The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-22
Empire


Very few of our own people have an
dea Of the vast extent and capacities of our
ountry. An approximate estimate can
'nly be obtained by comparison. When
We glance at the great powers of Europe
hose which boast of their civilization, their
wealth and progress, and whose growth is
measured by centuries-and then compare
hem with our infant Republic, its vast ter
'itory, its rapidly increasing population,
is inventive genius, its mechanical skill,
is restless, impulsive, resistless energy, the
marvellous strides we have made become
the more apparent. Take the single State
Of Texas, with its 274,00O square miles Of
territory, and compare it with the nation
alities of Europe, and we may form an es-
innate of future possibilities. Austria, with
its 81, 100000 population has only 100000
square miles. Germany with about Al, 000,-
600 population, has only $4,000 square
miles. France, with about 100000 pop
ulation, has 100000 square miles. The
United Kingdom of Great Britain, with
population of &c, 900, 900 population, has only
10000 square miles. This single State is
now more than twice as large as Great
Britain and Ireland united, and .ithere are
three other States greater than Great Brit
ain and Ireland together, and three Others
Arizona, Nevada and Colorado, with
no. 200 square miles each-but little less
than Great Britain and Ireland united
These facts were adverted to by Hon. John
Bright, in recent speech welcoming the
return of Hon. Mr.. Potter from the United
States to England. He stated, in the
course of his remarks, which throughout
were complimentary to this country. that
Texas could furnish Il, 600, 900 acres of land
to grow II, 900, 600 bales of cotton, which
Is about equal to the whole production and
consumption of cotton each year over the
whole globe. He further said-one hun
bred years ago the United States consisted
OF thirteen small colonies, dependent upon
the mother country. Its population has now
reached to $4,000, 900, which is nearly half or
about half more than the whole popuia-
ton Of Great Britain and Ireland at this
time. II have no doubt" Mr.. Bright said,
there are scores In this room who before
they live to the age have attained to, will
live to see the day when the population of
the United States will be more than double
whatit now island that it will pass 100, 000,-
900 people. All countries in Europe add to
the population of the United States. It is
not the natural increase of their population
which grows at this rate. From every
State in Europe there are streams of emil
grafton flowing towards America, and
much of this arises from the foolishness Of
European people and European govern
ments-all needless expenditure, and all
unnecessary and grinding taxation, every
harsh and needless law, foreign policy,
which is foolish and wicked, and costly
laws which bind up the land and cause the
great bulk of the population to be absolute
ly driven from it,"
The United States and Territories with
their 100000 or 100000 population,
contain 100000 square miles, exclusive
Of Alaska. 1t is twenty-five times as large
as Great Britain, which has half our pop
ulation. 1t is twelve times as large as
Austria, Germany or France, with much
less population in each. Its diversi-
fed climate, suited to the production of
every tropical and temperate growth its
vast water courses; exhaustless mines of
gold, silver, iron, Goals and every other
mineral that enters into the uses Of civil
cation its affluent soil, and energetic,
tireless population, present an array of
physical forces whose prospective develop
ment staggers the Imagination.
These influences are but subordinate
part OF the attractions of the United States.
The silent operation of the example of a
government Of the people, by the tpeo-
pie and for the people, is drawing from the
repressive systems of the old country its
youth and vigor, which feel the inspiration
OF freedom, and yearn for country where
the manhood Of man is respected, and
whose institutions stimulate the develop
ment of mental and moral forces. With a
government reposing for it's security upon
the patriotic devotion of its citizens, who
have been educated from the cradle in the
love OF liberty no vast standing army to
sap the substance of the people; no
castles to circumscribe their ambitions /; no
land monopolies to paralyze their energies !;
the immigrant from the old country, where
all these obstacles have to be encountered,
realizes when he has landed upon our
shores, that he has been emancipated from
expressions and indicted into new life
And it is this fact and this contrast which
make naturalized citizen more sensitively
Jealous OF the privileges and liberties
guaranteed by our form Of government,
than those ''to the manner born." Immi
grafton only strengthens our institutions.
It introduces an element which enjoys its
new found freedom by contrast. and COM
parison. and inspires watchfulness against
the approaches of any theory which could
possibly weaken or impair the guards which
are thrown around the liberties of the peo-
pie.
Not only is our form Of government for
titled by the education of our own people
In the love of the liberty 1t guarantees and
the assimilation of the immigration which
flows from every nationality of the old
country with that spirit Of freedom, by
reason of the contrast with the expressions
from which they have escaped, but it is
further strengthened by the religious free
dom it secures. All creeds and beliefs are
equally protected in the worship which they
deem best to promote their happiness here
and hereafter, and each is equally jealous
OF the liberty that allows them to worship
under their own vine and fig tree. There is
no stranger support to Republican govern
ment than the UNCONVENTIONAL powers ofthe
country, differing in non-essential and
agreeing in the one great essential truth OF
the Cross. Their religious liberty and de-
nominational growth, free from restriction
or invasion by the State, constitute bull
wark OF the civil government, and conserva-
tive power which would arrest any advance
to the impairment of the political system