[Footnotei:Ifthepopulationcontinuestodoubleeverytwenty—twoyears，asithasdoneforthelasttwohundredyears，thenumberofinhabitantsintheUnitedStatesin1852willbetwentymillions;in1874，forty—eightmillions;andin1896，ninety—sixmillions。ThismaystillbethecaseevenifthelandsonthewesternslopeoftheRockyMountainsshouldbefoundtobeunfitforcultivation。Theterritorywhichisalreadyoccupiedcaneasilycontainthisnumberofinhabitants。Onehundredmillionsofmendisseminatedoverthesurfaceofthetwenty—fourStates，andthethreedependencies，whichconstitutetheUnion，wouldonlygive762inhabitantstothesquareleague;
thiswouldbefarbelowthemeanpopulationofFrance，whichis1，063tothesquareleague;orofEngland，whichis1，457;anditwouldevenbebelowthepopulationofSwitzerland，forthatcountry，notwithstandingitslakesandmountains，contains783
inhabitantstothesquareleague。See\"MalteBrun，\"vol。vi。p。
92。
[Theactualresulthasfallensomewhatshortofthesecalculations，inspiteofthevastterritorialacquisitionsoftheUnitedStates:butin1899thepopulationisprobablyabouteighty—sevenmillions，includingthepopulationofthePhilippines，Hawaii，andPortoRico。]]
WhateverfaithImayhaveintheperfectibilityofman，untilhumannatureisaltered，andmenwhollytransformed，I
shallrefusetobelieveinthedurationofagovernmentwhichiscalledupontoholdtogetherfortydifferentpeoples，disseminatedoveraterritoryequaltoone—halfofEuropeinextent;toavoidallrivalry，ambition，andstrugglesbetweenthem，andtodirecttheirindependentactivitytotheaccomplishmentofthesamedesigns。
ButthegreatestperiltowhichtheUnionisexposedbyitsincreasearisesfromthecontinualchangeswhichtakeplaceinthepositionofitsinternalstrength。ThedistancefromLakeSuperiortotheGulfofMexicoextendsfromthe47thtothe30thdegreeoflatitude，adistanceofmorethan1，200milesasthebirdflies。ThefrontieroftheUnitedStateswindsalongthewholeofthisimmenseline，sometimesfallingwithinitslimits，butmorefrequentlyextendingfarbeyondit，intothewaste。Ithasbeencalculatedthatthewhitesadvanceeveryyearameandistanceofseventeenmilesalongthewholeofhisvastboundary。
*jObstacles，suchasanunproductivedistrict，alakeoranIndiannationunexpectedlyencountered，aresometimesmetwith。
Theadvancingcolumnthenhaltsforawhile;itstwoextremitiesfallbackuponthemselves，andassoonastheyarereunitedtheyproceedonwards。ThisgradualandcontinuousprogressoftheEuropeanracetowardstheRockyMountainshasthesolemnityofaprovidentialevent;itislikeadelugeofmenrisingunabatedly，anddailydrivenonwardsbythehandofGod。
[Footnotej:SeeLegislativeDocuments，20thCongress，No。117，p。105。]
Withinthisfirstlineofconqueringsettlerstownsarebuilt，andvastStatesfounded。In1790therewereonlyafewthousandpioneerssprinkledalongthevalleysoftheMississippi;
andatthepresentdaythesevalleyscontainasmanyinhabitantsasweretobefoundinthewholeUnionin1790。Theirpopulationamountstonearly4，000，000。*kThecityofWashingtonwasfoundedin1800，intheverycentreoftheUnion;butsucharethechangeswhichhavetakenplace，thatitnowstandsatoneoftheextremities;andthedelegatesofthemostremoteWesternStatesarealreadyobligedtoperformajourneyaslongasthatfromViennatoParis。*l[Footnotek:3，672，317—Censusof1830。]
[Footnotel:ThedistancefromJefferson，thecapitaloftheStateofMissouri，toWashingtonis1，019miles。（\"AmericanAlmanac，\"1831，p。48。）]
