2. It soon became clear that the development of the Western States east of the Mississippi required the possession of the lower part of the river and the territory on its western bank. Circumstances were favorable to its acquisition, and Louisiana, extending from the mouth of the river far up toward its head waters, including several hundred thousand square miles of as valuable land as was to be found on the continent, was purchased. It entered into the vindictive6 policy of Napoleon Bonaparte to injure England by strengthening America, and it was obtained for the comparatively insignificant7 sum of fifteen million dollars. This annexation8 was altogether essential to the security and development of the larger part of the original territory.
3. Florida was discovered and settled by the Spaniards, who claimed the coast along the Gulf9 of Mexico to the Mississippi river. Though it was not commercially or agriculturally important to us, it became in the hands of a power not very friendly, the support and refuge of the barbarous and resolutely10[552] hostile Indians of our southern border. It was necessary to nearly exterminate11 them to obtain peace, but no absolute security could be assured while the Spanish territory protected them in their retreat before our armies. Peace, security against the Indians, and freedom from the intermeddling of a European Power required the acquisition of that peninsula and the Gulf Coast. After twenty years of occasional negotiation13 it was purchased for five millions of dollars. This was the most convenient way, also, of settling an account for spoliations on our commerce which we held against Spain, and the only means she then possessed14 of making payment. Thus another annexation was made under the pressure of circumstances.
4. By this time a sufficient degree of expansion and strength had been acquired by the New Nation to inspire in it great confidence in itself and grand views of its future, and the “Monroe Doctrine15,” that the United States would refrain from all meddling12 with the politics of Europe, but would resolutely oppose the meddling of any European power with the politics of this continent, was adopted. This doctrine did not propose any interference with other governments already established here, but America was to be left to its present possessors, and European ambition was to look elsewhere for kingdoms to conquer or found. A tacit protectorate over all America was assumed, in order to prevent the entrance of any other element that might build up a system hostile to our interests and progress. It was a legitimate16 conclusion from the principles and necessities that had led to the inauguration17 of the annexation policy. The nation claimed that it had a right to keep the ground clear from obstacles to its natural development. It was a system of growth and protection involving no ideas of conquest by force, and no menace to governments already established.
5. The third addition to our territorial18 area took place under circumstances which all true Americans will ever regret. If stated by our enemies it would be said that, after encouraging the settlement of the territory of a neighbor by our own[553] citizens, and giving them covert19 support in withdrawing that territory from its proper owners, we took possession of it, and when they naturally undertook to protect, or recover it, we made a war of invasion on them, employed our superior skill and vigor20 to disarm21 their State, and took as much more of their territory as suited our purposes; in short, that we picked a quarrel, and being the strongest bound and robbed them.
6. It cannot be agreeable to lovers of justice and defenders22 of equal rights, that there should be so much of truth in this statement as to render it impossible to clearly and distinctly prove the contrary. There was, however, an element of the necessary and unavoidable, even in this, that was more in harmony with the previous system of acquisition than appeared on the surface. Texas presented, perhaps, the finest climate and the greatest facilities for money-making on the continent. The Mexicans inherited the religion and hatred23 of protestants with the haughty24, repelling25 spirit of the Spaniards, and wished to preserve the old Spanish policy of separating themselves from us by a broad barrier of desert and wilderness26. They did not wish to settle Texas themselves, nor feel willing that any one else should. It is inevitable27 that enterprise and strength, impelled28 by self-interest, will disregard such wishes. Americans are neither perfect nor magnanimous enough to stand on ceremony when their interests are concerned. The best that can be said of them is that they are more moderate and self-contained than any other people. The necessities of the institution of slavery required more territory to balance the rapid increase of free States, and this precipitated29 the movement that was inevitable sooner or later from other causes. Indeed the first patent of territory obtained in Texas, from the Mexican government, was by a native of Connecticut. The rapid growth of commerce in the Pacific ocean, the agreeable climate and fertile soil of California, and the unsettled, wilderness state of that region, caused the commercial nations of Europe to look at it with longing30 eyes. The Monroe doctrine was in danger of being violated. England had fully31 prepared to plant[554] a colony there when it was taken possession of by the American forces.
