1 have iworn upon the Alter of Gml, eternal hostility to every form of Tyrauny ever the Mlml of Man." Thoirnu Jeiromon
If. WEBB, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
UMIOMMIUItn, COI.U.HIIIA C'ObXTV, l'A. SATURDAY, JWY II, 1840.
Volume X.
;iim)er IS,
fry
COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT.
Hloomsihjbg, July 11, 1816.
The Intension of Hie Union.
AN ADDRESS
DELIVERED AT OR ANGKVILLE, JOLT 4
1S4 6, 15 V
cti.irles it. nvcKJLBu:
Gentlkmen . Our ti rat census wi ink
en in 1790. The population of the Union
was then 3 029.829. Al the lime of tin-
Revolution the number was abotn3.000.000
The original number of Sta'es we know
was thirteen We are to-day just fifty-six
years distant from the dale of that census
and seventy years from thai of theOeclara
tion of Independence. During these seven
tv years our population Iihs gone up from
thtee millions to twenty ; and our national
limits have been made to include fifteen ad
ditional Sules ! We are just one lifetime
removed just thtee score years and ten,"
from our national birthdiy, and this is the
result! Our experiment, for our Govern
in en l was an experiment, has admirably
succeeded , and the bitterest enemies of re
publicanism musinaw admit the practicabil
ity of its permanent and successful! eittb
lishment,
When onr Union was formed, great dan
ger was apprehended, by some, on account
r . . r ....!.. -.-.I T.
ol me extent in leriuory unuru, it wasi
questioned whether so many Plates as thir-,
i
teen extending tnrougn eleven uegreesni,"
latiiudo, and along a sea coast ofa thousand
miles would long hold together. Hut our
fathers had faith in themselves and in the
future; the experiment was tried and
here we are to-day the second naval pow
er in the world --almost without a deb.-
Ihe Union firmer lhan ever viih fifteen
new Sisles Ire great territories settling
uo an increase of leventeen millions
r
of souls and the people, thank God, still
free !
Mr. Madison was right in arguing th'
extent of territory was not dangerous n
the perpetuity of thtUnion. Time has leeu
ed his argument and established it. Om
Union has wonderfully and rapidly extend
ed.wiihout becoming weakened or corrupter
ii by thia.our example, it is demonstrated.
as foretold, that " a Republic may be ex
tended over a large region." (Federalist
No- 14 ) See Appendix A
Our Government has made several im
portant acquisitions of territory since 180(1
beside extending Territories end Siaiei
westward by extinguishment of Indian
title In 1803 Mr. Jefferson purchased ol
France tho great territory of Louisiana fr
$15,000,000 li has since bten cut up in
lo several Stales, ami now constitutes n
large pottion of the Republic. Mr. JelTer
on's purchase was most violently Hnd bit
leily assailed at the lime, but he had saga
city and energy for ihe occasion, and sup
ported by a majority of the nation, the
great measure was effected. Who is lliere
now to say that this purchase whs unwise ?
Who would be willing thai the Stairs ol
Missouri, Alabama. Mississippi and Louis
iana should be held by a foreign powei
that the month of ihe great river of the west
"the Father of Waters" shou'd be upon
alien territory! The fears of those who fore
saw disunion s the result of that purchase,
ere shown lo have been mosl foolish and
Unf lunded ; the Union has strength
ened with age, and no part of it is more val
liable, or possesses a warmer devotion for
republican government, lhan ihis southern
extension of the great Valley ol the iwies.s
sippi. It i a part of the Republic, wisely
acquired, ana may the i-lars and stripes float
ever it forever 1
Florida was obtained from Spain in 181S
after protracted negotiations, under the ad
ministration of Mr. Monroe-giving us uv
uninterrupted line of gulf coast from the
ocean lo the Sabine. John Q'lincyAda.ns
a man of singular fortunewho, never
ilrtel partisan, has figured conspicuously in
public life f t 50years-conuucteu tnc nego
nations asSecreiary of State. Florida is now
a Siate. adding to the security and strerg h
cfihellnion-erjoying the blessing of good
,-ecjoytng t C . . ,
RoVnment, .no suvau... 6 r ,
Anoilief, a lale acquisition of irrriloiy
seven times larger lhan Pennsylvania, ha
produced a warm, protracted discussion
ihroughotilihcUnion.lt met with honest op
position it had energetic support. In th
liar-room, on the stump, in the debating
club, in the chamber of legislation and by
the fireside, it was, for years, searching!)