AlltheStatesareborneonwardsatthesametimeinthepathoffortune，butofcoursetheydonotallincreaseandprosperinthesameproportion。TotheNorthoftheUnionthedetachedbranchesoftheAlleghanychain，whichextendasfarastheAtlanticOcean，formspaciousroadsandports，whichareconstantlyaccessibletovesselsofthegreatestburden。ButfromthePotomactothemouthoftheMississippithecoastissandyandflat。InthispartoftheUnionthemouthsofalmostalltheriversareobstructed;andthefewharborswhichexistamongsttheselagoonsaffordmuchshallowerwatertovessels，andmuchfewercommercialadvantagesthanthoseoftheNorth。
Thisfirstnaturalcauseofinferiorityisunitedtoanothercauseproceedingfromthelaws。Wehavealreadyseenthatslavery，whichisabolishedintheNorth，stillexistsintheSouth;andIhavepointedoutitsfatalconsequencesupontheprosperityoftheplanterhimself。
TheNorthisthereforesuperiortotheSouthbothincommerce*mandmanufacture;thenaturalconsequenceofwhichisthemorerapidincreaseofpopulationandofwealthwithinitsborders。TheStatessituateupontheshoresoftheAtlanticOceanarealreadyhalf—peopled。Mostofthelandisheldbyanowner;andthesedistrictscannotthereforereceivesomanyemigrantsastheWesternStates，whereaboundlessfieldisstillopentotheirexertions。ThevalleyoftheMississippiisfarmorefertilethanthecoastoftheAtlanticOcean。Thisreason，addedtoalltheothers，contributestodrivetheEuropeanswestward—afactwhichmayberigorouslydemonstratedbyfigures。ItisfoundthatthesumtotalofthepopulationofalltheUnitedStateshasabouttripledinthecourseoffortyyears。
ButintherecentStatesadjacenttotheMississippi，thepopulationhasincreasedthirty—one—fold，withinthesamespaceoftime。*n[Footnotem:ThefollowingstatementswillsufficetoshowthedifferencewhichexistsbetweenthecommerceoftheSouthandthatoftheNorth:—
In1829thetonnageofallthemerchantvesselsbelongingtoVirginia，thetwoCarolinas，andGeorgia（thefourgreatSouthernStates），amountedtoonly5，243tons。InthesameyearthetonnageofthevesselsoftheStateofMassachusettsaloneamountedto17，322tons。（SeeLegislativeDocuments，21stCongress，2dsession，No。140，p。244。）ThustheStateofMassachusettshadthreetimesasmuchshippingasthefourabove—mentionedStates。NeverthelesstheareaoftheStateofMassachusettsisonly7，335squaremiles，anditspopulationamountsto610，014inhabitants[2，238，943in1890];whilsttheareaofthefourotherStatesIhavequotedis210，000squaremiles，andtheirpopulation3，047，767。ThustheareaoftheStateofMassachusettsformsonlyone—thirtiethpartoftheareaofthefourStates;anditspopulationisfivetimessmallerthantheirs。（See\"Darby’sViewoftheUnitedStates。\"）SlaveryisprejudicialtothecommercialprosperityoftheSouthinseveraldifferentways;bydiminishingthespiritofenterpriseamongstthewhites，andbypreventingthemfrommeetingwithasnumerousaclassofsailorsastheyrequire。Sailorsareusuallytakenfromthelowestranksofthepopulation。ButintheSouthernStatestheselowestranksarecomposedofslaves，anditisverydifficulttoemploythematsea。Theyareunabletoserveaswellasawhitecrew，andapprehensionswouldalwaysbeentertainedoftheirmutinyinginthemiddleoftheocean，oroftheirescapingintheforeigncountriesatwhichtheymighttouch。]
[Footnoten:\"Darby’sViewoftheUnitedStates，\"p。444。]
Therelativepositionofthecentralfederalpoweriscontinuallydisplaced。FortyyearsagothemajorityofthecitizensoftheUnionwasestablisheduponthecoastoftheAtlantic，intheenvironsofthespotuponwhichWashingtonnowstands;butthegreatbodyofthepeopleisnowadvancinginlandandtothenorth，sothatintwentyyearsthemajoritywillunquestionablybeonthewesternsideoftheAlleghanies。IftheUniongoesontosubsist，thebasinoftheMississippiisevidentlymarkedout，byitsfertilityanditsextent，asthefuturecentreoftheFederalGovernment。Inthirtyorfortyyears，thattractofcountrywillhaveassumedtherankwhichnaturallybelongstoit。Itiseasytocalculatethatitspopulation，comparedtothatofthecoastoftheAtlantic，willbe，inroundnumbers，as40to11。InafewyearstheStateswhichfoundedtheUnionwilllosethedirectionofitspolicy，andthepopulationofthevalleyoftheMississippiwillpreponderateinthefederalassemblies。
