Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-09-02
The Destiny Of our Country.

Inc 1DSStAAAy y ~
The following statistics, extracted from the
Boston Post, present, in a compact and com
pendious form, the astonishing extent of ou'
country, its boundless resources, and its won,
derful development. In view of our recent
origin and unparalleled advancement in all that
constitutes national greatness, it is not won
derful that the nations of Europe, that for 4
long time looked upon us with indifference OF
disdain, should now regard us rs the great and
growing Power of the world. Who, save
omnipotence, can limit US, and who, save ON.
niscience, can tell the surpassed grandeur Of
| our destiny-of the American republic! Let
it guard against assaults from within, and ii
can easily shield itself from all eternal enemies
"The thirty-one States, nine Territories.
and District of Columbia, comprising the UNI
| ted States of America, are situated within the
parallels of 10 deg. east longitude and 4S min.
west of the meridian of Washington, and eX.
tending on the Atlantic coast from IS deg. and
on the Pacific coast from 80 to 40 deg. of
north latitude, and contains a geographical area
of 3,3O6,S65 square miles, being one-tenth less
than the entire continent of Europe. They
| contain a population at the present time of
25, 100000, of whom 81 ,O00,OO0 are whites.
The extent of its sea-coast, exclusive OF Islands
! and rivers to the head of tide-water, is 1860
miles. The length of ten Of its principal rivers
is 10000 miles. The surface of its five great
lakes is 10000 miles. The number of miles
of railways in operation within its limits is
10000, constructed at a cost OF S600,000,000.
| The length Of its canals is 5000 miles. 1t con.
tains within its limits the longest railway upon
the surface of the globe-the Illinois Central
which is 73l miles.
The annual value of its agricultural produce
tons is $4,000, 100000. Its most valuable
product is Indian corn, which yields annually
S4OO, 900 and in surveying the agricul-
tural productions of our country, we are not
only struck with their abundance, but with
their great variety. Our territory extends from
the frigid region of the north to the genial eli.
mate of the tropics, atfording almost every va
riety of temperature and every kind of grain
and vegetables. Her productions range from
the cold ice and hard granite of the North, the
golden corn of the West, to the cotton and su-
gar of the South and nearly all in sufficient
quantities to supply our domestic consumption,
and furnish large supplies for expectation, thus
furnishing nearly all the value as we. as the
bulk Of our foreign commerce suggesting
thereby the irresistible conclusion that agricuI.
ture is the great transcendant interest of our
country, and upon which all other interests
depend.
"The amount of registered and enrolled ton.
mage is 4,4O7, OlO tons. The amount of capital
invested in manufactures is 5000, 600, 900. The
amount of its foreign imports in 1853 was
S267,97S,647, and of exports S23O,976,l57.
The annual amount Of its internal trade is
$4,000, 600. 1000. The annual value of the prs.
ducts Of labor (other than agricultural) 10
81 500, OOO, 900. The annual value of the in
comes of its inhabitants is $1,000, 100000.
The value Of its farms and live stock is S.
0 100000. Its mines of gold, copper, lead,
and iron are among the richest in the world.
The value Of the gold produced in California
is Sl0O, 100000 per annum The surface of
its coal fields is 1892 square miles. Its re-
ceipts from customs, lands, &C., in 1853, wa.
1861 ,327,274, and its expenditures S43,543,263.
Its national domain consists Of 2,l74,lSS
square miles of land. Its national debt is but
$50,0OO,OOO. The numbers of its banks at the
present time is about LOO, with a capital of
$500, 000 5000. Within her borders are 81, 900
5000 academies, 234 colleges, and
$500 churches. Only one in twenty-five of
its white inhabitants is unable to read and
write, and nineteen of its twenty-one million |
of white inhabitants are native born"