(Jl)c jTarmcr's iHoiitl)lw lliriitor. 



181 



tween tlie Iridiiiri corn and wheat, may lie oats, 

 or liailey, as llie qiialily of the lunil may wa!'- 

 laiil; and when tlie wlieal cio|j comes off, a|i|ily 

 a ti)|) (h'Kssing of lijne on tlieyoun^' herbage — ol 

 clover and arllHcial grasses — among Ihe sinhhle. 

 Proceed in this maimer with each sriiall field — 

 or so much of each Held as yon can ilo justice to 

 — In succession: and in the mean time, asahiliiy 

 permits, apply a top dressing of linjc to sncli 

 other fields as are to remain a few years imdis- 

 tnrlied Uy the plongh. Let yonr stock he of the 

 most valnahle kinds — anil if they are not so, go 

 on selectmg the liesi, until they all hecome of 

 that description ; lint keep no more than can be 

 icett kept: and so manage yonr stock and the 

 vegetalile products of the farm, as to njake the 

 greatest possible qnanlity of manure. These are, 

 in brielj the directions whicli have been fomid to 

 answer upon the worn-out lands of Chester; and 

 I presume they will prove eipially successful in 

 all cases, of similar soil and cinnale." 



The United States : its Productious and its 

 Prospects. 



To THt, EUITOU OF THK MuNTULY VlSlTOK : 



Washington, D. C, jYov. 25, 1844. 



DkarSir: — The most valuable public docu- 

 ment which has ever appeared in this coimtry, is 

 in ury opinion, the Census of ]lS40. I have oc- 

 casionally interesteil ujyself in looking over its 

 ample pages, and have brought together below, 

 many of the proiniuent liicis which it contains, 

 and have made some collateral remarks. In the 

 approaching winter season the liirmer finds his 

 holidays and leisure liir reading; and 1 have 

 thought these facts, blended with some anticipa- 

 tions of what (uir country may become at some 

 future time, might be more interesting lo him 

 than pages of a <lry detail of statistical informa- 

 tion. 



As much as we are said to boast of our coun- 

 try, if itapi)ears a little egotistical, it is scarcely 

 iiiore than the truth will warrant. If we com- 

 pare our countiy with any other in e.xistence, 1 

 think we shall harilly lose by such comparison 

 in any point of view, yoimg as we are. 



Our laws are the admiration of the world. — 

 Oiu' haliits, our modes of industry, and every 

 thing which relates to the experiment we are 

 making with respect to self-government, are 

 carefully tiotcd by other nations ; they know that 

 our success will operate unfavorably upon that 

 power which compels its subjects to bow implic- 

 itly to the stern mandates of the tilled few. lu- 

 <leed, foreigners seem to lake more interest in 

 riiaiters relating to our progress, strength and 

 advancement, than we do ourselves. 



The census ol' 1840 has been dis.sected by 

 them, classified, and arranged so as clearly to 

 show the amazing resources and the unexampled 

 prosperity of the Amei'Icau States. A recent 

 number of the London anil Paris Observer con- 

 tains a better digested account of the statistics 

 conlaiued in that census than has yet appeared 

 in any American pidilication. And although such 

 publications are of a most important chinacter 

 to the nalion, yet there are few who can be "in- 

 duced to devote long and indefatigaitle labcn's to 

 the collecting of facts and establishing of princi- 

 pleSi But lew have the requisite com|)rehen- 

 siveness of views, and still fewer sullirient in- 

 dustry and pertinacity of purpose." 1 lay but 

 slight i-laim to eitherof thc^e. But by introducing 

 the subject, some " may notice the useful truths 

 that are thrown out, and repeat them to others, 

 who may repeat them again, till they at length 

 becoii'.e, to a greater or less extent, incorporated 

 with the habits of thinking of the people." The 

 valuable information, iherelore, containeil in this 

 census, the increase of popidation, power, wealth 

 and resources which it developer, will remain 

 nearly as a dead letter lo the great mass of the 

 people of the Union, itnless brought before them 

 in ciinvenient portions by the private citizen who 

 feels interesteil in the subject, or by the conduc- 

 tors of the newspaper press. 



The l.isl is the sixth census which has been 

 taken since the fi>ririation of the goveriunent. — 

 The first appropriation made lo defray its ex- 

 penses was .S740,0(IO, and the whole cost has 

 probably exceeded $1,000,000. It embraces a 

 much greater variety of subjects than any pre- 

 ceding one, and will ri.'main as n monunient ol 

 the unexampled prosperity and advaticement ol 



the United States, during some of the years of 

 their infancy. 



