Manifest Destiny. 265 



mj belief they'd be very glad to stay, when tliey got 

 into the enclosure. The principles that have kept the 

 States together thus far; that holds the thirty-one 

 States under a common government, are strong 

 enough, and broad enough, to keep a hundred States 

 together — and that if our form of government will 

 answer for the territory we've got now, it'll answer for 

 all North America, and may be for South America, 

 too." 



'' Why," said I, " Tucker, you're a ' manifest des- 

 tiny' man, and go with the 'Young America' j^arty." 



" I ain't a politician," he replied, " and don't be- 

 long to any party. I make it a pint always to vote, if 

 it's only to keep me in mind that I'm a free man, and 

 entitled to a voice in makin' the officers, and laws by 

 wliioh I'm to be ruled. I've hearn a good many peo- 

 ple talk about the country bein' in danger, and the 

 Union unsafe. I never believed a v/ord of it. I've 

 hearn them talk larnedly about the trouble, that 

 might be looked for, from spreadia' out so fast. I 

 never believed a word of that. This countrv has 

 bc^n sprea':Mn' ou\ from the- time the vrhi+p rr-an's axe 

 hewed down its iirit lorcsx tree, and every acre ihat's 



been added to it, has made it stronger. So I say the 



12 



