The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-26
MEXICO-C COLONIZATION - COM,
MERCE-FREEDOM.

II
demand their immediate attention. We have
| deemed the occasion a fitting one for repro
| ducing an important editorial article upon our
Mexican relations, which appeared in the Era
neraly thirteen years ago. tits the production
of the late editor and founder of this journal,
and gives expression to his matured and deliber
ate opinions. The reader viii be struck with their
applicability to the present state of affairs and
indeed, he will be apt to think that the progress
of time and events have given additional force
and point to the suggestions which the article
contains.
1t will also be found to embrace much valu-
able information in regard to the condition OF
Mexico, which time has not rendered obsolete,
while the contrasted superiority Of the United
States stands out with added relief.
The population of this cosntry was only
twenty millions when the article was written.
1t now contains about thirty.two millions. Al
that period, California and Oregon were wilder
nessess unreclaimed from THE possession OF
their savage or barbarian inhabitants. The
former had few feeble settlements of civilized
men, but California had no American inhabit-
ants, and its immense beds of gold, whose
products have in ten years changed the relative
value of the precious metals, had not been dis
covered. These countries are now States Of
the Union, with population of six or seven
hundred thousand souls on the Pacific shores.
When the article appeared, Iowa and Wisconsin
had not third of their present population.
Missouri was regarded as hopelessly welded to
slavery. Kansas and Nebraska, Dacotah and
Jefferson, were unorganized territory, in the ex.
elusive possession of aboriginal savages. These
Territories now contain two hundred thousand
civilized inhabitants, and two or three of them
are ready to enter the Union as free States In
the mean time, the older States have increased
in wealth and power with unprecedented rapid
ty. Illinois, in which the census of the present
year will show a population of two millions,
had, thirteen years ago, less than third of that
number. Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, have IN
creased in numbers and wealth in almost
equal proportion, while the older States of the
East have kept on in their steady career of
progress.
Meanwhile, Mexico has remained stationary
in population, and has actually declined in
civilization, in capacity for selfgovernment
and in power. Anarchy reigns throughout her
immense territories, and affairs appear to be
growing from bad to worse continually.
All the arguments presented in the article of
l847, for the line ofpolicy there suggested, have
redoubled force at the present moment
The proposition of DR.. Bailey, as will be seen
below, was the admission of the several Mexi
can States into the American Union, with their
own free consent. The American armies were
at that time in possession of the capital of
Mexico and when the American Government
had the power to hold the whole country in
subsection, it is believed that had this liberal
policy been acted upon by the Cabinet of Mr..
Polk, it would have had the best effects upon
Mexico, as well as upon the trade of this coun-
try. Population would have poured into the
various States of Mexico from this country, and
ere this day their institutions and customs
would have been in a rapid process of assimila-
ton to our own. The English language would
have become necessary acquisition to every
man in public life and as has been the case
in Louisiana, Texas, and California, it would
eventually supersede the Spanish. The act of
entering the Union would of itself have dissolv
ed the connection of Church and State, and in
sured the free federation of all creeds.
The late editor of this journal had no doubt,
even at that day, when the American popula-
ton was two-ffths less than it is at present,
that the vigor, intelligence, and superior num-
! bers and organization of the North American
Republic would prevail over the efete civiliza-
ton of Mexico, and mould her institutions upon
| the American model. We need not say that
our augmented strength and resources during
the last thirteen years have placed beyond con-
troversy what might have been regarded as a
| hazardous experiment at the beginning of that
period. We are now thirty-two millions Mexi-
co is still seven. Twenty-Five years hence, we
shall be sixty-four millions.
1t is not probable that Mexico, unaided and
unenergized from without, will then contain more
population than she now possesses. If we give
to her new life and vigor, we shall in that
degree assimiate her to ourselves. If annexa-
ton should fail to revive her energies, she viii
simply remain in her present insignificant po-
sition, while the Anglo-Saxonized portion OF
the Confederacy attains to the first rank among
nations.
No danger TO American civilization can
therefore arise from the annexation of Mexico
The allpowerful AngloSaxon element will
predominant in the public councils in ten
fold degree, and it would be hazarding little to
predict that in a quarter of a century after an
nexation it would be the ruling element in the
Mexican portion of the Confederaey.
What we have said in regard to the pfeva
lence of American over Mexican ideas of civil
cation, may be said with equal propriety as i
regards freedom and slavery. The late ablt
and sagacious editor of this journal had nj
I more doubt on this point than on the other
when the elave States were equal in number t.
the free, and when they were much neare
ea4al in power and wealth than they now are
When tks article below was written, there wer'
fifteen free ssd fifteen slave States. There ar
at present eighteep fee States and fifteen slav
States. Kansas and Nebraska, which hav
the requisite population for aduission into tn
e Union, will, in two years more, make twenty
. Washington, Jefferson. and Dacotah, q year Q
two thereafter, will ma ske t"eatythree, Me-
Me1-ico and Utah, though nom. "Any s'aSsb0''
ing, have no slaves, and every intelho. ma
is aware that the pro-slavery feeling prevalep
IN them is kept alive by pro-slavery Fedora