"Thus was brought to the people of the United States a question which had never been contemplated by the framers of the constitution. That instrument had been the production of the wisest men of the times. They had successfully met the problem of drawing into an indissoluble union the thirteen states, many of which were acting under peculiar laws which were contrary to the Declaration of Independence, under which the battles for freedom had been fought and won. While there was authority for the admission of new states, there was no constitutional permission for the purchase of territory. The power of the Federal government to perform acts of sovereignty had not yet been passed upon, and there was grave doubt as to the wisdom of ratifying the treaty without a constitutional amendment. When we look over the results which have followed this expansion of our country, when we calculate our manifest growth in population, in wealth and in industry, all of these appear insignificant beside the result which was accomplished in showing to the world that we were living under a constitution broad enough in its provisions to be so interpreted as to insure success to popular government. That Jefferson and his advisers acted wisely in so construing their power at that time is undoubted. If there were no other achievements of that wonderful administration, then this alone would suffice to make it a memorable one. "Doubt, lack of courage and insincere opposition are always the refuge of a coward. Here was a nation demanding that which was necessary for its trade, desirous of reaching a solution through peaceful means if possible, but determined to acquire it at all hazards if necessary. There was no question as to the consent of those whom we took over, and to whom we gave the protection of our flag, or as to nice points of constitutionality, when the greater object in view was the onward progress of civilization, the building up of hope and the fulfillment of our destiny as a nation, to perpetuate those principles which mean so much in the redeeming of the world. The exigencies of a later war found a precedent in the courage of Jefferson and enabled Lincoln to wipe from the escutcheon of state the blot of slavery which had too long tarnished it.