7. Thus the enterprise and energy of the nation, which had still further developed its instinct, or anticipations32 and plans, of future greatness, required to use the vast resources of the Gulf region, and to extend settlements to the Pacific Slope in order to develop the mineral resources of that region and prepare to build up its commerce with Eastern Asia. The northern parts of Mexico were useless to her, since she had neither population to occupy them, nor strength to subdue33 the Indians who roamed over them in scattered34 bands. There is a justice and propriety35 which has the force of Natural Law in allowing the active and vigorous to take possession of the natural resources that others can not or will not develop. The earth was made for mankind as a whole, and what cannot benefit one race, another, that is able to employ it for its own and the general good, has some show of right in entering upon. That, at least, must be the justification36 of our ancestors in intruding37 themselves upon the lands and hunting grounds of the aboriginal38 inhabitants of America, and our only excuse for making war with the Indians, forcing them to part with their lands, confining them to reservations, and denying to King Philip, Powhattan, and Tecumseh the admiration39 and esteem40 we give to the patriotic41 defenders of our native land and natural rights.
8. It is to be regretted that the vast and valuable territory acquired from Mexico should be the spoil of conquest rather than the fruit of peaceful negotiation; but the eagerness of the speculator, the unreasonable42 pride and selfishness of the Mexican, and the peculiar43 requirements of our internal conflict over slavery put to silence, for a time, the voice of moderation and equity44, and we annexed45 near 1,000,000 square miles of territory by force. The payment of $18,500,000, when we might have taken it without, was an indication that our ordinary sense of justice was not altogether quenched46.
9. We may reasonably consider that this was exceptional, and that the confusion of judgment47 and the disorder48 consequent on the life and death struggle of the institution of slavery,[555] which were in a few years to produce the most terrible civil war known to history, led us into the comparatively moderate aggression49 and violence that marked this annexation to our territorial area. Our traditional policy is to acquire peaceably, and with a satisfactory remuneration, such territory as the national progress and development demand. It is contrary to the spirit of our institutions to oblige the majority of the inhabitants of any region not within our boundaries to form a part of the Republic.
10. Two annexations50 have been made since the Mexican war. Arizona was obtained by treaty and purchase from Mexico, in 1854, and Alaska by treaty and purchase from Russia, in 1867. The first is valuable for its mineral treasures. It was useless to Mexico, though we gave $10,000,000 for it. It will ultimately be worth to us hundreds of millions, and its ruins of an ancient people will be replaced by a thriving population of intelligent freemen. Alaska is specially51 valuable in relation to our future commerce with Asia, and for its fisheries and fur trade. Its internal resources are, as yet, scarcely known.
11. The superior stability of American institutions and the love of law and order of the American people may make annexation desirable and profitable to the more volatile52 and unsteady Southern States of America, but it is probable that no labored53 efforts to induce annexation will be tolerated by the mass of the people. We may fairly judge that we have reached our natural boundaries; that the advancement54 of neighboring governments in order and intelligence will suffice to give protection to the comparatively small numbers who may find a better field for their energies without than within the union; and that if any future annexations are made it will be by the purchase of uninhabited regions that may be more valuable to us than to their owners; or that, if any inhabited regions are incorporated into the union, it will be at the instance and desire of its own inhabitants rather than of our people. We are the special champions of popular and all other rights, and shall never be likely to forget ourselves again so far as to repeat the Mexican war, however pressing our desires.
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1
tributaries
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| n. 支流 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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cession
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| n.割让，转让 | |
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vindictive
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| adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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annexation
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| n.吞并，合并 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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exterminate
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| v.扑灭，消灭，根绝 | |
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meddling
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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negotiation
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| n.谈判，协商 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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inauguration
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| n.开幕、就职典礼 | |
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territorial
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| adj.领土的，领地的 | |
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covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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disarm
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| v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和 | |
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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repelling
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| v.击退( repel的现在分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
precipitated
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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intruding
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| v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于 | |
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aboriginal
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| adj.（指动植物）土生的，原产地的，土著的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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42
unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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equity
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| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
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45
annexed
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| [法] 附加的，附属的 | |
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46
quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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47
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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48
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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49
aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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50
annexations
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| n.并吞，附加，附加物( annexation的名词复数 ) | |
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51
specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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52
volatile
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| adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质 | |
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53
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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54
advancement
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| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
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