42 WESTERN" SUPEEMACY. 



tion and wealth of the East, together with the superior 

 power and influence which, under popular government 

 accompany them. The West will elect the executive 

 and control legislation. When the center of population 

 crosses the Mississippi, the West will have a majority 

 in the lower House, and sooner or later the partition of 

 her great territories, and probably some of the states, 

 will give to the West the control of the Senate.^ When 

 Texas is as densely peopled as Ncav England, it is hardly 

 to be supposed her miUions will be content to see the Q2,- 

 000 square miles east of the Hudson send twelve senators 

 to the seat of government, while her territory of 262,000 

 sends only two. The West will direct the policy of the 

 Government, and by virtue of her preponderating popu- 

 lation and influence will determine our national charac- 

 ter and, therefore, destiny. 



Since prehistoric times, populations have moved stead- 

 ily westward, as De Tocqueville said, "as if driven by 

 the mighty hand of God. " And following their migra- 

 tions, the course of empire, which Bishop Berkeley sang, 

 has westward taken its way. The world's scepter passed 

 from Persia to Greece, from Greece to Italy, from Italy 

 to Great Britain, and from Great Britain the scepter is 

 to-day departing. It is passing on to " Greater Britain," 

 to our Mighty West, there to remain, for there is no fur- 

 ther West ; beyond is the Orient. Like the star in the 

 East which guided the three kings with their treas- 

 ures westward until at length it stood still over the 

 cradle of the young Christ, so the star of empire, rising 

 in the East, has ever beckoned the wealth and power of 

 the nations westward, imtil to-day it stands still over the 



1 The movement of population and of power westward is shown by the cen- 

 sus of IS'JO. If imder this census the apportionment for representatives in 

 Congress is made so that the total membei-ship of the House remains the 

 same plus eight members from the six new states, the states east of the Mis- 

 sissippi will lose nine representatives and those west of it will gain nine in 

 addition to those from the six new states. That is, the East will be nine 

 members weaker and tlie West seventeen strongei*. 



