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¦of America. Who does not see, then, that every year hereafter, European commerce, European politics, European thoughts, and European activity, although actually gaining greater force—and European connections, although actually becoming more intimate—will nevertheless relatively sink in importance; while the Pacific Ocean, its shores, its islands, and the vast regions beyond, will become the chief theatre of events in the World's great Hereafter 1 Who does not see that this movement must effect our own complete emancipation from what remains of European influence and prejudice, and in turn develop the American opinion and influence which shall remould constitutions, laws, and customs, in the land that is first greeted by the rising sun 1 Sir, although I am no Socialist, no dreamer of a suddenly-coming millennium, I nevertheless cannot reject the hope that Peace is now to have her sway, and that as War has hitherto defaced and saddened the , Atlantic world, the better passions of mankind will soon have their development in the new theatre of human activity.
Commerce is the great agent of this movement. Whatever nation shall put that commerce into full employment, and shall conduct it steadily with adequate expansion, will become necessarily the greatest of existing States; greater than any that has ever existed. Sir, you will claim that responsibility and that high destiny for. our own country. Are you so sure that by assuming the one she will gain the other 1 They imply nothing less than universal commerce and > the supremacy of the seas. We are second to England, indeed, but, nevertheless, how far are we not behind her in commerce and in extent of Empire! I pray to know where you will go that you will not meet the flag of England, fixed, planted, rooted into the very earth ? . If you go northward, it waves over half of this Continent of North America, which we call our own. If you go southward, it greets you on the Bermudas, the Bahamas, and the Caribbee Islands. On the Falkland Islands it guards the Straits of Magellan; on the South Shetland Island it watches the passage round the Horn ; and at Adelaide Island it warns you that you have reached the Antarctic Circle. When you ascend along the southwestern coast, of America, it is seen at Gal-opagos, overlooking the Isthmus of Panama; and having saluted it there, and at Vancouver, you only take leave of it in the far Northwest, when you are entering. the Arctic Ocean. If you visit Africa, , you find the same victorious cross guarding the coast of Gambia and r Sierra Leone and St. .Helena. It watches you at Cape Town as you pass into the Indian Ocean ; while on the northern passage to that vast sea it demands your recognition from Gibraltar, as you enter the Mediterranean ; from Malta, when you pass through the Sicilian Straits; on thq Ionian Islands it waves in protection of Turkey; and at Aden it guards the passage from the Red Sea into the Indian Ocean. Wherever Western commerce has gained an entrance to the Continent of Asia, there that flag is seen waving over subjugated millions—at Bombay, at Ceylon, at Singapore, at Calcutta, at Lahore, and at Hong Kong; while Australia and nearly all the Islands of Polynesia acknowledge its protection.
Sir, I need not tell you that wherever that flag waves, it is supported and cheered by the martial airs of England. But I care not for that.    The sword is not the most winning messenger that can be sent