create wealth and power in California and
Oregon, leave them to consider what changes the
movements, similar in nature but inferior in force
and clover in effect, have produced already the
Atlantic coast Of America. AS for these " no can
how this movement will improve the CON
dtion OF Asia, leave the m 10 reflect upon the i'm
provemcnts in the condition of Europe since the
dItcovery and colonization of America. Who docs
not see, then, that every year hereafter European
commerce, European poiitics, European thou ghts,
anu Europea activity, although actually ganp O
greater torce-and European come xons althou Oh
actually becoming more intimate-will never he
less be einking /" Importance; while the Paciic
Ocean its shores, its islands, and the vast reg ions
beyond, will become the chief theatre of events in
the worlds great Hereafter! Who does n { see
that this movement must effect our own complete
emancipation from what remains of European in
huence and prejudice, and in turn develop the
American opinion and influence which shall re.
mould cone ttutions, iaws and customs in the land
that Is hrst greeted bv the rising sun? Sir, al
though am 10 Socialist, no dreamer of a suddenly
coming Eieliennium, l nevertheless cannot reject
the hope that Peace ID now TO have her sway, and
that rs War has hitherto defaced and .addened
the Atlantic world, the better passions Of kind
VII coon have their developms Mt in the new thea
ire of human activity.
CoInnrtce ia the great agent Of this movement
Whatever nation shall put that commerce into full
employment, and ehall conduct il steadily with
adequate expansion, viii become necessarily the
greatest OF existing States; greater than any that
has ever existed. Sir you will claim that rcspon.
sib!hty and that high destiny for country
Are you b. sure that by assuming the shc will
gain the other? They imply nothing less than uni
v,rsal commerce and the supremacy Of the seas.
We are second 10 England, indeed, but, neverthe-
lees how far are we not behind her in commerce
and in extent OF empire? pray TO- know where you
will g. tina, you will not meet the flag OF EoxIand
fixed planted, rooted into the very earth? II you go
northward it waves half OF this Continent of
North America, which we call our own. II you go
southward, it greets you the Bermudas the Ba-
hamas, and the Carribbec Islands. On the Falkland
Isiants it guards the Straits OF Mag elIau on
the South Shetland leland it watches the pas. ge
round the Horn; and at Adelaide Island il warns
you that you have reached the Antarctic Circle
When you ascend along the south western coast of
America 1t is seen at Galapagos, overlooking the
E6thfDuR Panama anlu cd IL thcre
and at Vancouver you only take leave of il in the
far Northwest, when you are entering the Arctic
Ocean IL you visit Africa, you find the same vic
torieus cross guarding the coast of Gambia and
Sierra Leone and St. Helena. II watches you at
Cape Town as you paes into the Indian Ocean !;
while on the northern passage to that vast it
demands your recognition from Gibraltar, MS you
enter the Mediterranean; from Malta, when you
pass through the Siciian Straits. On the Ionian
Islands II waves in protection OF Turkey; and a,
Alden il guards the passage from the Red Sea in to
the Indian Ocean. Wherever Western commerce
has gained an entrance 10 the Continent of Asia
there that flag ia seen waving over subjugated
miliions-at Bombay, at Ceylon, at Siugapor3, at
Calcutta, at Lahore, and at Hong Kong; while
Australia. and nearly all the Islands Of Polynesia
acknowledge its protection.
Sir, l need not tell you that wherever that flag
waves, II is supported and cheered by the martial
airs of England But care not for that. The
sword is not the most winning messenger that can
bc sent nbroads and commerce, like power up
held by armies and naves may in time be found
" Coet LOO nut "nat ID 10 De regarded
with more concern is, that Eogland employs the
steam engine even more vigorously and more
universally than her military force. Steamer.
gincs. punctualy departing and arriving be.
tween every one of her various possessions and
her Island seat of power, bring in the mate.
rial for every manufacture and supplies for every
want. The steam engine plies necessarily there,
day and night, converting these materials into
fabrics of every variety, for the Of man And
again the steam. engine forever and without rest
moves over the face ofthe deep, not only distribut
ing these fabrics to every part of the globe, but
disseminating also the thoughts, the principles,
the language md religion Of England. Sir, we
are bold indeed TO dare competition with such
Power. Nevertheless, the resources for it are ad.
eqnate. We have coal and iron no less than shc
while corn, timber. cattle, hemp, WOOL cotton silk,
oil, sugar, and the grape. quicksilver, lead cop
per- silver, and gold. are all found within our own
broad domain IN inexhaustib.e profusion. What
energies we have already expended prove that
have In reserve all that are needful. What inven-
lions we have made prove our equality TO any ext
gercy Our capital increascs, while labor scarcely
k"o~1 the burden OF taxation. Our Panama route
TO China has decided advantage that Of the
Isthmus Of SucZ and at the same time vessels