Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-06
EILIRnSTERING

Never nation more entirely misunderstood
the true grounds of its own strength the true
basis OF its own glory, or the true elements of
Its present and future prosperity, than did the
United States when they suffered themselves
to be prevailed upon to go flibustering. We
are not speaking now from a moral, but only
from political point of view. There have
been communities in the world to whom piracy
and rapine, if not exactly necessary of life
have at any rate been an indispensable condi
ton of wealth and progress. The Northern
barbarlans who overwhelmed the Roman EN-
pre- were driven to issue forth from the dreary
solitude of Central Asia by stern necessity
exhibiting itself in the form of an onslaught
from some other tribe more hungry, more
needy, and therefore more valiant, than them
selves. The Danes and Norwegians, who
overran the coasts of Europe during the mid
die ages, from Caithness to Constantinople,
acted under the compulsion of rigorous eli
mate and a barren soil, and if Russia follows
their example she may plead somewhat sim
liar excuse. But the United States of Ameri-
ca have no such pretext to justify them in the
INVASION, or IN cOnnivance at the invasion, of
territories of their neighbors. They have
more elbow room than any nation of the earth.
1hey have their choice of climate, from the
Winter of Norway to the Summer of Egypt.
They have their choice of land, from the finest
alluvial flats to the breeZiest upland pastures,
from the sea shore to a distance from the ocean
almost as great as the breadth of Europe.
Their difficulties spring not from the pressure
OF population or the means of subsistence, but
rather from the superabundance of excellent
land yet unoccupied. If their railways do not
pay, 1t Is because they are made in anticipa
ton OF people that is yet to come, because
many OF them pass through a fertile desert
possessing every element of wealth and pros
perlty except the care and industry of man.
From the same cause, the dispersion of the
population over vast tract of country, arises
the tendency sometimes observed in the more
remote parts of the country to retrogresson
from the usages of civilized life. 1t would
seem therefore, that America has nothing to
do, but like the Laird of Dumbedikess trees
to grow while we Sleep If she can maintain
government sufficiently powerful to protect
life and property, if she can continue to
double her population at the end of every
twenty-five years, she has destiny before her
which leaves her no reason to envy the lands
or the prospects of any nation Of the earth.
The elements she contains within herself are
sufficiently homogeneous to fuse into a single
nation, and that nation must, if things go on
as they are now proceeding, become, in no
very long time, as numerous as the Chinese
| themselves, and far more powerful than all the
nations of Europe put together. Is it not
| strange that the heirs of this magnificent in
heritance should have been so blinded by van
| ity, by party spirit, or by ambition, as to be-
lleve that they could accelerate the destiny
which is so clearly working itself out in their
in their favor, by piratical nroads upon neigh
| boring nations The mission of America be-
| ing, as we have already said, to grow and in
crease, how can she more effectually counter
act it than by sending her sons to contend with
deadly climates and hostile populations, for the
possession of land in all respects inferior to
| that which she enjoys in such abundance at
home? Why should America, inhabited by
race which evidently fiourishes best in the
northern part of the temperate zone seek to
force her way into regions where her sons, if
| they establish themselves, must become, in a
few generations, enervated and degenerate, and
very probably unable to maintain the posses
sions which they have acquired? A hundred
years hence, the then people of America may
md emigration, if not necessity at any rate
convenience; but even then, we venture to
think they will seek for new settlements rather
| In the temperate regions of South America
and Northern Asia, than in the burning and
msalubrous junges of the tropics. Let Amer
lea look at our experience, and profit by it.
| Our colonies in the temperate zone the States
themselves among the number, have been in
credibly successful Within the tropics, our
| success has been much more checkered, and
our great tropical empire of Hindostan is held
only at price of blood, of treasure, and of
anxiety, which makes us often half inclined to
regret the success of the British fillibusters of
4 the eighteenth century.--Loaelo, Ii,aae