Year: 1869

Less than q hundred years ago we were his
Britannia Majesty's obsequious subjects; our
States were his colonies, our law was what he


was pleased TO make it, and we had no rights


save such as In bis good will he chose to
acknowledge. How vast is the difference


these years have made! We are thirty millions
Of free and prosperous people; resolute, ener-
getic, active, forcing our way everywhere and
fivalling the oldest nations of the earth in the
struggle for wealth and political grandeur.
Such Is the fruit Of freedom. Growth so great,
development so remarkable, however they
are without precedent in the history of
nations, must always be the result of making
people completely free-of leaving them
untrammelled to pursue their own destiny in
every sphere of life This is the great lesson
that our example teaches to the nations. And
this example has not been without such an
influence on the people everywhere as to un-
settle the foundations Of government. Witness
the history of Europe. France, crushed for
ages by an outrageous system, was fred by
what her sons had seen in America, rose
against her oppressors, and is fighting them yet.
Germany is no longer the playground of little
despots, Italy has parliamentary govern
ment, Spain is debating republic, and the
masses of the people Of England are forcing
into the British constitution the recognition of
their existence. So much has been done in
Europe by the effect upon the people of what
was previously done in America; but the
effect Of this grand example will not be limited
to Europe. II will extend to wherever the
human race has found the world habitable
and wherever man lsnguishes under the hand
Of power For such an example there is even
more need In Asia than there was in Europe,
and there also Its effect will he greatly felt.


In the populous countries with which recent
great undertakings have brought us into inti-
mate relations man has accepted submissively
for ages the authority Of any one who asserted
it with q show Of power. But when the
Pacific Railroad and Pacific Cable shall have
made New York and Canton neighborinr
cities, and when the people of Hiudostan shall
find themselves constantly In the presence Of
American examples Asia will be revivifed
with the spirit Of the nineteenth century.


ihs'"hu ~ vi" Ouiy IOWcf Will HOt wei
come such change. Engand's empire in the
future is in Asia or nowhere. OF all the vast
empire that has been hers what has she left
Whatever was worth owning on this
Continent was hers and she has been
pushed from IL point by point till all
she can claim Is some thin relation
with Canada aud quasi cousnship with the
King of Mosquito. Part Of her home domn-
ion is rather burden than a source OF power,
aud the robust peasantry Of Ireland that filed
her armies is tilling the soil in our Western
States, while that influence In the councils Of
Europe that their courage on the field Of battle
gave her Is lost TO her forever. Russia has
crowded her out of Central Asia. II win not
be many years before our commercial spirit
will drive her from the seas that
she once held by her superiority,
but now holds through that reckless disregard
Of justice and common honesty that permitted
pirates equipped In her ports to burn our
ships in every latitude. In all this loss and
decadcnce as a great commercial and colonial
power India seemed left to her, and the trade
Of China, that has made tho wealth. of Western