300 3IR HAMILTON ON THE PROSPECTS OF THE UNION. 



some period attained strength, and from the earliest ages, the 

 earth has been watered with the blood of the best and bravest 

 of mankind, in attempts to check the workings of its spirit. 

 The form of aristocracy is already raised in the United States, 

 and many of the citizens, when conversing with me on the in 

 stitutions and inhabitants of their country, strongly displayed 

 a feeling of aristocracy. If there is latent danger to the 

 constitution of the Union, in the present state of things, it is 

 from the seeds of aristocracy. 



Human nature is said to be the same on both sides of the 

 Atlantic, and the population of the United States and Bri 

 tain having sprung from a common source, and inheriting the 

 same natural dispositions, the growth of aristocracy in the 

 former might be inferred from the experience of the latter, 

 provided all the circumstances affecting the inhabitants were 

 similar. But history does not furnish a parallel to the United 

 States, and the experience of past ages, and analogies of other 

 countries, are inapplicable to them. 



The United States were first settled by people seeking re 

 lief from religious persecution, who, in the neighbourhood of 

 Boston, worshipped the Author of the Universe according to 

 their conscience, which liberty had been denied them in Eng 

 land. It may, perhaps, not be going too far to suppose the 

 finger of Providence pointed the way to the pilgrims, since 

 which, many of the persecuted of the human race have found 

 a sanctuary in the same territory. When the conduct of the 

 mother-country goaded the colonies to rebellion, they shook 

 off her yoke at an enlightened period of the world, with the 

 history of past ages before their eyes, and almost without an 

 obstacle to adopt the advantages, and shun the evils recorded. 

 The career of the States is evidence of the judicious proceed 

 ings of the inhabitants, and the many privileges which they 

 enjoy can only be lost by their own corrupt and sinful 

 venality. 



The United States having risen and struggled into exist 

 ence in opposition to despotic power, a dislike of tyranny, and 

 love of liberty, pervades the inhabitants, and the institutions 

 of the country are calculated to nurture and retain such feel 

 ings. The unexampled and growing prosperity of the coun- 



