Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-11-09
ACQUISITIONS OF rHE DEAOCRh

ACQUISITIONS OF The DEhOCRACH,
The Democracy OF the United States hss
many things o. which to be proud, but one
of its erandest achievements is the splen'
did acquisitions TO our national domain.
In this grand march of progress it has
been confronted by the other parties which
contested every inch of ground, but through
the eightyfve years Of its history it has
triumphed and achieved such results as no
party in this country or any other country
has achieved.
When the Democratic party came into
power our nation consisted Of but few
States Rugged up close along the Atlantic
shore. The great empire Of the West and
South was nearly all possessed by EOglsnd,
France and Spain that hemmed the United
States in on three side5. les first scquisi,
ton was the reclsiming from the French
who held possession of it the immense re-
gion then known as the Northwest Terri
tory, now forming the great and prosper
GUS States Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mich
igan and Wisconsin.
Next was the purchase Of the Louisiana
territory from the French. This was
stoutly opposed BY party that bears the
same relation to the country as the RePub-
icsn party does now This Democratic
triumph has had almost an infinite inHu-
ence upon the affairs of tie American con-
uuent. 1t was turning point in Ameri-
can history. Had England gained posses,
sion of this vast territory, which she would
have done had aot the Democracy, guided
By the hand of that master statesman,
THOMAS JEFFERSON, interfered, the progress
of this country would have been forever
checked. 1t would have been bounded on
the north and west By English territory,
and the Cult Of Mexico and the Missis-
sippi would have been controlled BY En-
glisb ships. BIT BY this purchase the Ma
tional domain was extended to the Rockies
on the west and the Gulf on the south. At
a cost of but $4,000 900 the Democracy
gained all the territory that is now includ-
ed IN the in the States of Louisiana, Ar
kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Kansas, and
the French claim to the entire Mississippi
Valley, AL the country drained directly or
indirectly BY the waters emptying into the
Mississippi" And this was done, too,
when British feet was being equipped to
take possession OF it. 1t was the best
bargain ever made.
In the South, Florida still remained in
possession Of Spain and was abone Of con-
tention continually and q menace 10
the safety of the country, as it gave the
command of the entrance to the Gulf of
Mexico to o foreign power, But that
sturdy old Democrat, ANDREW JACKSON, of
Tennessee, made step toward its aequisi-
ton and President MoSRoE, Democrat
from Virgins, though bitterly opposed BY
the party IN New England, pursued the
work that was begun and purchased the
Land of Flowers for the sum Of $1,000
OOO-s SUN s., zoo, 900 less than the Re
pubicsns paid for the poor, rugged, bar
rem, stormy, God fOrsaken region Of ice
and snow called .Alasks-snd rendered it
far easier to sustain the idea he proclaimed
the famous "MoNRoE Doctrine"
From the time Of JEFFERsOS's admins.
traiion the Democracy gradually acquired
possession Of the lands toward the Pacific
coast and toward the southwest, and in
the time Of PoLK's administration, when
all claims, disputed and otherwise, to this
vast region were surrendered to the