Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-12

wants of population which has gradually grown W
until it is now seven or eight times as large al
when the Constitution was framed. "Constitu
tons of civil government" argued the trainers Of
this Constitution, /" are not to be framed upon cal
culation of ecisting exigencies, but upon combi
nation of these with the probable exigencies OF
ages, according to the natural and tried course Of
human affairs. Nothing, therefore, can be more
falacous than to infer the extent of any power it
to be lodged in the National Government from an
estimate of its immediate necessities There ought
to be capacity to provide for future contingent
cies, they may happen; and, as these illimit
able in their nature, it is impossible to limit
that capacity" Sustaining these views by argu.
ments which were then successful and now appear
to be unanswerable, the form of Government was
constructed to carry out these views and so adapt
ed as to meet every emergency which has arisen
in the course of period of more than sixty years.
and to do SO for full sixty years longer, if its OBJ
jects be restrained, they have hitherto been, to
such as concern the common defence, welfare, and
prosperity, instead Of engaging in projects of am
bition and foreign conquest.
Finding ourselves obliged to bring our remarks
on this head to close for to-day Preserving what
further have to say of the Inaugural to another
OCCASION we will conclude by offering to our read
ers, in the form of an extract from late Message
Of President FILLMORE to Congress- a clear and
comprehensive view of the kind of " progress" in
which we believe, and which, if persevered in, can
not but rebound to the true honor and glory Of the
country
We live in an age of progress, and ours is EN-
phatically a country of progress. Within the last
half century the number of States in this Union
has nearly doubled, the population has almost
quadrupled, and our boundaries have been extend
ed from the Mississippi to the Pacific. Our ter.
ritory is chequered over with railroads. and fur
rowed with canals. The inventive talent of our
country is excited to the highest pitch, and the
numerous applications for patents for valuable i'm.
provements distinguish this age and this people
from all others. The genius of one American has
enabled our commerce to move against wind and
tide and that of another has annihilated distance
in the transmission of intelligence. The whole
country is full of enterprise. Our common schools
are dffusing intelligence among the people, and
our industry is fast accumuatng the comforts ano
Injuries of life. This is in part owing to our pc
culiar position, to our fertile SOIL and compare
lively sparse population but much Of it is alsc
owing to the popular institutions under which We
live, to the freedom which every man feels to en-
gage in any useful pursuit, according to his taste
or inclination, and to the entire confidence thai
his person and property will be protected by the
laws. But whatever may be the cause of this
unparalleled growth in population, intelligence
and wealth, one thing is clear, that the Govern
ment must keep pace with the progress of thu
people. 1t must participate IN their spirit o
enterprise, and while it exacts obedience to til,
laws, and restraints all unauthorized inyasions o
the rights of neighborng States, IL should foster
and protect home industry, and lend its poloertu
strength to the improvement Of such means Of IN
accommodation necessary to promote ou'
internal commerce, and strengthen the ties a0hich
bind as together as a people"