90 



Sl)e jTavmer^g jHontbls jlisitor. 



The colonies oF Spain, from tlicii- ori;.'in to tlip 

 end were subject to tin; sovereign aiithorily of 

 the kingdom. Their Guv^rnment, as well as 

 their conimerco, wns n strict home nioiio|)oly.— 

 ](■ we iidd to this, the estahlishcd iisajie of filling 

 iniporlaiit posts in thu administr.-ifion of the 

 Colonies, exclusively hy natives of Old Spain, 

 tbns cnllins ofl" liirevei-, all hopes of luinora'.>le 

 pr'^.lerment fioiii every man horn in the Western 

 hemisphere, canses ciioMgii rise np liefore lis at 

 once, to acconut folly for the snhseqiient history 

 and character of these provinces. The Viceroys 

 and Provincial Governors of Spain were never 

 S.I hoiiiP, in their iroverriments in America. They 

 did not feel that'thev were of the people, whom 

 they governed. There official character and 

 employment have a jjood deal of resemhiance to 

 those of the Pro-consnis of Rome, in Asia, Sci- 

 oilyand Gaid ; hut ohvionsly no resendilance to 

 those of Carver and Winthrop. and very little to 

 those of the Governors of Virginia after that 

 Colony had estahlislied a popidar house of Bur- 



£6t?SGS. 



The English Coloinsts in America, generally 

 speaking, were men, who were seeking new 

 homes in a new world. They brongiit with 

 them their thniilies and all that was nio<^ dear 

 to them. This was especially the case with the 

 colonists of Plymonlh.-iiid Massachuset's. Miiny 

 of them were edncated men, and all possessed 

 their foil shnre, according to their social coiuli- 

 tion, of the knowledge and attainments of that 

 jiL'c. The distinctive (diaracteristic of their set- 

 tlement, is the introduction of the civilization of 

 Ein-ope into wilderness, without bringing vviih it 

 the I'.oiitical inslilntions of Europe. 'I'hc arls, 

 seiences and liieralnre of Eugl.iiid came over 

 with the settlers. That great portion of the 

 common law, which regulates the social and per- 

 sonal relations and conduct of men, came also. 

 The ,Tin-y catne ; the habeas corpus came ; the t*s- 

 tamentory power came, and the law of inheritance 

 nnd descent came also, and except that pari of it 

 which recognizes the rights of primogenitm-e, 

 which either did not come at all, or soon gave 

 way to the ruleofeqnal partition of estates among 

 children. But the iMouarchy did not come, nor 

 the aristocracy, nor the church as ail estate of the 

 ■realm. Politic.il instifniions were to he I'ramed 

 anew, snch as shoidd be adapted to the stale of 

 thinas. But it could not b(Mloulitlul what should 

 be the nature and character of these institutions. 

 A general social equality prevailed among the 

 settlers, and an equality of l)olilical rights seemed 

 the natural, if not the necessary consequence. 

 After forty years of revolnticjn, violence and war,^ 

 the people of France have phiced at ihe head of 

 the fundamental instr -tits of their govern- 

 ment, as the great boon oblaineil by all their suf- 

 ferings and sacrifices, the declaration, that all 

 Frenchmen arc equal before the l.-iw. What^ 

 France had reached only by the BXpcnditnre of 

 so much blood and treasure, and the exlfibitirni 

 of so innid) crime, the'EuLdisli colonists obtained, 

 by simply changing their place, carrying wnli 

 them the' iniellcciual and uioial cidtnre of Eu- 

 rope, and the pi'rsnnal and soi-i.d relations to 

 which they v.ere accustomed, but leaving behind 

 their jiolilical insiiimions. It has been said uilh 

 nuic.h veracity, that the felicity of the American 

 <'olonists consisted in their escape from tin: past. 

 This is true, so far as respects polilical estahlisli- 

 ment.s, but no tiirther. They lirounlit with them 

 -•I full portion of all the; riches of the past, in 

 science, in arts, in morals, religion ami liteiatuie. 

 The Bible came with them. Anil it is not to be 

 doubted, that to the free and uiuversal reading of 

 the liihie, is to be ascribed in that age, as as- 

 cribed in every age. men were much indebted 

 for right views of civil libertv. The Bible is v 

 book of faith, and a book (d' doctrine; but it is 

 also a book, uhicli leaches man his own individ- 

 iial responsibility, his own dignity, and his eqnal- 

 itv with his f-llow man. Bacon, and Locki-, and 

 .Milton and Shakspeare also can-.e with them. 

