Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-28
The Future of the United states.

From De Bows Rcview.l
Whatever may have been the theories of
the past, the results Of the great conflict
which has shaken the land TO its centre es-
tablish beyond controversy the fact that the
United States il a fixed and permanent gov
ernment and is capable of resisting every
internal effort for its disruption and that,
from the experiences of the past, there is
likely to be no movement in the future
looking TO disruption, emanating from any
quarter.
\ nation which has proved itself capable
of passing through such a crisis-invOlving
the movement of armies and navies scarcely
inferior to those which followed in the wake
of the Napoleon, and the expenditure of
moneys to which the powerful States or Eu-
rope have been a stranger, and of which they
can scarcely realize the facts, maintaining
through it all its currency and credit unim-
paired-is not likely to 20 down in any fu-
ture contingency.
This much must be admitted; and the
powers of Europe may now recognize in the
United States n colossal rival, vast in terri
tory, in population, and in ambition; Injured
to arms and industry; nation Of soldiers,
sailors and workmen, ready for the sword or
the scvthe fearing nothing which the world
con offer in competition or in conflict. The
monarchies Of Europe combined would pre-
sent but feeble barrier to the future advance
of this now giant power.
Its well-North and South-there is but
one feeling in America, and Il is that
her destinies are in her own keeping; and
that nothing ofinterest or of favor is to DO
desired or looked for any Of the monarchies
of the old world. They have been tested in
the hour of trial, aad have been found to be
time-serving, bigoted, and in the last degree
selfish. Incapable of great craftsmanship,
they have taken their position, and must
abide the result.
A wise and liberal national policy will
speedily restore the United States all that il
has lost bv the war; and magnanimous
and forbearing spirit win bring into har-
mony again its recently jarring elements,
and constitute one people out Of its teeming
millions.
Accepting the results Of our war, our
people everywhere have but 10 put their
shoulder to the wheel, intellectually and
physically, to redeem-such is the vastness
of our resources and hexibility Of our institu-
tions-what has been lost, and remove all
traces Of the recent calamitous times.
What is the present status Of the United
States in territory, in population, and in
commerce, compared with other powers7 It
is well to take a glance at the figures.
IN TERRIToRY.-We have only TO repeat
| what was said by US in the compendium OF
| the census of 1850. The territorial extent of
the republic is nearly ten times as great as
that of Great Britain and France combined ;
three times as great as the whole of France,
| Britain, Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal,
| Belgium, Holland and Denmark together
| one and half times as great rs the Russian
! empire in Europe; one-sixth less only than
the area covered by the ffty-nine or sixty
empires, states and republics of Europe Of
equal extent with the Roman empire or that
of Alexander, neither of which is said to
| have exceeded 5000 coo square miles.