and ardenilj discussed. All this is past
it is historical and lo revive thoso discus
noun would be mischievous folly.
Dot this annexation has given rise lo
war an existing war and in so fr as it i
egitimately connected with that struggle,
propose to allude lo it, and that Mil in n
partisan spirit, but solely because it is so
onnected wiih existing foreign relations
and wiih the subject of this discourse.
Gentlemen; The sympathy of thii
ouniry wassuongly enlisted in favor ol
Mexico in her struggle with Sp,in At th
earliest proper period we recognized her
n independentSiate,nd we have ever sine
nought to cultivate with her the most friend
ly relations. These earnest and sineert
(Ton have not, as they ought, been entire
ly successful. Many years ago, citizen
ol Mexico committed numerous d.rpreds
lions upon our commerce, Thai they
wete unjust and indefensible has been ful
ly admitted by Mexico herself; and the
faith of her government was given lo us to
I make adequate reparation. This has been
long and vex ninthly delayed. 0 ;r citi-
""s ' "
Bono uncomnensated. Our eovernmeot
rftna nvTuriiirv fnn Muvinnn urrrtiifta li a VD
has made its repeated appeals, in their be
. , l
half, lo Mexican magnanimity and justice,
in vain. The recognition of the claim.
and the settlement of thtee out of Ueni
instalments upon a portion of them, is all
ilial Mexico has done. All the rest is ahuf
(ling, evasion, pretence. Long since, un
der the laws of nations, we wnuld ha"e beet
justified in declaring war against her, in as
-erling our rights by force. But our course
has been forbearing. Under ihe provnea'
ions of insult and injury, we hive leslrain
"d indignation and preserved pence. Will
i weaker powei we could be long-sufTerire.
without incurring an imputation of coward
ire; and hence, Mexiro has escaped merit-
d clusiisement. Even now, the war be
tween ns is hargesblc upon her. N"t i
low was struck, or a gu-t fired by in, un
it she rendered it necessary by invasnu
md actual assault. IMore the capture ol
Thornton's command our military opera'
ions lud been precautionary and not eg
.Tfssi ve.
When a nari.m has n jus" cause for war
he pretends one and Mexico has ir ire
ence for invs ling our territory and slauj ti
ering our citizens. Slie alledps that vvr
have fommiiied a sort of larceny upon her
"oil, and iratt'lerted to ourselves the allegi-
mce of a people whoisrts her subjects; ii
ithpr words, that Texas continues to be ol
right a part of her territory, and that we
'iave wrongfully annexed it.
I shall pmceed to show that lliis Mexican
insertion is untrue and but few words will
'ie npcessaiv f-r thai putpnse. Let it be
remembered that Mexico cannot make the
ame objections lo annexation that wert
i-ade in the Coiled States when that mea
sure was proposed. Mexico cannot use
ihe local Al peculiar arguments with wind
hat measure was met among us. It wa
irgned hete vnty much as question ofcX'
iptlicncy; and. clearly, lo ail considetaliniii
if that kind Mex'oo is a stnnger. She h
tothing lo d- with our poln.Cdl discnr si.mf
(boul assuming the Texian debt about I'm
ulanceof power between the northern aio
"OiiDiern States about the policy nf extend
mg our territory, and questions of a simila
haracler. She has no ptetern e for ol-jcc-,ion
to annexation except upon one groin
and th:i is, that Texa was a psri of he
lerrr.orv. i ins orjscuon u
pari a right of domain of control of ju
risdiction and requites proof. Let hei
prove her assertion or abandon it. Let hei
make out her title In Texian soil befote ehe
brands this republic as a trespasser upoi.
her rights.