 They came to form new political systems, but 

 all tiiat i)elonged to cultivated man, to tiimily. to 

 neighborhnod, to social relations accompanied 

 them. Tu the Doric phrase of one of our own 

 historians, "they came io settle on bare crea- 

 tion ;" btit their settlement in the wilderness 

 nevertheless, was not a lodgment oi' nominal 

 tribes, a mere resting |)lacc of roaming savages. 

 Tt was the beginning of a permanent cominiini- 

 ly, the fixed residence of cultivated men. Not 



only was English literature read, but English, 

 good English, was spoken and written, before 

 the iixe had iiiadi! way to let in the sun upon the 

 habitations and tields of Ihe settlers. And what- 

 ever may be said to the contrary, a correct use o( 

 the English language is, at tiiis day, more gene- 

 ral throughout the United States, tbiin it is 

 throughout England herself. But another grand 

 characlerisiic is, that in the English colonics, |)0- 

 liiical were left to be managed by the colonists 

 themselves. There is another fiict wholly dis- 

 tinsruishrng them in character as it has distin- 

 gnished them in iiirtiine, from the colonists of 

 Spain. Here lies the foundation of that experi- 

 ence in self-government, which had preserved 

 order, and security, and regnlariiy amidst the 

 play of popular institutions. Home government 

 was the secret of the jirosperity of the North 

 American settlements. The more distiugnished 

 of Ihe New En^jland colonists, with a most re- 

 markable sagacity, and a long sighted reach into 

 futurity, refused to come to Ami'rica, unless they 

 could bring with them charters providing the 

 administration of their ufTairs in this country. 

 They saw ti-om the first, the evils cf being gov- 

 erne.I in the new world, by counsels held in the 

 old. Acknowledging Ihe general superiority of 

 the crown, ihey still insisted on the right of pass- 

 ing local laws, and of local administration. And 

 history ti-aches ns the justice and tin! value of 

 this dciermiuatinn, in Ihe example of Virginia. 

 The oidy attempt to settle that colony fiiiled, 

 sometimes with the most melancholy and fata! 

 consvqueuces, from want of knowledge, care 

 and alteulion on the part of those who had the 

 charge of their affairs in Engl.-ind ; anil it was 

 only alter tiie issuing of the lliird charter, that 

 its prosperity fairly commenced. The cause 

 was that by that third chartei', the People of 

 Virginia, (for by this time they so deserve to be 

 called,) were allowed to constitute and establish 

 the first popular representative Assembly, which 

 ever convened on this continent, the Virginia 

 House of Burgesses. 



Here then, are the great elements of our polil- 

 ical .system originally introduced, early in opera- 

 tion, and ready to he develo[ ed, more and more 

 as the progress of events should justify or de- 

 mand. 



Escape from the existing political systems of 

 Europe : but the continued enjoyment of its sci- 

 ences and arts ; its literatm-e, and its manners; 

 with a series of improvements upon its religions 

 and moral sentiments and liabits ; home govern- 

 ments ; or the ppwer of passing local laws, with 

 a local administration. 



Equality of rights. 



Representative systems. 



Free forms of Government, founded on popu- 

 lar Re|)resentation. 



Few topics are more inviting, or iiinie fit for 

 philosophical discussion, than Ihe action and in- 

 fiuence of the new woild upon Ihe old; or the 

 contributions of America to Europe. 



Her ohligation> to Euro[ie tor science and art, 

 laws, liter.-iture and manners, America acknowl- 

 edges as she ouirhl, with respect and gratilude. 

 .\nd the people of the Uiuted States, descendent> 

 of the English stoci;, grateful for the treasures 

 of knowleilge derived from their English ances- 

 tors, acknowledirus also, with thanks and filial 

 regard, that among those ancestors, under the 

 culture of llam|.den and Sydney, and other as- 

 siihmns friends, that i=fe(\ of popular liberty first 

 irermiiuited, which on our soil has shot up to its 

 full height, imlil its branches overshadow all the 

 land. 



But America h.as not failed to make returns. 

 If she has not caiicilled the obli:;alion, or equalled 

 it by others of like weight, she has, at letist, m.ade 

 respectable advances, and some iijiproachcs to- 

 wards equality. And she admits, that staiMli.'ii; 

 in the midst of civilized nations, since in a civil- 

 ized age — a naiion among nations — ihere is a 

 high part which she is expected to act, for the 

 aener.al .advance of human interests and human 

 welfare. 



American mines have filled the mints of En 

 rnj e with the precious metals. The productions 

 of the .Amt'iicaii soil and climare have punreil 

 oiit their .abimdance of luxuries for the laMes of 

 ihe rich, and of neces.siries ti;pr the sustenance 

 of the poor. Birds and animals of beauty and 

 value have been added to the European stocks; 

 and traiisplanlalions from the iransceiidaiit and 



miequalled riches ofour forests have mingled 

 themselves protusely w itli the elms, aud aslies, 

 and drnical oaks of England. 