Thisconstantgravitationofthefederalpowerandinfluencetowardsthenorthwestisshowneverytenyears，whenageneralcensusofthepopulationismade，andthenumberofdelegateswhicheachStatesendstoCongressissettledafresh。*oIn1790
VirginiahadnineteenrepresentativesinCongress。Thisnumbercontinuedtoincreaseuntiltheyear1813，whenitreachedtotwenty—three;fromthattimeitbegantodecrease，andin1833
Virginiaelectedonlytwenty—onerepresentatives。*pDuringthesameperiodtheStateofNewYorkprogressedinthecontrarydirection:in1790ithadtenrepresentativesinCongress;in1813，twenty—seven;in1823，thirty—four;andin1833，forty。
TheStateofOhiohadonlyonerepresentativein1803，andin1833ithadalreadynineteen。
[Footnoteo:Itmaybeseenthatinthecourseofthelasttenyears（1820—1830）thepopulationofonedistrict，as，forinstance，theStateofDelaware，hasincreasedintheproportionoffivepercent。;whilstthatofanother，astheterritoryofMichigan，hasincreased250percent。ThusthepopulationofVirginiahadaugmentedthirteenpercent。，andthatoftheborderStateofOhiosixty—onepercent。，inthesamespaceoftime。
Thegeneraltableofthesechanges，whichisgiveninthe\"NationalCalendar，\"displaysastrikingpictureoftheunequalfortunesofthedifferentStates。]
[Footnotep:IthasjustbeensaidthatinthecourseofthelasttermthepopulationofVirginiahasincreasedthirteenpercent。;
anditisnecessarytoexplainhowthenumberofrepresentativesforaStatemaydecrease，whenthepopulationofthatState，farfromdiminishing，isactuallyupontheincrease。ItaketheStateofVirginia，towhichIhavealreadyalluded，asmytermofcomparison。ThenumberofrepresentativesofVirginiain1823
wasproportionatetothetotalnumberoftherepresentativesoftheUnion，andtotherelationwhichthepopulationboretothatofthewholeUnion:in1833thenumberofrepresentativesofVirginiawaslikewiseproportionatetothetotalnumberoftherepresentativesoftheUnion，andtotherelationwhichitspopulation，augmentedinthecourseoftenyears，boretotheaugmentedpopulationoftheUnioninthesamespaceoftime。ThenewnumberofVirginianrepresentativeswillthenbetotheoldnumver，ontheonehand，asthenewnumverofalltherepresentativesistotheoldnumber;and，ontheotherhand，astheaugmentationofthepopulationofVirginiaistothatofthewholepopulationofthecountry。Thus，iftheincreaseofthepopulationofthelessercountrybetothatofthegreaterinanexactinverseratiooftheproportionbetweenthenewandtheoldnumbersofalltherepresentatives，thenumberoftherepresentativesofVirginiawillremainstationary;andiftheincreaseoftheVirginianpopulationbetothatofthewholeUnioninafeeblerratiothanthenewnumberoftherepresentativesoftheUniontotheoldnumber，thenumberoftherepresentativesofVirginiamustdecrease。[Thus，tothe56thCongressin1899，VirginiaandWestVirginiasendonlyfourteenrepresentatives。]]
ChapterXVIII:FutureConditionOfThreeRaces—PartVII