Can she ettBblish such title by shewing
that Texas entered into lite Mexican con-
,
cMwm wa8 gtlbvcr,et,
was overturned by a military usurpation
and a government new in form and in fact
substituted, into which Texas never enter
ed and Ihe authority of which over her she
always denied? The Mexican confertera
lion of 1824 was modelled after our Union
and Texas entering into it along with Co
hahuib, placed herself in a situation similar
io tint of one of the slates n this Jnion
Now if our General Gjvernment were de
-droyed, the constitution of oui union ab
rogated, what would be the position ol
ihe several sutesl Why, precisely the
position of Ti xai in 1834: they would be
ndependent sovereignities free lo form
new political connections, or tint at iheii
Icasure and no one of them could right
hilly be obliged to enter into a new general
Government, differing in material features
Irom iho old. All rightful authority in gov
eminent is founded upon the consent of the
governed. Texas never having consented
o enter into a new government founded on
ihe ruins of ihe confederation of 1824, was
tever a part of Mexico subseqtit nt lo the
destruction of that confederation. The as
ertion therefore of any right by Mexico
iver Texas since 1834, being without can
tent from it9 citizens, is nothing less lhan
Iragranl usurpation. Annexation then, can
not afford Mexico a just cause for war, for
the simple reason that she had no existing
rights lo be iejured or affected thereby.
Her rights were extinguished, utterly, when
the confederation of '24 was sundered, and
were never revived though the subsequent
years of revolution and disorder with which
thai country has been cursed and degraded.
We are therefore, without hull of ours,
plunged into the existing war a war hitlt-
rto most glorious lo our arms and lite re
mit of which it is not difficult io foretel
The humhlir g of Mexico and the acquisit
ion of California, are natural consequents
if the pending struggle and the judgement
if the country will eventually approvo ol
the acquisition that canseg, and th acqoisi
inc. thai follows, the Mexican war of 181G
Uitherlo no territory has been acquired b)
os from a foreign power by force. We
'iave held in no reluctanl subjection a van-q-iished
people we have made no con
quests by the sword. In the case of Tex
is, no force was used !n acquire, however
it may be in defending it.
Out, our acquisitions of Indian territory
iave been forcible. As regards the Indi
ms the action of the whites, sioce their
lirst settlement on this continent, has heep
aggrersifp. We have pushed westward
the red-race, killed their warriors and oe
copied their rii. n i g grounds. "'Ihe red
race has disappeared from the ilsntic
coast the lubes thai resisted civilizaiion,
met exiinciicn." ('Benton ) True, Penn
purchased Pennsylvania of the natives an
act tha lias bf en greatly lauded as one of
justice and honor snd the general Gov
einment has made the Indians some com
oensation I r their western cessions of
soil. Buti it holdi true, as a general re
maik, that the retreat westward of the ted
race has been the result of force. Rut is
n clear, that in this the white-race has been
in the wrong that ihe natives of this con
inenl have reason for complaint ! Al the ere
don the command was given lo m in, o ''re
plenish ihe earth fcnbdue it:"(Gen. 1,28. )tt
ifier the fall, it is said, ihe Lord God sent
nan forth from ihe garden of Eden lo till
ihe ground whence he was taken, and de
dared thai "in ihe sweai of his face should
ti eat brv!." ((Jen. iii. 23 and 19.)
