Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-08
DESTINY OF MISUNDERSTANDING LETTER
FPnAI THE LATE GEN WORTH

FROM THE LATE GEN. WORTH.
The Richmond Soaah has been furnished with q
letter written by the late Gen. W. J. WORTH, and
addressed to the lamented W. L. MARCY, the Sec
rotary of War under Mr.. POLK's Administration,
contains sentiments which are fast claiming the at
tention Of the American people, and which must
eventually be reduced to verified history. We are
Informed that it was the subject Of a three days
Cabinet consultation, but the policy indicated was
finally rejected by Mr.. Polk, that statesman being
eontented to consaamats during his Administration
he Treaty of Guadaloupe HidalgO, and the purchase
and acquisition of California and New Mexico The
object Of this letter was to urge upon the admins
tration the policy Of acquiring the whole country
After referring to the general condition of the cOun
try and the characteristics Of the people, Gen.
WORTH proceeds to say:
That our race is finally destined 10 overrun the
whole continent is too obvious 20 need proof Like
axiom in mathematics, it is only necessary to
state the proposition to ensure belief and We may
state it thus put two distinct races uKtaposition
one powerful and superior in civilization, and 1t will
absorb the weaker and inferior. The most that can
be said in opposition this is thatwe somewhat
premature-perhaps half century-but what's hall
century in the affairs Of a nation like ours, thor
oughly imbued with the progressive spirit? A mere
point, which, like g point in mathematics, should
not enter into the solution Of the great problem Ii
being, then, part Of destiny to overrun this
country destiny which We can no more avoid, de-
spite all the struggles OF short sighted politicians,
than we can change the order Of nature the ques-
ton is whether We shall complete the work we have
already so nearly accomplished, or leave 1t to be
undertaken de H0U0 by our children!
Having spent most oftbe blood aad treasure which
the conquest requires, shall we rehnquish it. and
thus impose the same sacrifice upon another genera
De - ,rg.Ih h. I.- 4
bic party at home, that further extension endangers
the stability Of confederation; to which 1t may
be answered that this doctrine has been the favore
theme since the adoption Of the Constitution. II
we refer to the "Federalist" and other records Of
former days, we shall find that many honest politi
clans entertained serious spprehensOus Of the tena
city of the Old Thirteen. Since then We have had
tWO-hirds Of century Of experience as to the work
ings Of institutions, and this experience has en-
tirely dispelled all apprehension on that subject
The United States now occupy tWo-thirds more ter
rory than when in the days Of the adoption Of the
Constitution, the St Marys in Georgia, formed our
Southern boundary; and, far from this extern
sion having weakened the Government and pro
duced discord and discomfort among the States,
1t has had the contrary effect, as every one who
has noticed the progress Of events must have o6
served. Under the Old Thirteen there was more
party violence and more interruption Of order than
has been witnessed since, and is reasonable under
our form of government that il should be so, as IN
popular government, when the community is small,
every question sgitates il throughout. Each one OF
the parts IS in the proportion TO the smallness OF
the whole more important aud hence the bitterness
ofthe struggle A Presidential electiOn-that grea
rock upon which many have predicted we should
split-dOes not create, in our day, q Of he eX
Citementt didfomerly, because, there being many
States to vote each feels that its vote is compare
lively Of less importance. The States only know the
Federal Government through its benefits, and each
being so far the great mass Of human affairs Is
concerned, a separate aud independent community,
it matters little whether its position be near or re
mote from the centre 1t Is this great feature which
so eminently distinguishes our own from central
government that those who oppose further extern
sion seem to have lost sight Of All their reasoning
proceeds from supposed analogy which does moi |
in fact exist, between syste and those Of other
governments-the Roman for instance-central In |
their composition, which are believed TO have fal
len from too great extension. believe 1t was the
sentiment Of Mr.. Madison, that our capabllity
extension was lnited, only by the facilities Of com
muuicating between the centre aud the clrcumter |
ences. Canals, railroads and magnetic telegraphs !
overcome those difficulties Bat l fOrbear to enlarge |
upon topics familiar to your mind than my |
own, and have only touched those TO expose the /
process of reasoning by which, after much rehec |
ton, have arrived at the conclusion that il is our
decided policy to hold The lch0e Of MsIcO. The de-
tails Of occupation comparatively unimporant |
mean by occupation, permanent conquest and future
tenn Of government Layo BE country into territories
organize territorial governments, appoint civil COVER
nOrs and 20 through all the other ceremonies which
we have practiced with regard to the formation Of
territories and their subsequent admission into the
Union as States Each of these might be constitU-
ted into military district and assigued-su hject to
civil rule, to competent military officers to aid the
territorial government in the execution Of the laws
and the preservation Of order. Forty thousand men
would be,suficent for this purpose, to be supported
by The country occupied, and II car be demonstrated
applying our admirable system of accountability |
and administration in financial affairs-that far
from imposing burdens, it would Tighten those under
which these people now grOan, fifty per cent Under
their system, the want Of it, VIGOROUSLY seventy
FIVE Of every hundred dollars received through Gus
toms and other innumerable sources Of taxation, |
goes into the pockets Of the vagrant military or |
other equally vsgrant employees. In the next gen
Grafton the military force might be Withdrawn. The
advantages flowing to the Mexican people, az well |
to ourselves, from this ultimate Incorporation, IN
everything which concerns security Of persons. |
property, and the prosperity Of commerce, are too
obvious to invite comment
With many apologies for this intrusion,
remain very truly, yours,
W J. WORTH.
To the Hon. W. L. MARCY, &c, SC, Washington, /
DC.
DISCHARGE OF DRESSING THE SUPPOSED PRUssIAN |
FoRGER.-EDwARD DRESSING the Prussian charged |
with forgery, whose case has caused so much com
ment and excitement, was tried at Padueah on the
9th inst, and acquitted. Judge WILLIAMS deciding
that the dispositions taken in Prussia could not be
admitted as complete evidence. Quite demOnstra-
ton was made by the people upon the discharge of
the accused Directly after the result of the trial
vas made known, Mr. LEPAU and the Prussian
police officer we're arrested upon a charge Of false
in, D,
tirelv with DREssLING DREssLING 1t will be remem-
bered was arrested through the efforts Of ALLAN
PNKERroN of Chicago.
TIE Fruit CROP IN GEoRGIA TO a casual OBJ
server, the peaches have not been injured by the
recent severe frosts But we have the testimony of
one who has made closer observation, by cutting
of the fruit and examining the kernels, and he gives
it as his opinion that the peach crop has been cut
of fully Oue-half from the early promise, but he
thinks enough has escaped to furnish an abundant
supply. Apples, plums, and all varieties Of fruit
have been considerably injured, although their sp-
pearance on the trees do not indicate any damage
TROUBLE ABOUT TrLEs-The London Morning
Adptissr is assured that the Russian envoy in Lon
don has minated to his diplomatic colleagues and
to Lord Mslmesbury, that his Court will consider
itofensve for the newly appointed French embasss
dor to announce himself as Duke Of Malakof, and
that be cannot be received st the Russian embassy
by any other title than the French ambassador, or
Marshal Pelissier. The London Times pronounces
the statement absurd.
rSg- The death Of the Rev Francis Buoaut
priest Of the Most Holy Redeemer took place in
Baltimore on Friday, the 23d ult HI was a native
Of Canada, and ordained in 1854. For nearly three
years he attended the French congregation at RO-
chester, New York.
BSg LabOrers in Chicago are getting only 70
cents per day this season, and hundreds Of men are
out Of employment,