TheinhabitantsoftheUnitedStatestalkagreatdealoftheirattachmenttotheircountry;butIconfessthatIdonotrelyuponthatcalculatingpatriotismwhichisfoundeduponinterest，andwhichachangeintheinterestsatstakemayobliterate。NordoIattachmuchimportancetothelanguageoftheAmericans，whentheymanifest，intheirdailyconversations，theintentionofmaintainingthefederalsystemadoptedbytheirforefathers。Agovernmentretainsitsswayoveragreatnumberofcitizens，farlessbythevoluntaryandrationalconsentofthemultitude，thanbythatinstinctive，andtoacertainextentinvoluntaryagreement，whichresultsfromsimilarityoffeelingsandresemblancesofopinion。Iwillneveradmitthatmenconstituteasocialbody，simplybecausetheyobeythesameheadandthesamelaws。Societycanonlyexistwhenagreatnumberofmenconsideragreatnumberofthingsinthesamepointofview;
whentheyholdthesameopinionsuponmanysubjects，andwhenthesameoccurrencessuggestthesamethoughtsandimpressionstotheirminds。
TheobserverwhoexaminesthepresentconditionoftheUnitedStatesuponthisprinciple，willreadilydiscover，thatalthoughthecitizensaredividedintotwenty—fourdistinctsovereignties，theyneverthelessconstituteasinglepeople;andhemayperhapsbeledtothinkthatthestateoftheAnglo—AmericanUnionismoretrulyastateofsocietythanthatofcertainnationsofEuropewhichliveunderthesamelegislationandthesameprince。
AlthoughtheAnglo—Americanshaveseveralreligioussects，theyallregardreligioninthesamemanner。Theyarenotalwaysagreeduponthemeasureswhicharemostconducivetogoodgovernment，andtheyvaryuponsomeoftheformsofgovernmentwhichitisexpedienttoadopt;buttheyareunanimousuponthegeneralprincipleswhichoughttorulehumansociety。FromMainetotheFloridas，andfromtheMissouritotheAtlanticOcean，thepeopleisheldtobethelegitimatesourceofallpower。Thesamenotionsareentertainedrespectinglibertyandequality，thelibertyofthepress，therightofassociation，thejury，andtheresponsibilityoftheagentsofGovernment。
Ifweturnfromtheirpoliticalandreligiousopinionstothemoralandphilosophicalprincipleswhichregulatethedailyactionsoflifeandgoverntheirconduct，weshallstillfindthesameuniformity。TheAnglo—Americans*dacknowledgetheabsolutemoralauthorityofthereasonofthecommunity，astheyacknowledgethepoliticalauthorityofthemassofcitizens;andtheyholdthatpublicopinionisthesurestarbiterofwhatislawfulorforbidden，trueorfalse。Themajorityofthembelievethatamanwillbeledtodowhatisjustandgoodbyfollowinghisowninterestrightlyunderstood。Theyholdthateverymanisborninpossessionoftherightofself—government，andthatnoonehastherightofconstraininghisfellow—creaturestobehappy。Theyhaveallalivelyfaithintheperfectibilityofman;theyareofopinionthattheeffectsofthediffusionofknowledgemustnecessarilybeadvantageous，andtheconsequencesofignorancefatal;theyallconsidersocietyasabodyinastateofimprovement，humanityasachangingscene，inwhichnothingis，oroughttobe，permanent;andtheyadmitthatwhatappearstothemtobegoodto—daymaybesupersededbysomethingbetter—to—morrow。Idonotgivealltheseopinionsastrue，butIquotethemascharacteristicoftheAmericans。
[Footnoted:ItisscarcelynecessaryformetoobservethatbytheexpressionAnglo—Americans，Ionlymeantodesignatethegreatmajorityofthenation;foracertainnumberofisolatedindividualsareofcoursetobemetwithholdingverydifferentopinions。]
TheAnglo—Americansarenotonlyunitedtogetherbythesecommonopinions，buttheyareseparatedfromallothernationsbyacommonfeelingofpride。ForthelastfiftyyearsnopainshavebeensparedtoconvincetheinhabitantsoftheUnitedStatesthattheyconstitutetheonlyreligious，enlightened，andfreepeople。Theyperceivethat，forthepresent，theirowndemocraticinstitutionssucceed，whilstthoseofothercountriesfail;hencetheyconceiveanoverweeningopinionoftheirsuperiority，andtheyarenotveryremotefrombelievingthemselvestobelongtoadistinctraceofmankind。
