John Sherman: “Kansas is therefore at this moment as much a slave state as Georgia or South Carolina.”

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.

The events of the future are beyond the vision of mankind, but I hope our people will be content with internal growth, and avoid the complications of foreign acquisitions.

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

What I have written is no doubt clouded with partisanship, but I would not be honest if I did not express my attachment to my party.