In the long record of human migrations there | derful mineral wealth, and made it more alluring has never been any one so vast in its volume, so constant in its flow, and so great in its various effects as that which, having within a generation removed Ohio from the frontier to the interior, has carved all of the trans-Mississippi into Territories and States, supplied it with an intelligent population and with laws, planted its valleys, pastured its hills, connected it with rails, penetrated its wonVOL. XIV.-16

to fancy than Colchis to the Argonauts, and more attractive to energy than ever the Atlantic States were to European hope. The California migration is an independent episode, and generally understood, though incomplete. Less is known of that other efflux whose more ancient germ is now again swelling lustily and to rival, perhaps excel, the Californian in its values; to affect the

industrial as well as the political complexion of the rest of the Union, the continent, and the world. The past, present and future of this are made vital by the visit of ex-President Grant to Mexico, traversing in peace the route he followed with victorious arms only three decades ago; and by suggestion as well as assertion commanding notice.

In less than half a century after San Salvador rose before the longing eyes of Columbus, Spanish greed for gold-the auri sacra fames of all timehad not only subjugated the islands of the Gulf, and conquered Central America, Peru and Mexico, but it had penetrated New Mexico with Nuñez and

but a year; since which time there have been more than forty revolutions, and the country has been vexed by British, French and Spanish, as well as by American and domestic arms; and has existed under imperial, royal, dictatorial, republican and military governments, and in anarchy. The United States was not brought into contact with its neighbor until after the purchase of the Louisiana territory from France in 1803. The little fringe of Atlantic colonies had no grasp beyond the head-waters of the Ohio on the west, or below Georgia south, when their independence was won a century ago. At the beginning of this century Mexico claimed all of the trans

Onate, and led Cortez to California, and Vasquez | Mississippi world from the Sabine River on the east Coronado to Colorado. Alas! that we shall never know the civilizations they overthrew and the arts they destroyed! They conquered. Before 1521 Cortez had subdued Mexico, and until within a half century it was ruled and misruled by Spain. The rare though imperfect culture of the Aztecs and Toltecs was crushed out. We know of their laws and government and worship and arts and science by fragments only. Precisely three centuries after Spain dispossessed Guatemozin, the Spanish power, which had been shaken by Hidalgo's revolt in 1810, was broken, and independence was won with Iturbide. His sway lasted

to Oregon north that was coveted and claimed by Great Britain; Spain possessed Florida, and France that vast Louisiana territory which, purchased for $15,000,000 in 1803, has been partitioned into Arkansas, Dakota, Iowa, the Indian Territory, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska, comprehending 672,706 square miles, and if Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming with their 599,721 square miles are added under the clause of the treaty conveying "all of the country west of the Mississippi not occupied by Spain, up to the British Territory," reaches 1,272,427 square miles. The ces

indeterminate between the loose boundaries of years later the American population in that proTexas and the uncertain limits of Great Britain vince numbered 20,000; and when Mexico atin Oregon. tempted to unite Texas with Coahuila in 1833, Texas, first settled by Lavalle on the Lavacca in and subordinate the greater to the less-enterprise