ThedangerswhichthreatentheAmericanUniondonotoriginateinthediversityofinterestsorofopinions，butinthevariouscharactersandpassionsoftheAmericans。ThemenwhoinhabitthevastterritoryoftheUnitedStatesarealmostalltheissueofacommonstock;buttheeffectsoftheclimate，andmoreespeciallyofslavery，havegraduallyintroducedverystrikingdifferencesbetweentheBritishsettleroftheSouthernStatesandtheBritishsettleroftheNorth。InEuropeitisgenerallybelievedthatslaveryhasrenderedtheinterestsofonepartoftheUnioncontrarytothoseofanotherpart;butIbynomeansremarkedthistobethecase:slaveryhasnotcreatedinterestsintheSouthcontrarytothoseoftheNorth，butithasmodifiedthecharacterandchangedthehabitsofthenativesoftheSouth。
IhavealreadyexplainedtheinfluencewhichslaveryhasexerciseduponthecommercialabilityoftheAmericansintheSouth;andthissameinfluenceequallyextendstotheirmanners。
Theslaveisaservantwhoneverremonstrates，andwhosubmitstoeverythingwithoutcomplaint。Hemaysometimesassassinate，butheneverwithstands，hismaster。IntheSouththerearenofamiliessopoorasnottohaveslaves。ThecitizenoftheSouthernStatesoftheUnionisinvestedwithasortofdomesticdictatorship，fromhisearliestyears;thefirstnotionheacquiresinlifeisthatheisborntocommand，andthefirsthabitwhichhecontractsisthatofbeingobeyedwithoutresistance。Hiseducationtends，then，togivehimthecharacterofasuperciliousandahastyman;irascible，violent，andardentinhisdesires，impatientofobstacles，buteasilydiscouragedifhecannotsucceeduponhisfirstattempt。
TheAmericanoftheNorthernStatesissurroundedbynoslavesinhischildhood;heisevenunattendedbyfreeservants，andisusuallyobligedtoprovideforhisownwants。Nosoonerdoesheentertheworldthantheideaofnecessityassailshimoneveryside:hesoonlearnstoknowexactlythenaturallimitofhisauthority;heneverexpectstosubduethosewhowithstandhim，byforce;andheknowsthatthesurestmeansofobtainingthesupportofhisfellow—creatures，istowintheirfavor。Hethereforebecomespatient，reflecting，tolerant，slowtoact，andperseveringinhisdesigns。
IntheSouthernStatesthemoreimmediatewantsoflifearealwayssupplied;theinhabitantsofthosepartsarenotbusiedinthematerialcaresoflife，whicharealwaysprovidedforbyothers;andtheirimaginationisdivertedtomorecaptivatingandlessdefiniteobjects。TheAmericanoftheSouthisfondofgrandeur，luxury，andrenown，ofgayety，ofpleasure，andaboveallofidleness;nothingobligeshimtoexerthimselfinordertosubsist;andashehasnonecessaryoccupations，hegiveswaytoindolence，anddoesnotevenattemptwhatwouldbeuseful。
Buttheequalityoffortunes，andtheabsenceofslaveryintheNorth，plungetheinhabitantsinthosesamecaresofdailylifewhicharedisdainedbythewhitepopulationoftheSouth。
Theyaretaughtfrominfancytocombatwant，andtoplacecomfortaboveallthepleasuresoftheintellectortheheart。Theimaginationisextinguishedbythetrivialdetailsoflife，andtheideasbecomelessnumerousandlessgeneral，butfarmorepracticalandmoreprecise。Asprosperityisthesoleaimofexertion，itisexcellentlywellattained;natureandmankindareturnedtothebestpecuniaryadvantage，andsocietyisdexterouslymadetocontributetothewelfareofeachofitsmembers，whilstindividualegotismisthesourceofgeneralhappiness。
