The New York herald., 1872-11-23

In the triumphant election of General
Grant to the Presidential succession, with q
majority of the States and majority of the
people, which make the event one of the most
remarkable and impressive in our political
history, all parties recognize him as the
master of the political field, and all men ap-
preciate his enlarged advantages and oppor-
tunities for grandly successful administra-
tion. In the reconciliation of the South; in
civil service reform; in such amendments OF
our financial system as experience has shown
to be needful; in the extension OF our COM
mercial facilities and exchanges with foreign
nations-upon each and all Of these important
questions he has an inviting task before him;
but upon this still overshadowing question of
manifest destiny" he has to consider not
only the grandest possibilities Of success but
the strongest temptations and the greatest
dangers on the road to ruin.
These temptations and dangers, like SER
pents in bank Of flowers, lie coiled up in
this American idea of manifest destiny"
or the continuing absorption Of the territories
of our surrounding neighbors. Upon this
momentous subject the Chicago Tribune tells
us that ''it is given out that the leading policy
Of the government during the next four years
will be the acquisition of foreign territory
that "this means aggression, war, expendi-
ture, increase of debt, the annexation of un-
willing peoples and general disturbance and
ENVIRONMENTS The government pro-
gramme, it is further intimated, does not for
the present embrace the British North Ameri-
can possessions, but may be applied to the
West Indies, to Mexico and to Central Amer
ica. Our Chicago contemporary then pro-
ceeds to general review Of the subject, with
a strong argument against further annexa-
tions, in most Of which we concur, but which
we here dismiss for certain reflections that
have occurred to us in glance OF this attract
i've but perilous policy of territorial expan-
sions from the past to the present and the
future.
The entering wedge to this policy of annexa-
ton was applied by President Jefferson in his
treaty with the First Napoleon-1802-3-f
the acquisition of the vast territory of Louis
lana, which included the Mississippi River and
all the territory on the west side of it, from
the British possessions on the north to the
Gulf of Mexico, and to the Spanish posses
sions of that day in the west and southwest
most valuable and desirable acquisition. Ma
poleon thus boasted of this cession as great
achievement for France:-I would that
France should enjoy this unexpected capital
($15, 900, 000-a great sum at that epoch), and
that it may be employed in works beneficial to
her marine" But Napoleon plumed himself
upon this transfer Of an empire for fifteen mil
lions mainly upon this ground" This acqui-
sition of territory strengthens forever the
power of the United States, and have just
given to England maritime rival that will
sooner or later humble her pride" Nor need
anything further be said to vindicate this
transaction on the part of France as Napole-
onic idea
jefferson, however, had his doubts upon the
subject. In an instructive letter he remarks:-
"The constitution has made no provision for
our holding foreign territory, still less for incor
porating foreign nations into our Union. The
Executive, in seizing the fugitive occurrence
which SO much advances the good of their
country, have done an act beyond the consti-
tuition" But in throwing themselves upon
the country, he believed that the course of the
President and Congress would be approved.
I'VE shall not, he said, ''be disavowed by the
nation, and their act of indemnity will con-
firm and not weaken the constitution, by more
strongly marking out its mes" But this act
of Indemnity" or contemplated amend
ment of the constitution, was never made.
Jefferson's example has been regarded as sufd-
cient authority for every annexation since made
or proposed. Thus, Monroe's treaty with
Spain Qs19), by which we acquired the Ter
ritory Of Florida, was not considered as involv-
ing any question of constitutionality. Indeed
the public necessities and advantages on both
sides in regard to the cessions Of Louisiana
and Florida were held to be paramount and
conclusive.
under President Polk March 1S45), was
widely different affair. Involving boundary
dispute between the Republic of Texas and the
Republic Of Mexico, it was the annexation of
a war with Mexico, in the first place, and Of
our late terrible civil war in the sequel In
our treaty of peace with Mexico QS48) we
acquired, in addition to the disputed boundary
of Texas, all that immense and wonderful
Western region extending from Colorado to
the Pacific, and the revival of the slavery
agitation from these acquisitions carried us
from the Kansas border war to old John
Brown, to Fort Sumter and to Appomattox
Court House. Three hundred thousand Union
soldiers graves, and q national debt Of
twenty-five hundred millions of money, attest
to-day the cost Of these annexations. This,
too. after General Scott had declined the offer
of Mexico itself, because Of his fears Of the
slavery question. But our compensations from
these new Territories have been so great and SO
amazing, and their promises for the future