I Showed That This Did Not Involve Any Large Sum Annually; And
That, As In The Case Of British Columbia, The Loss Would Be Turned Into
A Profit By Sales Of The One-Fourth Of The Land To Be Given, In Return
For The Responsibilities, Taken, To Our Country.
Again, the cost of
government might be recouped by a moderate system of duties in and out
of the territory, to be agreed with Canada and British Columbia on the
one hand, and the United States on the other.
This, in outline, was one
plan. The next was, to sell a portion of the territory to the United
States at the price, which I knew could be obtained, of a million. A
third plan which I suggested was, to open up portions of the "Fertile
belt" to colonization from the United States. To offer homes, in a
bracing, healthy country - with fertile lands and long waterways - to the
multitudes of men and women in Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, and many other
States, who desired to flee from war and conflict; whose yearning was
for settled government and peace. These men and women had still
resources, friends, and credit, and if our country opened its arms to
them, they would flock to the old red flag, and bring their energies to
bear on the industrial conquest of these vast regions to the West.
But - if any man went, morally, down on his knees to another, I did to
the Duke, to beg, beseech, implore, - that this great bargain, this
purchase of purchases, of a Continent, should be made for our country,
and should be untainted by even the suspicion of a mercantile
adventure.
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