ThecitizenoftheNorthhasnotonlyexperience，butknowledge:neverthelesshesetsbutlittlevalueuponthepleasuresofknowledge;heesteemsitasthemeansofattainingacertainend，andheisonlyanxioustoseizeitsmorelucrativeapplications。ThecitizenoftheSouthismoregiventoactuponimpulse;heismoreclever，morefrank，moregenerous，moreintellectual，andmorebrilliant。Theformer，withagreaterdegreeofactivity，ofcommon—sense，ofinformation，andofgeneralaptitude，hasthecharacteristicgoodandevilqualitiesofthemiddleclasses。Thelatterhasthetastes，theprejudices，theweaknesses，andthemagnanimityofallaristocracies。Iftwomenareunitedinsociety，whohavethesameinterests，andtoacertainextentthesameopinions，butdifferentcharacters，differentacquirements，andadifferentstyleofcivilization，itisprobablethatthesemenwillnotagree。Thesameremarkisapplicabletoasocietyofnations。
Slavery，then，doesnotattacktheAmericanUniondirectlyinitsinterests，butindirectlyinitsmanners。
[Footnotee:Censusof1790，3，929，328;1830，12，856，165;1860，31，443，321;1870，38，555，983;1890，62，831，900。]
TheStateswhichgavetheirassenttothefederalcontractin1790werethirteeninnumber;theUnionnowconsistsofthirty—fourmembers。Thepopulation，whichamountedtonearly4，000，000in1790，hadmorethantripledinthespaceoffortyyears;andin1830itamountedtonearly13，000，000。*eChangesofsuchmagnitudecannottakeplacewithoutsomedanger。
Asocietyofnations，aswellasasocietyofindividuals，derivesitsprincipalchancesofdurationfromthewisdomofitsmembers，theirindividualweakness，andtheirlimitednumber。
TheAmericanswhoquitthecoastsoftheAtlanticOceantoplungeintothewesternwilderness，areadventurersimpatientofrestraint，greedyofwealth，andfrequentlymenexpelledfromtheStatesinwhichtheywereborn。Whentheyarriveinthedesertstheyareunknowntoeachother，andtheyhaveneithertraditions，familyfeeling，northeforceofexampletochecktheirexcesses。
Theempireofthelawsisfeebleamongstthem;thatofmoralityisstillmorepowerless。ThesettlerswhoareconstantlypeoplingthevalleyoftheMississippiare，then，ineveryrespectveryinferiortotheAmericanswhoinhabittheolderpartsoftheUnion。Nevertheless，theyalreadyexerciseagreatinfluenceinitscouncils;andtheyarriveatthegovernmentofthecommonwealthbeforetheyhavelearnttogovernthemselves。*f[Footnotef:Thisindeedisonlyatemporarydanger。IhavenodoubtthatintimesocietywillassumeasmuchstabilityandregularityintheWestasithasalreadydoneuponthecoastoftheAtlanticOcean。]
Thegreatertheindividualweaknessofeachofthecontractingparties，thegreaterarethechancesofthedurationofthecontract;fortheirsafetyisthendependentupontheirunion。When，in1790，themostpopulousoftheAmericanrepublicsdidnotcontain500，000inhabitants，*geachofthemfeltitsowninsignificanceasanindependentpeople，andthisfeelingrenderedcompliancewiththefederalauthoritymoreeasy。
ButwhenoneoftheconfederateStatesreckons，liketheStateofNewYork，2，000，000ofinhabitants，andcoversanextentofterritoryequalinsurfacetoaquarterofFrance，*hitfeelsitsownstrength;andalthoughitmaycontinuetosupporttheUnionasadvantageoustoitsprosperity，itnolongerregardsthatbodyasnecessarytoitsexistence，andasitcontinuestobelongtothefederalcompact，itsoonaimsatpreponderanceinthefederalassemblies。TheprobableunanimityoftheStatesisdiminishedastheirnumberincreases。AtpresenttheinterestsofthedifferentpartsoftheUnionarenotatvariance;butwhoisabletoforeseethemultifariouschangesofthefuture，inacountryinwhichtownsarefoundedfromdaytoday，andStatesalmostfromyeartoyear？
[Footnoteg:Pennsylvaniacontained431，373inhabitantsin1790
[and5，258，014in1890。]]
[Footnoteh:TheareaoftheStateofNewYorkis49，170squaremiles。[SeeU。S。censusreportof1890。]]
SincethefirstsettlementoftheBritishcolonies，thenumberofinhabitantshasaboutdoubledeverytwenty—twoyears。