Thi se commands were nevet fulfi'lod by the
iborigines of this continent. Wss Itumr
lation then, in the white race to 'till the
'round' to 'replenish and subdue it' to
xtend to the new world the lijiht of civili
ittun a-id chtistian'ly? Judge Hrackenridge
lays, "the aborigines of this continent can
iave but smill ptetenee to soil which
ihy have never s;!t?.!e'J." "The law
f nature where ihe law of revelation i6 nri
known, sufficiently enjoins on every man
ilial he contract his claim of soil to equal
boundt and pursue thai msr.ner of life
which is mosl consistent wiih the general
. . r . , . I., r
population ol trie earm anu ine increine or
lappiness to mankind. And it will easily
appear that Ihe mode of life by pasturage
or hunting requires a ruure extensive
lory ban by agriculture! and al the same
time, irom tne very circumstance oi mm
and scattered settlements in that slate, the
po weis of genius are inactive.ihe arts and sei-
eimes remain unknown, and man continues
io be an animal differing in nothing but
shrpe from the bessts of prey ihatioam op
on Ihe mountain. The life of these is1
thetefore not human for it is abhorrent
from the way of life which God and nature
point nut as the life of man." (Law Mit
cellaniei, 124 )
The savage Itibts are disqualified for
worthily occupying this continent for car
ying out the designs of Providence upon
it and hence il.ey meliaway lo give place
in a more powerful race. The tribe of
Snake Indians in southern Oregin, eubsis
mlely upon fish, caught easily during sum
mer in Snake river and it branches, ''bur
ire not provident enough to lay up a suf
ficient store for winter, during which many
if ihern die from absolute starvalion.
JFhile the summer and salmon lash they
ive contented and happy, and when snow
alls retire lo ihe mountains, where, in mis
rable groups they siarve out ihe winter,
If clnthed, driven lo every extremity for
ood,& eating every inseel Si creeping thing
however loathsome and repulsive" (Fre
ntonlj The Digger race of Indians, far-
her south, are still nore degraded. The)
re "dispersed in single families, without
fire-arms eating seeds and insects and dig
gtng roots" for a subsistetce Other Indi
ans, "a degree higher, live in communities
pon some lake or river supplyinr fish and
ran which ihey repulse the miserable dig-
ier. (fremont) L.an ii oe possum ma'
Providence intended this continent to be
permanently occupied by such inhabilanls;
while the pinching wanl and the fierce cr)
amor.g the surplus millions of Europe,
should be for land! Here was an abun
dance of soil; it was partially occupied, but
it was not used. A race camo westward
for it occupation; a race rich in the learn
ing", the faith, the civilizttion ami the vigor
of the east! and th ncn the Teutonic o'
he old world, has became the invigoratnr
if the new. It has worthily fulfilled in
oistion. It has m ide the wilderness ,'lr
bloom and b'.ossoin as the rose'' it ha
"haken off the superstitions of the ancient
time, the venerable errors of age -it ha
exhumed the liberty of the Greek from the
sepulcre of centuries, breathed Into it t
new, a purifind and chastened life, suited to
the nge and the continent and here, herf
whence it rjeted the savage, has made the
happiness of man to be the end and Bim of
human government!
And now, would it be desirable " to ml'
back the tide of time," tin do the work
of three centuries bl.it out the only great
Republic on earth, to fix again the Indian
in his native wilds, that a desert land might
be vocal again with the cry of wild beasts
and of savage men ? No ihe extension
of Republican government ovet Indian ter
ritory is onr duty as it is our destiny, and
in attempt to prevent such extension would
he war upnn the interests of mankind and
upon the decrees of fite. Lei this conti
nenl bethe seat of icience. of art, of know
ledge, of civilization, of peace, and above
ill, of liberty. So shall we perform oil'
duty and advance the interests of humanity
See Appendix 5.
