Final answer:
Caleb Smith likely supported the ideals of the Homestead Act, which facilitated western expansion by providing land to settlers who improved it, embodying the nation's Manifest Destiny and anti-slavery sentiments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Homestead Act of 1862 played a significant role in encouraging western migration and settling the Great Plains by providing a method for citizens, including unmarried women, to own land. This was a pivotal moment in American history, where the federal government actively assisted in the expansion westward, aligning with the philosophy of Manifest Destiny and opposing the further spread of slavery.
Caleb Smith, as a member of President Lincoln's cabinet, would likely have aligned with the ideals of the Homestead Act as it represented the Republican Party's objective to populate the western territories with free laborers who opposed slavery. Although the specific quote from Smith is not provided, it would be reasonable to infer that if Smith commented on western expansion during this time, his quote would promote the ideals behind the Homestead Act.
The Act not only provided 160 acres of land to settlers but also spurred economic growth and offered a promise of freedom and independence, similar to what the Emancipation Proclamation aimed to achieve. Despite the challenges of improving the land, many Americans saw the Act as a chance to gain landownership and economic independence.