IperceivenocauseswhicharelikelytocheckthisprogressiveincreaseoftheAnglo—Americanpopulationforthenexthundredyears;andbeforethatspaceoftimehaselapsed，IbelievethattheterritoriesanddependenciesoftheUnitedStateswillbecoveredbymorethan100，000，000ofinhabitants，anddividedintofortyStates。*iIadmitthatthese100，000，000ofmenhavenohohostileinterests。Isuppose，onthecontrary，thattheyareallequallyinterestedinthemaintenanceoftheUnion;butIamstillofopinionthatwherethereare100，000，000ofmen，andfortydistinctnations，unequallystrong，thecontinuanceoftheFederalGovernmentcanonlybeafortunateaccident。
[Footnotei:Ifthepopulationcontinuestodoubleeverytwenty—twoyears，asithasdoneforthelasttwohundredyears，thenumberofinhabitantsintheUnitedStatesin1852willbetwentymillions;in1874，forty—eightmillions;andin1896，ninety—sixmillions。ThismaystillbethecaseevenifthelandsonthewesternslopeoftheRockyMountainsshouldbefoundtobeunfitforcultivation。Theterritorywhichisalreadyoccupiedcaneasilycontainthisnumberofinhabitants。Onehundredmillionsofmendisseminatedoverthesurfaceofthetwenty—fourStates，andthethreedependencies，whichconstitutetheUnion，wouldonlygive762inhabitantstothesquareleague;
thiswouldbefarbelowthemeanpopulationofFrance，whichis1，063tothesquareleague;orofEngland，whichis1，457;anditwouldevenbebelowthepopulationofSwitzerland，forthatcountry，notwithstandingitslakesandmountains，contains783
inhabitantstothesquareleague。See\"MalteBrun，\"vol。vi。p。
92。
[Theactualresulthasfallensomewhatshortofthesecalculations，inspiteofthevastterritorialacquisitionsoftheUnitedStates:butin1899thepopulationisprobablyabouteighty—sevenmillions，includingthepopulationofthePhilippines，Hawaii，andPortoRico。]]
WhateverfaithImayhaveintheperfectibilityofman，untilhumannatureisaltered，andmenwhollytransformed，I
shallrefusetobelieveinthedurationofagovernmentwhichiscalledupontoholdtogetherfortydifferentpeoples，disseminatedoveraterritoryequaltoone—halfofEuropeinextent;toavoidallrivalry，ambition，andstrugglesbetweenthem，andtodirecttheirindependentactivitytotheaccomplishmentofthesamedesigns。
ButthegreatestperiltowhichtheUnionisexposedbyitsincreasearisesfromthecontinualchangeswhichtakeplaceinthepositionofitsinternalstrength。ThedistancefromLakeSuperiortotheGulfofMexicoextendsfromthe47thtothe30thdegreeoflatitude，adistanceofmorethan1，200milesasthebirdflies。ThefrontieroftheUnitedStateswindsalongthewholeofthisimmenseline，sometimesfallingwithinitslimits，butmorefrequentlyextendingfarbeyondit，intothewaste。Ithasbeencalculatedthatthewhitesadvanceeveryyearameandistanceofseventeenmilesalongthewholeofhisvastboundary。
*jObstacles，suchasanunproductivedistrict，alakeoranIndiannationunexpectedlyencountered，aresometimesmetwith。
Theadvancingcolumnthenhaltsforawhile;itstwoextremitiesfallbackuponthemselves，andassoonastheyarereunitedtheyproceedonwards。ThisgradualandcontinuousprogressoftheEuropeanracetowardstheRockyMountainshasthesolemnityofaprovidentialevent;itislikeadelugeofmenrisingunabatedly，anddailydrivenonwardsbythehandofGod。
[Footnotej:SeeLegislativeDocuments，20thCongress，No。117，p。105。]
Withinthisfirstlineofconqueringsettlerstownsarebuilt，andvastStatesfounded。In1790therewereonlyafewthousandpioneerssprinkledalongthevalleysoftheMississippi;
andatthepresentdaythesevalleyscontainasmanyinhabitantsasweretobefoundinthewholeUnionin1790。Theirpopulationamountstonearly4，000，000。*kThecityofWashingtonwasfoundedin1800，intheverycentreoftheUnion;butsucharethechangeswhichhavetakenplace，thatitnowstandsatoneoftheextremities;andthedelegatesofthemostremoteWesternStatesarealreadyobligedtoperformajourneyaslongasthatfromViennatoParis。*l[Footnotek:3，672，317—Censusof1830。]