Gentlemen: Orrrihu vsat exten1
of lerritury-made op of the or glnil thi-
ieen,nd sub-sequent additions of foreigr
nd Indian oil; what a wie system f
-overnment is eitood-1'' Ho-v admi
rable in its structure! Hjw well adapt
od to Ihe wishes and wants of man!nd
ho7 naturally ii a Ivsncei orer new citi
zens and soil! We have, Joined io our
loonlaiion, the dsxeon-lims of simoM
every people tinder Heaven; but from
hem all iho Government receives a
will-nganr! aineee al!f5inre, We have
widely dive's fiel c!:rra;e, prodtic-
tionn, in'eresis; and yet no part cf the
Union srtks to dissolve in voluntary
connection with the rest. R9Cte,in the
old world, sr-'fijorii't, ere here fused lo
get hr r &txit in blended hartnooy Dis
ttictsi cut apart by great mountainyomei
rem-.wwim iu-.hc., j iry.soeuiouui.
one council chamberj&asiimiljie cloe'y
in political action snd faith. And wh.i
adds (o ihe merit of ihis speci-ac'e is
thai more of these results are producer
by force. The connection of parts
in the, work, not of compul.ion, but o
- cr,oice. Thai th e connccion bo vo
unlary, and producing rich fruits, ma)
ilon? endure is the wish of everv irti
....... . , .... ., .
hearted American; snd that il may b
extended until it binds together ll;
whole of North America is, I ihink
the furl her wish, of most of ihe mgaci
ous mind?, in Ihb Republic. At th
'sst proposition, I koow,the timid trem
4Ip, the doubtful hesii 9te, snd the nir
row minded sneer.Hut the rj-ctment ol
all alien institutions from this conti
nent the purging, of it Irom ihe cursf
of monarchical colonization on the oru
hand, and bistard republics nism on th)
otherthe establishment of liberty in
the Canndas and of order inMexico u
ideas touched neither with fanaticism 01
f jlly and naturally spring fromn exam
nation of our position anJ his'orj . But
how shall, Ihese things be done? Is i
aid that difficulties inteipose that hes
tahng opinion must he lashed in'o sc
tion objections must be met interest
conciliated, snd foreign powers sp
leaned before successful steps can b
alien in the direction proposed? At the
nost, these difficulties may be but te.m
porary they may be surmounted and
he union of North America, eventually
effected and wi:h honor. Our fathers
itad faith in the future, We would d
well to imitate their example and
shapes our policy do as to extend; si
he earliest moment, the institutions
vhich they founded ovar this) divisioi
if ihe western world,
Hut st every step in our Republican
:ireer.' at tho formation of the Gov
rnmeni at the purchase of Louisiana
when Floiida wt acquired whenev
T a new Stale i added in the west
vhile Oregon is being settled whei
Texas was annexed whiln ihe r xisi'm,
war squints toward Ihe California's
while iho patriots eye turns lo the fu
tore for further extensions ot "the arei
of freedom" -ve have bee.i mel,snd an
met, with the croakings of ihe skep'i
cal snd the timid. -'The Union will
be dissolved" was Iho shout ol 1303 s
it has been lh cavi! of 177S and it
has had its repetitions at every bcIubI
nd piospeclive accession of territor)
sincn. This cry of danger to Ihe Union
from extension, is founded upon
misconception of the character of out
Government. By the division of the
Union into States, and these again into
maller ejbdi visions by a gradation of
i'otir'8 from national 10 town'hip limits
by limiting the tenure of office b)
means of frequent elections by giving
to religious faith unfettered freedom
ny cheeks upon the enta lment of prop
rly and by eq-ia! diminution in eaii
of intes'scy, we prevent the toncsntra
lion of political or social power From
'iich concentration, the fcS Bring evils
:f society, and the insecurity of gov
rnmnt, ir, all sget, have principally
r'sen. The un'Q'ir-l dis ribulion o!
ivaslirt, nd the disfranchisement cf Iht
cil!zfln, have been ihe fruitful sour?'"
of discontent, suff'jrins snd bloodshed
Our system is not perfect, but const, lu
'tonal sod social reform ir p'sctieab'e.
without cor. vttl.-r'op, ti efper'enes ms)
i .
