104 On the Natural Boundaries of Empires. 
Of all those who live sires sight of the Blue Mountain, 
probably not one in a thou ave ever visited its summit. 
hese few were the Spubitida inhabitants of the eae but 
even they could not establish a permanent residen 
he range of mountains between the New En fend states 
and Canada, are a better boundary than the St. Lawrence. 
The inhabitants on the nots sides of a mountain, sel- 
dom think alike on any subje 
This may be accounted oe in the following manner. 
he sun never shines equally, on the two sides of a moun- 
tain at the same time. An inhabitant of the north, looks 
upon the mountain, and beholde i it enveloped in shade. An 
inhabitant of the south beholds it resplendent in light and all 
the landscape enlivened by the rays of the sun. How can 
two individuals who see the same object in such different 
points of view, ever be brought to think alike on any sub- 
ject. 
. Again, the temperature o of the air is always different. A 
ae ¥ of the South visiting the country to the north, shivers 
yeti while all around him are gay, lively, and happy. 
n people who feel so differently in the same climate, 
ever Fhe friendly subjects of one government. 
ere is a shield placed on the summit of every moun- 
tain, one half is painted white, the other is painted black, 
the inhabitants on the opposite cae look upon the same 
shield, but cannot agree as to its co 
The effect of this has been perceived in the councils of 
more than one of the United Stat 
In Pennsylvania, I have been sitorined by a member of the 
Legislature, that, on many questions, the opinion of the mem- 
bers is known from their residence on the east or west of 
the mountains. 
The same fact is confirmed as it respects Virginia by the 
author of “ Letters from the south” he says the mountain 
called the Blue Ridge not only forms the natural, but the 
political division of Virginia. That on the somnted is called 
Old Virginia, and that on the West, New Vir, the 
inhabitants of these several territories, occasionally exhibit 
a considerable degree of hostile feeling towards each other. 
* All the considerable states to the south of New York in- 
elusive, have two distinct and separate local interests, or rath- 
er, states of local feeling. The eastern and western sections 