America has m.-ide contributions far more vast. 

 Who can estimate Ihe amoimt, or the value, of 

 the augmeiitalion ol the connnerce of ihe world, 

 that has resulted from America.^ Who can ima- 

 gine to himself, what would be the shock to the 

 Eastern Continent, if the Atlantic were no long- 

 er travel sable, or there were no longer American 

 productions, or American markets.' 



But America exercises influences, or holds out 

 examples for the coiiBiileration of the Old World, 

 of a much higher, because they are of a moral 

 and political characteiy 



America has I'urnished to Europe proof of the 

 fact that popular institutions, louiided on equality 

 and the principle of represenlajion, are capable 

 of maintaining governments — able to secure the 

 righls of person, projieity and repnialion. 



America has proved that it is praciicable to 

 elevate the ijiass of mankind— that portion which 

 in Europe is called the laboring, or lower class 

 — to raise them to self-respect, to make them 

 competent to act a part in the great right, and 

 great duty, of self-government ; and this she has 

 proved may be done by education and the diffu- 

 sion of knowledge. She holds out an exam|)le, 

 a thousaiiil limes more enchanting than ever was 

 pi-eseiited before, to those nine-tenths of the hu- 

 man race who are born without hereditary fqi"- 

 tune or hereditary rank. 



.■\merica has liirnislied to the world the char- 

 acter of Washington I Aud if our American 

 institutions have done nothing else, that alone 

 would have entitled them to the reupecl of man- 

 kind. 



^Vaslliugtoll ! •' First in war, first in peace, 

 and first in the hearts of his countrymen !" 

 Washington is all our own! The enthusiastic 

 veneration and regard in which the people of 

 the United States hold him, lU'ove them to be 

 uorthy of such a coiniti yinaii ; while his reputa- 

 tion abroail reflects the highest lionor on his 

 country and his institutions. 1 would cheerfully^ 

 put the question to-day to the intelligence of 

 Europe and the v\orld, what character of the 

 century, upon the wnole, stands out in the relief 

 of history, most pure, most respectable, most 

 sublime ;" and 1 doubt not, that by a siifTrage ap- 

 proaching to uiianimit}, the answer would he 

 Washington ! 



This structure, by its iiiaightness, its solidity, 

 its durability, is no unfit enddem of his character. 

 His public virtues and [lublic principles were as 

 firm as the earth on which it stands ; his person- 

 al motives, as pure as the serene heaven in which 

 ils summit is lost. But, indeed, though a fit, it is 

 an inadequate emblem. Towering high above 

 the column which our hands have Iniilded, be- 

 hold, not by the inhabitants of a single city or a 

 single State — ascends the colossal grandeur of 

 his character, and his life. In all the constituents 

 of one — in all the acts of the other — in all its 

 titles to immortal love, admiration and renown — 

 it is an American pioduclion. It is the embodi- 

 ment aufl viiidicatiiin of our trans-Atlantic liber- 

 ty. Born upon our soil — of parents also born 

 lipou it — never lor a mouieiit having h;id a sight 

 of the old would — instructed, according to the 

 modes ol' his time, only in the spare, plain, but 

 wholesome elemenlary knowledge which our 

 institutions provide lor the children of the peo- 

 |,|e — growing up beneath and penetrated by the 

 genuine iiifiiieiices of American society— grosv- 

 iiig up amidst our expanding, but not luxnrioHs,^ 

 civilization — partaking in our great destiny of 

 labor, our long contest with unreclaimed nature 

 and uncivilized man — our agony of glory, the 

 war of inilepenilence — our great victory of peace, 

 ;lie forma' ion of the Union atid the esiabiishment 

 of tlie Consiilutiou— he is all — all our own! 

 That crowded anil glorious life — 



" Wlicre iiiuhitutlp ol virtues passed along, 

 Ivich pressing {bmiinst, in ttie mighty throng 

 Contending in be seen, llien makinij room 

 For srreater muUiudcs tliat wc.-e to come ; — ' 

 That life was the litV; of an American citizen. 



1 claim him ti.r America, In all the perils, in ' 

 every darkened moment of the state, in the 

 midst of the reproaches ol'enemies and the mis- 

 ;;ivings of friends— I turn to that transcendaiit 

 name for courage, and for consolation. To him 

 who denies, or doubts whether our fi?rvid liberty 

 can be combined with law, with order, with the 

 .security of property, with the pursuits and ad- 



