Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-07-15
The Future Of America.

address delivered by the Hon. Wm. II. SEW
ARD, at Columbus, Ohio, on the occasion OF
the dedication of the Capital University
His subject was the Destiny OF America.
eff the Future which you seek consist in
this that these thirty-one States shall contln- |
ue to exist for period as long as human lore
sight is allowed to anticipate after coming |
events, that they shall be all the while Tree, |
that thev shall remain distinct and independ- |
cnt in domestic economy ,and nevertheless be
only one in commerce and foreign affairs, that |
there shall arise from among them, and within |
their common domain ,even more than thirty |
one other equal States, alike free, independent
and united, that the borders OF the Federal
Republic so peculiarly constituted shall be
extended so that it shall greet the sun when
he touches the Tropic, and when he sends his
glancing rays towards the Polar circle, and
shall include even distinct islands IN either
ocean, that our population now counted by tens
of millions shall ultimately be reckoned by
hundreds Of rmiIlions. that our wealth shall in
crease thousand fold and our commercial!
connections shall be multiplied. and our po-
Iifical influence be enhanced in proportion
with this wide deveiopemcnt, and that man
kind shall come to recognize in Us successor
of the few great states which have alternately
borne commanding sway in the world,-if this
and only this is desired, then l am free to
say that if, as you viii readily promise, our
public and private virtues shall be preserved,
nothing seems to me more certain than the
attainment of this Future, so surprisingly
! o,,d ,na1niffrpr-
Indeed. such future seems to be only :.
| natural consequence Of what has already been
secured. Why then shall it not be attained!
| IS not the field as free for the expansion indi-
Gated as il was for that which has occurred! /!
Are not the national resources immeasuraoiy
augmented and continually increasing? with
telegraphs and railroads crossing the Detroit
| tbe Niagara. the ST. Johns and the ST. Law
| renee rivers, with steamers on the Lakes OF
! Nicarauca and 4 rail road across the lsthmus
of Panama and with negotiations in progress
for passages over Tehuantcpec and Darlen,
with feet in Hudsons Bay and another at
| Bhering's straits, and with yet another eXplo-
ring the La Plate and with an armada at the
gates of Japan, with Mexico ready to divide
on the question of annexation and with the
Sandwich Islands suing to us for our soVer-
eighty, it is quite clear to us that the motives
| TO enlargement are eyenmore active than they
ever were heretofore, and thai the public en-
ergics instead of being relaxed, are gaining
new vigor.
Is the Nation to become suddenly weary
and so to waver and fall off from the pursuit
of its high purposes7 When did any vigorous
nation ever become weary even of hazardou S
and exhauSting martial cOnquestsl Our con
I quests on the C ontrary, are chiefly peaceful,
and thus far have proved productive Of new
wealth and strength. Is paralysis to fall up
on the national brain On the contrary, what
political constitution has ever throughout al
caqual period exhibited greater elasticity ana
capacity for endurance
Is the union of the States to faill Does its
strength indeed grow less with the multiplied
ton of its bonds Or does its yalue dimi nisf
with the increase of the social and political
interests which it defends and protectsl Far
otherwise. For all practical purposes bear,
ing on the great question the steam engine
the iron road, the electric telegraph, all OF
which are newer than the Union, and the Me
tropolitan Press which is no less wonderful
in its working than they, have already oblit
Grated State boundaries and produced q phys
| ical and moral centralism more complete ano
perfect than monarchical ambition ever ha;
2 forged or can forge. Do you reply neverthe
less that the Union rests on the VIII OF the
several States and that, no matter what pru
$ dence or reason may dictate, popular passion
NAV become excited and rend it asunder.-
Then reioin, When did the American Peo
pie ever give way to such impuis es They
are practically impassivc. You remind me
that faction has existed and that only recently
it was bold and violent / answer that it wa
cmbodened. Loyalty to the Union is not II
one or many States only but in all Of the States
the strongest Of all public passions. 1t il
{ stronger doubt not, than the love of justice
E or even the love of equality, which have &C
auired strength here never known among
/, mankind before.-A nation may we'll despis,
threats Of sedition that has never known bu
one traitor, and this will be learned fully b.
those who shall hereafter attempt to arrest any
n great national movement by invoking frotl
, | their grave the obsolete terrors OF Dlsunion.
c OSE OF THE HINTs.-A school-bOy, lately
h who thought his pocket money came rathe