exhioiMheir rees;tj ; 'realy won
det'ul to its excellence, our system
one of Pkogiess; and the people ot
ihese ?ta's S'e fully competent io rec
tify in it what is wrong, md to edd
what is wsntmg. New Yo k is now
engaged in the work of conti;utionl
reform, snd it is lo he hoped ihst 6he
will -'xrike home," without squemish
npss or aDutfchensioo, io all the rotten
md defective pinls in her orgmij JawJcen'Uiable. This brirgs us to inquire,
r i
Reverence for error is perhaps more (o
te combated than raahnejs of innova
ion, as the chain of h.'-j-t is si.-ono
ban the charm ot novelty. T oe radi"
alism is always cinrere and often sag
iious and when il stands in advance of
he time.ils position is one of honor,nd
the future will do il justice. Strike
hen s out hearts of New Y'rk! fearless
inrl trui-! and be assured that the plaud
is and uratitude of the rieiulu of good
government throughout the Union, will
ccompany your 1 ibor and reward your
Penn-y Ivunia eiht years ago,
md other slat, s more recently, have
mended their constitutions md the
vork of reform will go on here.ilur. It
i tho division of the Union into vrcu
"Vatfc, that constitutes its s're n i' h and
nsure9 its perpetuity. Its exttnio;i ia
)Ut ihe extensio i of Stiles; wi'h pi-wers
onstituliornlly reserved, tip in nil sub
j cl not purely nnlional in their chir
cler, and with capacity and disposition
o amend and adapt their local cons'i'ti-
lonsinrl Lws to thn wishes of the people
nd ihe p-ogesj of public seniinieu'.
n wba! few matters arc of national con
cer.i snd ailminisiration the very divert
y of interests produced Ayex'ended ter
ilory, is s bond of strength. They neu
tralize (he capacity of each other for
mischief. No one interest will be op
pressed or insul'ed by another for
ither interests will interpose both
from a sene of justice and from a piu-
ent apprehension of needing in ihtir
turn such Interposition.
Our Union is very much a device Tor
reserving peace among, independent
States, and lo protect ihemfrom f lfpign
ggre.sion. The first of Ihese obj-cts is
vhat the Peace society propose lo effect
y a Congress of nations. Wa have
tere the, instance of peace and corCjrd
tsur-d among iwf-nty seven States or
iepuhlic", by a de i:e s'milir to that
y which an orgm'ziMon of Puil.inihio
list propose lo harmon-'z? tb world.
Extend then this peaceful insinimenial-
y of Union, Piulnnlhropy invites and
cxpericnca sanctions it.
APPENDIX.
(rf) rfi to the slrenqlh of s confisc
ate Republic Montesqniou ssys; "It
has all the in'ernal advantages of a re-
mblican, logolher wiih all the extended
force ofa monarchical governme it."
Spirit nf Law), vo 1. b. 9. ch. I. J
And as to its extent, Mr. Madi
son eay: "its natural limit is that
iitflancu from the centre, which will
Purely allow the representatives of the
leople to meet as olten as may he ne
cessary for the adminislra'.ion of public
flairs. " (Federal it, No. 14J
Il will bo recnlli'cied.lhat when this
"ntiment ws written by Mr. Mtdisnn
nothing was known of the wonderful
apsciiif s of stam anil cWlrirhy for
producing spp(!y iutr rcourse & business
connections heiwen places far distant
from each other. The recent discover
ies ol thn powers of steam and telegraph
are among the mosl wonderful ever
oisdr. in iha world "'id render it prac-.
cnhlo lo extend lh Union of state",
hbom inenn venience or danger,
much fsr-ber lhan wss originally con.
Mftnpla'Ml.
l5)Th( aborigines of America bad
rfmhlinR possession of the countty;
nd i'i q'tpsron is, did this give n
em good title to the soil, rs sgainH
i n'h'r races, under all riicumst nce?
f it he grsnted, thai they had a per.
ct right to the soil, all acquisitions
y the whites, without their eonen',
wru'd clearly be U'j' ist. But if it p
pear l!ia! ihpy had no perfect titht to
the toil, the settlement of il by oiler
facts mav be highly Isudtble instead of
1
poruy ana power.