Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-05-15
IHR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
MONDAY MORNING, MAY 10. 1864.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
..tn... ,usN he ad ares.sA AZ
Prosr.n-rerrIterI,l Extension.

ProgreS-Terrltorial Extension.
We are not Fillibusters, and have no sympathy or
patience with the doctrines practices Of that wild
and pestilent sect Neither we old Fogies looking
upon venerable and olles with the eye ola low
err and deprccating all change and all progress
cessary involving danger to the liberties and nstitu-
tons of our country. We not Of either Of these
classes believing the to be considerably under
the influence Of the DEVIL and therefore entirely too
fast, and the other under the influence of childish
superstition and fear and, therefore, entirely too
sloto. We take the middle ground between the two,
and profess to be progrercs in the truest and high
est of the word We are the advocates Of pro-
gress upon just and rational principles We have,
too, living faith in the grand idea OF nations
manifest destiny' Not interpreted and acted up.
on by the reckless marauders and desperadoes of the
land, but as construed in the light of superior mo-
raity and higher ntelligence-as construed in ac-
cordance with reason, moderation, and justice and
with assrupulous regard to our national faith and
dignity.
We see nothing, therefore, in tho language attribu
ted to Mr. fillmore in his recent speeches at the South
to excite the surprise regret of any body not depora
bly, one-dead and stationary-not essentially mel
ancholly fixity in age of universal progress We
shall rejoice. indeed il shall turn out that he has made
apublc and unreserved avowal of sentiments so Just,
enlightened, and liberal. These sentiments conflict
in no respect with the doctrines Of the Wing party
Of the Union-with its Wishes hopes or expecta-
tons On the contrary, they are in harmonious and
literal accordance with them all
The Wing party, despite the misapprehensions that
exist among its opponents, is not opposed to the
tension of our territorial limits 1t only insists that
this extension shall be effected in considerae and
proper manner-peaceaby and honorably, with the
free consent Of the parties Interested and without
fraud, intimidation, or violence. 1t would limit our
policy upon this question only by just and well-con-
adhered views OF national expedency and TO the en-
ployment of lawful and appropriate means for its
accomplishment. Looking with pride and satisfac-
ton upon the wonderful growth and prosperity of
our country, and exultantly anticipating the
magnificent and unequaed destiny that
awaits it il, fortunately, peace should to
preserved and sectional strife be banished, it would
not impair the one or mar the other by lending its
countenance to any measure enterprise under
taken under any pretext for any purpose whatev.
er, not sanctioned by the strctest principles of mo.
ray, honor justice and international faith 1t would
employ force, in any shape or FORM to propagate
liberal principles, or to bring surrounding nations into
the family of the bright and glorious sis.erhood Of
free Republics. 1t considers that neither force nor
threats nor urgent persuasion is the policy to be
adopted by this country in carrying out its desire to
extend its territorial limits and enlarge the "area of
freedom" But It thinks the better and wiser plan is
for it to operate upon distant nations by the silent,
but potent influence of its example and by its rigid
practical devotion to the high and mighty PRINCIPLES
it proclaims The sight, indeed would be an august
and thrilling one, to the people of neighboring
Governments, after becoming duly impressed with
the beauty and utility Of our system and the value of
its principles, voluntarily knocking for admission at
the door Of our great Republic When they thus
come, no party in this country will be disposed to re-
pulse them. 81 believe in the expansive growth of
our Republic and am thoroughly persuaded at she
Is destined to cover the whole American continent
with her starry banner and her free institutions il
the language said to have been uttered BY Mr. Fill
more, and we see no good reason not to adopt and
echo it with prophetic emphasis.
Our object was to introduce and endorse the fol-
lowing article from that able and sterling Wing jour-
nal, the Lynchburg Virginian, whose views upon
the subject we have been briefly considering will be
found to be alike judicious and progressive:
Inat Mr.. Fillmore may have uttered the sentiment
even the language nscrbed to him by the Vcksburg and
charleston papers, we know reason for doubipg IL
no new strange language for American ears TO listen
TO- Faith in the expansive power of our sysem-n the
progress Of Tree goyernment-n the gradual coming gin
o. nations 70 Tue iod OF rePublcanism, is universal
with our people, and more definite than the belief in
christian millennium. But do not for nome nj doubt
mat Whatever Mr. Fillmore may have said was 80 quail
ned as 10 dconnec II entirely from all afliation with
the awless schemes Of Fbustes and the insane ideas
OF Young America" The expansion that results from
sne natural and healthy growth of the couny-from the
iepresnoe spirit OF American enterprse-om the wi
oened relations OF trade-and from the ultimate spopa
neous submission OF neghborng nations 10 our form nj
government aud their desire TO be embraced in our
confederaey what those who had confidence in our sys
ten anticipated from its very foundation
"We need not say how widely such faith differs l,o,n
that nmoderae and INSCRIPTIONS greed for empire which
would extend our dominons by the sword and augment
our numbers by the enforced and bloody submission NJ TO-
pugnant nations Within the thrt fourtbs of cenrTv
oil our national existence the number of States and the
extent OF territory belonging the Union have been
more than doubled In ono instance only has territory
been acquired by war, and that fortunately was unpeo.
Pied Our government has proved Itself possessed OF
strength and vitality enough pass the ordeal unharm,
eo. Inc dangers that were apprehended have passed
away and no one now regrets that Louisiana Texas Cal
orna and Oregon have under the projection of
flag The past is prohecy of the future Soon or late
other countries and other people, II hold fast TO our
free government aud stand to the Union will seek shelter
beneath our starry banner But 1t Is the part of GOOD
citizenship aud the duty Of our rulers not rasbv And
wrongly 10 hasten the coming Of such events Let them
es DC as the rlpeness OF the harvest comes
In the unes OF me aud the order aud progress of
raj causes Our duty is to watch faithfully over what W.
have not morbdly 70 what we baye MOTTO sbJs
by the constitution aud the moral intent of the oryina
compact aud adhere TO the policy marked GU, nv the
founders OF the Republic IL do this We have moth
log 70 fear from the expansion, which the progress o
events and the innate and universal yosnng Of mankn,
for freedom may bring
Too Fast
we TOOK occasion in the early part Of last week Il
warn our Democratic contemporaries against too muci