OUR REPUBLIC. The United States of America, is a Confederation of Sovereign States, and lies in the middle portion of the Western Hemisphere, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. Its greatest breadth from east to west is about 3,000 miles, and it has a coast line of 2,163 miles on the Atlantic, 1764 miles on the Gulf of Mexico, and 1,343 miles on the Pacific, embracing an area of 3,578,372 square miles. In 1782, the Territories of the Confederation extended westward to the Mississippi, and northward to the great Lakes, giving a total area of about 800,000 square miles, but by large acquisitions since made, it has reached its present size. ITS PRESENT AREA HAS BEEN ACQUIRED AS FOLLOWS: Territory ceded by England in 1783, Louisiana, as acquired from France in 1803, Texas as admitted to the Union in 1845, Oregon by treaty in 1846, California taken from Mexico in 1847, 815,615 Square miles. 930,928 06 59,268 237,504 66 66 66 66 • 280,425 649,762 66 66 27,500 577,890 66 8,578,392 Square miles. The increase of the population, and the rapid growth and development of the country have been truly wonderful. In 1620 there were but 300 white settlers in New England. Less than 250 years ago, New York City was made up of a dozen log-cabins, and all the land now comprising the City and County of New York, was purchased for the small pittance of twenty-four dollars. Fifty years since, there were less than 5,000 white people in the vast region between Lake Michigan and the Pacific Ocean, while the population now exceeds 10,000,000. Chicago was then a mere trading-post of half a dozen huts. Sixty-five years ago, those immense lakes, Ontario, Michigan, Huron, and Superior, were entirely without commerce, and an Indian's canoe was about the only craft seen upon them; but now, they are crowded thoroughfares, and the value of the traffic upon these waters, and navigable rivers, is not much less than nine hundred millions of dollars per annum. A few years since San Francisco was Mexican territory, with a handful of wild people and almost unknown. She sprang as if by magic into existence, and in the space of two years her population increased from 1,500 to nearly 60,000. Less than a century ago, we were but thirteen feeble Colonies, with but 3,000,000 of inhabitants, while we now comprise 37 free, sovereign, and independent States, having in addition, the District of Columbia and 11 territories, with a population of nearly 40,000,000 of inhabitants. THE FOLLOWING TABLE WILL SHOW THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY, AT THE DIFFERENT CENSUS PERIODS, SINCE, AND INCLUDING 1790. *This total includes 63,254 Chinese and 25,731 Indians. 18 OUR REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT. OUR REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT. The Government of the United States is the result of deep research, cool and calm deliberation, of great wisdom and sound judgment, and is probably the best ever formed by man. It was not brought about in a hurried manner, nor did it spring into existence, by reason of a combination of unforeseen and fortuituos circumstances, which aroused the passions of the multitude, and led them to adopt a Republican Government more tyrannical than tyranny itself. Our government was based upon truth and justice, and the object of it was to establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity. The government and constitution being purely Democratic, the People are the Sovereigns. How much is expressed in those three words, "WE, THE PEOPLE;" that is, We, the Sovereigns; We, the Rulers; We, the Law-Givers; how expressive of majesty and power, and how insignificant do they make Kings and tyrants appear. The President, Vice President, Senators, Legislators, and all other officials are the mere agents and servants of "We, the People," for they were created by, and for the people, and not the people for them. Whatever of power, whatever of authority, whatever of dignity they possess in their official stations, was delegated to them by the Sovereign People for the honor, prosperity, and happiness of the people themselves. What government, or constitution could be devised, more perfect than that, which puts it in the power of those who suffer from an unprincipled government officer, or from the effects of a mal-administration, to remove such, or prevent their con tinuance, not by rash, passionate, and unlawful acts as in ancient republics, but by such as are rational, deliberate, and constitutional. This could not be done under a tyrannical, despotic, or monarchial government, because the crown and scepter are hereditary. THE COLONIAL OR REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT. As early as October 1765, soon after the first encroachment had been made by the British Government upon our liberties, by the passage of the Stamp Act, a congress of delegates from the Colonies of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and South Carolina, assembled in New York, and adopted a DECLARATION OF RIGHTS, asserting that the sole power of taxation resided in the Colonial legislatures, and that the re strictions imposed upon them by the late acts of Parliament, were unjust and burdensome. An address to the King, and a petition to each house of Parliament were adopted. Subsequently, on the 4th day of September, 1774, a congress of delegates from all the Colonies excepting Georgia, assembled at Philadelphia, "with authority and direction to meet and consult together for the common welfare." Thus was organized by the people, acting in their sovereign capacity, the first general, or National Government. The first, and most important of their acts, was a declaration, that in determining questions which should arise in this Congress, each Colony should have one vote. They also passed |