[Footnotel:ThedistancefromJefferson，thecapitaloftheStateofMissouri，toWashingtonis1，019miles。（\"AmericanAlmanac，\"1831，p。48。）]
AlltheStatesareborneonwardsatthesametimeinthepathoffortune，butofcoursetheydonotallincreaseandprosperinthesameproportion。TotheNorthoftheUnionthedetachedbranchesoftheAlleghanychain，whichextendasfarastheAtlanticOcean，formspaciousroadsandports，whichareconstantlyaccessibletovesselsofthegreatestburden。ButfromthePotomactothemouthoftheMississippithecoastissandyandflat。InthispartoftheUnionthemouthsofalmostalltheriversareobstructed;andthefewharborswhichexistamongsttheselagoonsaffordmuchshallowerwatertovessels，andmuchfewercommercialadvantagesthanthoseoftheNorth。
Thisfirstnaturalcauseofinferiorityisunitedtoanothercauseproceedingfromthelaws。Wehavealreadyseenthatslavery，whichisabolishedintheNorth，stillexistsintheSouth;andIhavepointedoutitsfatalconsequencesupontheprosperityoftheplanterhimself。
TheNorthisthereforesuperiortotheSouthbothincommerce*mandmanufacture;thenaturalconsequenceofwhichisthemorerapidincreaseofpopulationandofwealthwithinitsborders。TheStatessituateupontheshoresoftheAtlanticOceanarealreadyhalf—peopled。Mostofthelandisheldbyanowner;andthesedistrictscannotthereforereceivesomanyemigrantsastheWesternStates，whereaboundlessfieldisstillopentotheirexertions。ThevalleyoftheMississippiisfarmorefertilethanthecoastoftheAtlanticOcean。Thisreason，addedtoalltheothers，contributestodrivetheEuropeanswestward—afactwhichmayberigorouslydemonstratedbyfigures。ItisfoundthatthesumtotalofthepopulationofalltheUnitedStateshasabouttripledinthecourseoffortyyears。
ButintherecentStatesadjacenttotheMississippi，thepopulationhasincreasedthirty—one—fold，withinthesamespaceoftime。*n[Footnotem:ThefollowingstatementswillsufficetoshowthedifferencewhichexistsbetweenthecommerceoftheSouthandthatoftheNorth:—
In1829thetonnageofallthemerchantvesselsbelongingtoVirginia，thetwoCarolinas，andGeorgia（thefourgreatSouthernStates），amountedtoonly5，243tons。InthesameyearthetonnageofthevesselsoftheStateofMassachusettsaloneamountedto17，322tons。（SeeLegislativeDocuments，21stCongress，2dsession，No。140，p。244。）ThustheStateofMassachusettshadthreetimesasmuchshippingasthefourabove—mentionedStates。NeverthelesstheareaoftheStateofMassachusettsisonly7，335squaremiles，anditspopulationamountsto610，014inhabitants[2，238，943in1890];whilsttheareaofthefourotherStatesIhavequotedis210，000squaremiles，andtheirpopulation3，047，767。ThustheareaoftheStateofMassachusettsformsonlyone—thirtiethpartoftheareaofthefourStates;anditspopulationisfivetimessmallerthantheirs。（See\"Darby’sViewoftheUnitedStates。\"）SlaveryisprejudicialtothecommercialprosperityoftheSouthinseveraldifferentways;bydiminishingthespiritofenterpriseamongstthewhites，andbypreventingthemfrommeetingwithasnumerousaclassofsailorsastheyrequire。Sailorsareusuallytakenfromthelowestranksofthepopulation。ButintheSouthernStatestheselowestranksarecomposedofslaves，anditisverydifficulttoemploythematsea。Theyareunabletoserveaswellasawhitecrew，andapprehensionswouldalwaysbeentertainedoftheirmutinyinginthemiddleoftheocean，oroftheirescapingintheforeigncountriesatwhichtheymighttouch。]
[Footnoten:\"Darby’sViewoftheUnitedStates，\"p。444。]