human
I think, said Uncle Ben,
gpt
Send you there in five minutes by the watch! answered the little man;
human
gpt
What, said Uncle Ben,
human
gpt
Don't know what you mean by stages, said the little man,
human
gpt
Go by steamboat, said Fulton.
human
Steamboat! repeated the little man,--
gpt
human
That is admitting something, burst out Fulton, who had sat like a statue, watching the little man's volubility.
gpt
But, said Uncle Ben,
human
Uncle Ben was always a shrewd fellow in the way of dollars and cents, and I could see he was very anxious about that money.
gpt
Oho! oho! said the little man;
human
gpt
These gentlemen, replied Uncle Ben,
human
gpt
The other gentleman, continued I,
human
gpt
Well, I declare! ejaculated the little man,
human
gpt
Gutta Percha!--Magnetic telegraph!--_Republic_ of Europe! --repeated all of them.
human
All built under water, and sustained by buoys, continued the little man,
gpt
human
Republic of Europe! exclaimed Jefferson, again.
gpt
Yes, sir, said the little man,
human
gpt
Well, thinks I to myself,
human
But the little man chattered away, and declared that Europe was divided into two republics, the Eastern and Western; that Constantinople was the capital of the Western; that Africa and Asia were also republican; until the three signers of the Declaration, perfectly wrought up to a frenzy of joy, rose up from their seats, took off their hats, and swinging them round, gave
gpt
Three cheers for '76, and the old Army of the Revolution!
human
Great changes these! continued the little man,
gpt
and he motioned us away, and, leading on, he conducted us to an observatory on the top of the building. Such a prospect I never before beheld. Away, around, on every side, stretched a mighty city, whose limits the eye could not reach. Towers, temples, spires, and masts succeeded towers, temples, spires, and masts, until they were lost in the distant haze. Canals traversed every street, and boats of merchandise were loading and unloading their freights. Steam-carriages were puffing along the roads that ran by the canal, some filled with pleasure parties, and some laden with goods. Turning my eye to an elevation, I saw fifty-six gigantic monuments, whose peaks were nearly lost in the sky, ranged in a line, all alike in form and sculpture.
human
These, said the little man,
gpt
and, taking out his telescope, he handed it to Uncle Ben, who read aloud among the inscriptions the names, FRANKLIN, JEFFERSON, ADAMS.
human
But let us know what this city is called? inquired Jefferson.
gpt
This, sir, is called _Columbiana_; it lies on the west bank of the Mississippi, population five millions, according to the last census.
human
But what supports it?
gpt
Supports it! The great East India trade. That vessel down there is direct from Canton, by ship canal across the Isthmus. All Europe is secondary to us now. No doubling capes, as was done in _your_ day. Yonder stands the Capitol; and the whole North American continent is annually represented there. The city of San Francisco alone sends forty-four members. There, continued he, pointing his finger,
human
--and I saw that Adams waked up when he heard the question.
gpt
Don't know any such division, replied he.
human
The great measure of the day, upon which parties are divided, is the purchase of the South American continent at five hundred millions of dollars. I go for it; and before another year the bargain will be consummated. We _must_ have more territory--we haven't got half enough. Extent of territory gives a nation dignity and importance. The old thirteen states of your day, gentlemen, were a mere cabbage patch, and should have been consolidated into one state. Ten or twenty days' sail ran you plump into a hostile port, and then you had a demand for duty. Besides, conflicting interests always brew up difficulties; and then come treaties, and finally war, and then debt, and at last oppressive taxation. A nation should own all the territory that joins it. The ocean is the only natural boundary for a people. Thinks I,
gpt
You have been a politician in your day, and I'll just engage you to correspond with a certain New York editor, who shall be nameless; you strike off the doctrine boldly!