ese magnificent prospects the heart beats
with joy in the breasts of those who were permitted to see the
dawn of these bright days, and who are assured that so many
happy presages will be accomplished."

There was another prophet, greater than all--prophet and
priest--who, higher up the mountain than others, heard more
distinctly the voice of destiny, whose heart and soul were full
of prophecy and whose every faculty was tense and strong as he
wrought for our nation's advancement and for the peace and
contentment of his fellow-countryman. From the fullness of
gratitude and joy, he thus wrote to one who had assisted in the
consummation of this great treaty:

"For myself and my country, I thank you for the aid you have
given in it; and I congratulate you on having lived to give
these aids in a transaction replete with blessings to unborn
millions of men, and which will mark the face of a portion of
the globe so extensive as that which now composes the United
States of America;" and when, as President, he gave notice in a
message to Congress of the actual occupancy by the Government of
its new acquisition, he happily presaged the future and gave
assurance of his complete faith and confidence in the beneficent
result of our nation's extensions, in these words: "On this
important acquisition, so favorable to the immediate interests
of our western citizens, so auspicious to the peace and security
of the nation in general, which adds to our country territories
so extensive and fertile and to our citizens new brethren to
partake of the blessings of freedom and self-government, I offer
Congress and our country my sincere congratulations."

Our prophets do not live forever. They are not here to see how
stupendously the growth and development of the American nation,
or the domain newly acquired in their day, have, during a short
century, outrun their anticipations and predictions.

Almost within the limits of the territory gained by the
Louisiana purchase, we have already carved out twelve great
States, leaving still a large residue whose occupants are even
now loudly clamoring for statehood.

Instead of the 50,000 white settlers who occupied this domain in
1803, it now contains 15,000,000 of industrious, enterprising,
intelligent Americans, constituting about one-fifth of th