The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-10

and the Mississippi, namely: Quebec, Montreal,
Ogdensburgh, oswego, Rochester, Buffalo, Erie,
Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo, Monroe, Detroit,
Chicago, Pittsburgh Cincinnati, Louisville, st.
Louis, Cairo and Memphis. Again--there are
tributaries which search out agricultural and
mineral productions and fabrics, accumniated at
less notable points; and so a complete system is
| perfected which leaves no inhabited region NM
explored, while it has for its base the long line
of seaboard. The aggregate length of these rail-
roads is sixteen thousand miles, and the total
cost is six hundred millions of dollars.
Immediately after the purchase of Louisiana,
President Jefferson having conceived the idea of
] a national establishment on the Pacific coast an
| exploration of the Intervening wastes was made
An American navigator about the same time yis-
tied the coast ITSELF and thus laid the foundation
of a title by discovery. A commercial settlement,
afterwards planted on the Columbia river by the
late John Jacob Astor, persisted in the war of
1872. Ten years ago, the great thought of Pa
cific colonization revived, under the influences of
the commercial activity resulting from the sue
cessful progress of thesystem of Internal Improve
ments- Oregon was settled Two years after
wards, its boundaries were defined, and it was
politically organized and now it constitutes
| two prosperous Territories.
The social military, and ecclesiastical, institu-
tions of Mexico, proved unfayorablet to an imme-
l date success of the Republican system Reyo-
| luton became chronic disease there Texas
separated, and practically became independent,
although Mexico refused to recognise her sepa-
ration. After some years, Texas was admitted
| as State into our Federal Union Al war which
ensued, resulted not only in the REIMBURSEMENT
of Mexican claims upon Texas, hut in the extern
sion of her coast frontier to the Rio Grande, and
| also in the annexation Of New Mexico and Upper
! California to the United States.
Thus, in sixty-fve years after the peace of
Versailles, the United States advanced from the
Mississippi and occupied line stretching through
eighteen decree aof latitude on the Pacific coast,
overlooking the sandwich Islands and Japan, and
| contDntins-ChinA, 1.-THE Cathay for which CO.
lunbus was in Earch when he.encountered the
bewildering vision of San Domingo.) The new
possession was divided into two Territories and
the State of California. The simultaneous dis
| covery of native gold in the sands and rocks of
that State resulted in the instantaneous estab-
| lishment of an active commerce, not only with
our Atlantic cities, but also with the ports of
/ South America and with the maritime countries
| of Europe with the Sandwich Islands, and even
| with China. Thus the United States ceased to
| be mere Atlantic Nation, and assumed the atti-
tude of a great Continental Power, enjoying ocean
navigation on either side, and bearing equal and
similar relations to the eastern and to the west
tern coast of the Old World The natural eonnec-
tions between the Atlantic and the Pacific regions
| are yet incomplete; but the same spirit which
has brought them into political union is at work
still, and no matter what the Government may
do or may leave undone, the necessary routes of
| commerce, altogether within and across our own
domain, will be established.
The number of States has increased since this
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT began from seventeen to thirty
one; the population from five millions to twenty
four millions the tonnage employed in commerce
| from million to four and half millions and
| the National revenue from ten millions to sixty
millions of dollars. Within that period, Spain
has retired altogether from the Continent, and
two considerable islands in the Antilles are all
that remain of the New World, which, hardly four
centuries ago, the generous and pious Genoese
navigator, under the patronage of Isabella, gave
to the Kingdoms of CASTLE and Leon. Great
! Britain tenders US now the freedom of the fishe-
ries and of the st. Lawrence, on conditions of
favor to the commerce of her Colonies, and even
celebrates on the policy of releasing them from
| their allegiance. The Influences OF the United
| States on the American continent have resulted
| already in the establishment of the Republican
system everywhere, except in Brazil, and even
there, in limiting Imperial power In Europe,
| they have awakened war of opinion, that, after
spreading desoation into the steppes of Russia,
and to the base of the Carpathian Mountains,
has only been suppressed for time by combina-
ton of the capital and OF the political forces of
that continent In Africa, those influences, aided
4 by the benevolent efforts of our citizens, have
| produced the establishment of Republic, which,
| beginning with the abolition of the traffic in
slaves, is going steadily on towards the moral
| regeneration of its savage races. In the Sand
witch Islands, those influences have already effect
ed, not only such regeneration of the natives,
but also a political organization, which is bring
ing that important commercial station directly
under our protection. Those influences have
| opened the ports of Japan, and secured an inter-
course of commerce and friendship with its ex-
traordinary people---numbering forty millions
thus overcoming policy of isolation which they
had practced for the period of an hundred and
| fifty years. The same influences have not only
procured for us access to the five principal ports
of China, but have also generated revolution
| there, which promises to bring the three hundred
millions living within that vast empire into the
| society of the western nations.
How magnificent is the scene which the rising
| curtain discloses to us herei and how sublime
the pacific part assigned to usl
"The Eastern nations sink their glory ends,
And Empire rises whore the sun descends."
But. restraining the imagination from its desire to
follow the influences of the United States in their
| future progress through the Manillas, and along
the Indian coast, and beyond the Persian Gulf,
to the far-of Mozambique, let us dwell for mo-
| ment on the visible results of the national ag-
grandizement at home Wealth has everywhere
| increased, and has been equalized with much sue
cess in all the States, new as well as old. In
discovered resources, and bringing forth their
treasures, as well as in the establishment of the
productive arts. The Capitol, which at first
seemed too pretentious, is extending itself north
ward and southwark upon its noble terrace, to
| receive the representatives of new incoming
States. The departments of Executive admins
tration continually expand under their lofty arches
and behind their lengthening colonnades. The
Federal city, so recently rdculed for its ambitious
solitudes is extending its broad avenues in al
directions and undes she hands of native artists
is taking on the graces, well the fullness, OF
a capital Where else will you find authority &c
august as in Council composed of the Repre-
sentatives of thirty States attended by ambassa-
doris from every free city, every republic, and
every court, in the civilized world2 In near prox-
unity and in intimate connection with that CAPT
tai metropolis has arisen, which gathers, by the
agency of canals of railroads, and of coastwise
navigation the products of industry in every form
throughout the North American States, as well
those under foreign jurisdiction as those which
constitute the Union, and distributes them in ex-
change over the globe; city whose wealth and
credit supply or procure the capital employed In
all the great financial movements within the Re
public, and whose press, in all its departments o.
science literature religion, philanthropy, and
| politics, is national one. Thus expansion and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT whose natural tendency is to
produce debility and dissolution, have operated
here to create what before was wanting, social
political and commercial centre.
In considering the causes of this material
growth allowance must be made literally foI
great advantages of space, climate, and resources
as well as for the weakness OF outward resist.
ance for the vices of foreign Governments and
for the disturbed and painful condition OF society