John Sherman: “All who voted for the bill were either refused a nomination or were defeated by the people at the polls.”

If my life is prolonged I will do all I can to add to the strength and prosperity of the United States, but nothing to extend its limits or to add new dangers by acquisition of foreign territory.

Canada and Mexico as independent republics will be more valuable to the United States than if carved into additional states.

Though my grateful thanks are due to them and have been often expressed, yet I have felt, as they do, that my duty was to the whole country.

Our family of states is already large enough to create embarrassment in the Senate, and a republic should not hold dependent provinces or possessions.