1)8 ON AMERICA. May 25 



as finally linked on the experiment intruded to the 

 hands of the American people.— O great and luminous 

 principles of eternal truth, never to be forgotten ! And 

 how muft Britons tremble when they read them, and 

 refleft upon the fatal deciiion of the 19th of April, but 

 juft elapfed, concerning the flavery and the fulTerings 

 of their fellow creatures in Africa, and in the colonies 

 of America; a decifion that muft, and Ihall be reverfed, 

 iince Britons can ne%-er confent to be punilhed by the 

 avenging majefty of Heaven, to pleafe the vile fordid 

 views of planters, of flave merchants, and rich pro- 

 prietors of Weft India ellates, while the voice of the 

 nation, of humanity, and chriftianity, cries aloud for 

 juftice. 



The dye on which the future grandeur, profperity, 

 and happinefs of America is caft, is the education of 

 youth : If that in the now riiing generation (hall ope- 

 rate to efteft the wifhes of Waihington and of Philan- 

 thropy, difappointment is impofiible ; for on that plat- 

 form the fuperftrufture of future fociety muft be raif- 

 ed, and from the materials that are ufed, and the art 

 that is employed in the woi k, the beauty or deformity, 

 the ftrength or the weakiufs, the ufe or infignificancy, 

 muft be determined. This is a fubjeft of immenfe and 

 unmeafureable importance, which has arifen from the 

 nature of the conteft in America, that was fucceeded 

 by her final independence : For during thefe troubles, 

 when all men were foldiers, or engaged in the violence 

 of hoftility or party, when every advantage was taken 

 of the fituation of the country, from the depreciation 

 cf the current money to build private fortune at the 

 expence of public benefit and moral honefty, what 

 kind of inftitution, what fort of example could be af- 

 forded to children ? Thefe evils did by no means ter- 

 minate with the war ; they muft extend until new vir- 

 tue is infufed into the mafs of the people, by a pro- 

 per education of youth. 



