The New York herald., 1867-04-11

worthless, a an ios-bound region. which has
no resources, and In which the AngIo-Ameriosn
race cannot live. The British press and people
express themselves in the Same way, because.
while they cannot venture to oppose the ces-
sion, and know 1t would be ussless to do 90,
they are jealous Of the growth or the United
States, and do not like being nanked in this
manner by the great republic. But what are
the facts with regard to this territory, 50 far -
they are knowns Why, the southern portion
Of Il, which reaches 10 the 6fty-fourth parallel
Of latitude, has really genial climate, COM
paratively. It ID we'll known that the Pacific
ocean modifes tho climate very muoh all along
the American coast So mild is It in
Oregon and along tho British Possessions
that cattle can be kept out In the
field all the year round. Even in the
southern part Of Russian America ice hardly
ever becomes thick enough to cut and harvest
The cold is not 90 severe thsre as In some Of
our Eastern States and in the Canadas. The
temperature in latitude afty-four on that side
Of the continent h mot higher than in forty-four
or forty-six on this side; besides, it ID not 80
variable and trying TO the constitution. II Is
climate In which vigorous race Of people
would grow up. Rye and barley will flourish
there, besides variety of esculents, and wheat.
even, could be cultivated; timber is album
dant and Of the finest quality; gold, copper,
iron and coal abound near the coast and on
the islands; the fisheries, beyond oil doubt,
are very valuable; in no part Of the world,
perhaps, can the finest cod and salmon be
caught in such abundance; the value Of the
whale fisheries is we'll known; the richest
ftlrs and skins and the best ivory are found
there in great quantities. In fact, this region
abounds in many Of the very things and arH-
cles Of commerce which we have not elsewhere,
and which will swell our stock Of produce, in
its variety, beyond that Of any other country
We shall have everything produced from the
tropics to the Arctic regions
Our territory will stretch across to Asia, and
that, too. through comparatively temperate
climate, along the Aleutian Islands, which are
often not more than few miles apart, and
never over few hundred miles. With the
growth Of our States and possessions on the
Pacific, and by the rapid development Of our
populations Of China, Japan and India, we
shall see great trade grow up from this new
territory. The North Pacific ocean becomes
80 narrow in the higher latitudes, through the
two continents of Asia and America drawing
near each other, that the voyage from the ports
nf tN kho
countries Of the Asiatic continent will be short
and frequent We shall lnd in Asia ready
and great market for the fars, skins, ivory,
fish, timber, GOAL, grains and metals Of that
region. Ice oAn be shipped at much less cost
than from the Eastern States to all the
countries on both sides Of the Pacific; an this
Of itself would become an immense trade.
American enterprise, Indeed, will soon make
wonderful change in the face Of everything
and in commerce on and around the Paciac
ocean.
But, say some, we havo territory enough.
The same class Of people, with their narrow
views, have always said 80 when the country
was about to enlarge its borders. The acquisi-
ton Of Louisians in 18O3-that magnificent ter
ritory exceeding million square miles and
equal In extent to the whole OF the United
States previously. which gave us the Missis-
sippi river and its western tributaries, and out
of which so many States have been carved
was opposed on the same ground. The pur-
chase Of East and West Florida from Spain, in
1919, met with similar opposition, though not 30
determined, and on somewhat different grounds.
The next great slice Of territory annexed was
Texas, but when the treaty for annexation was
first submitted to the Senate in 1874 il was re-
itwould have required vote Of two to one to
have ratified it. The opposition was mainly
from the old Northern federal party, as before
in the case Of Louisiana, but mainly on politi-
cal grounds and from repugnance to a war
with Mexico California and New Mexico were
conquered during the Mexican war, and by the
treaty made at the conclusion of the war in
184S this vast and rich region Of country be-
came part Of the United States Opposition to
this acquisition was useless; for II had come into
our hands by conquest; but the old non-expan-
sion party grumbled, protested and prophe-
sled all sorts Of evils from enlarging our
domain Arizona, another slice OF Mexico,
though much smaller one, was purchased
afterwards to settle difficulty about boundary
and to give us a railroad route south Of the
ella river, from El Paso to San Diego. Now
we have the immense territory of Russian
America ceded to us.
great deal Of political trouble has resulted,
undoubtedly, from these different acquisitions
Of territory; but have not the benefits been
much greaters At oil events, to make them