" It is a wise and fortunate provision in the 

 Consliliiliou of the United States, that reipiires 

 a periodical census of the people. Its design 

 was lo furnish a basis for the distribution of di- 

 rect taxes; but it often hap|.'ens, as it did in this 

 case, that the government in apportioning and 

 levying (he taxes, incidentally draws out impor- 

 tant statistical facts, and while it oidy thinks of 

 raising revenues, discloses the pursuits and con- 

 dition of the people. * * Governments have 

 in some instances caused the circumstances of 

 their subjects and condition of their dominions 

 lo lie inipiired into, without the direct purpose of 

 levying taxes. Henry VllI of England, who, 

 with all his foibles, gave many proofs of large 

 and generous views, supported a statistical pro- 

 fessor and antii|uary — Leland — a man of great 

 learning and eutluisiasm in his pursuita. » * * 

 This is a noble example, and worthy to be fiillow- 

 ed by better sovereigns and by better govern- 

 ments than were those of England during the 

 reign of that king. Jt is not merely useful, it is 

 great and magnificent in a government, to extend 

 its views beyond the mere process of taxation. 

 By obtaining a thorough knowledge of the hab- 

 its and means of the people, it is not only enabled 

 lo make an ecpial distribution of the public bur- 

 thens, so that they may be lightly and cheerfully 

 borne, — it also discovers whether any part of the 

 social machinery labors and needs repair or re- 

 lieti .iiid whether any new art acquires encour- 

 agement, till lime and habit have made it siifii- 

 ciently strong to dispense with foreign aid, and 

 enabled it to repay the couiinuuily ten fold, for 

 all the expense and care of which it was the 

 subject. The legislaiure must make laws to con- 

 trol the actions and bend the property of the 

 people, and it cannot make itself too well ac- 

 quainted with the subjects in which it is opera- 

 ting so powerfully and intimately, both fiir the 

 present and the future. The people themselves, 

 by knowing more of each other's and the public 

 affairs, gradually shed their local antipathies and 

 prejudices, till iimtnal interest and affection 

 spring from acquaintance, and in time ripen into 

 a steady and durable patriotism. For a while to 

 come, as heretofore, we shall give vent to a little 

 yonthfnl vanity and arrogance, in computing onr 

 Increasing wealth and power, but these will in 

 the end be sobered into a n.atioiial pride and self- 

 respect, which are equally important as the basis 

 ol' the character of a whole people, and an ind- 

 vidual."* 



.Although ihis census embraces more subjects, 

 is much more full on those which it has consid- 

 ered, and is of vast importance to the nation and 

 to the world, yet it is desirable that whenever an- 

 other is taken it should be still further extended. 

 There would be a practical beuefif, as well as 

 gratification, in knovving the precise occupation 

 of our people; the professions, whether of divin- 

 ity, medicine, law, iinisic, or any thing else. — 

 '■ This liict seems to be as import.iiit as any in 

 the whole compass of statistical science; lor it 

 is the habits and character of the people that 

 consiitiile the strength and glory of a nation, anil 

 the tacts which lead us nearest lo these are to be 

 llii.' most sought al'ier.'' 



Thus far, we have been gaining from year to 

 year in strength and glory. "The tiffairs of the 

 country still go on, and i-\ery year finds an in- 

 creased number of ships in our ports, a greater 

 quantity of goods in our ware-houses, new roads 

 and canals constructed, new lands brought un- 

 der cultivation, and the old cultivated better, ami 

 new luaiinlactories erected and oilier arts intro- 

 duced." Our citizens are emnlons to excel in 

 every uuderlaking in which they embark. On- 

 ward^onwurd, is inscribed upon every move- 

 ment ; and there can be oliserveil in till classes a 

 degree ofaiid)ilion and a laudable pride of coun- 

 try, which make our rivers the largest, our moun- 

 tains the highest and our irees the tallest, that 

 are to be found under any zone. This ambition 

 discovers itself in all tlie walks of literature, in 

 every branch of mechanics, in sciilplnre, paint- 

 ing, and all the other arts; and the sciences find 

 willing votaries to engage in developing the 

 blessings which they hold in store for man, as 

 civilization propels him oiiwanl towards the |ier- 

 feclion of his being. We proslrate mountains — 



*i\. A. Review, ScybortsStatistic.il Annals, vol. 9. p. 218. 



fill up valleys, anil press llie sternest obstacles 

 beneath our feet. We yoke up the elements, 

 fire, air, vvaler, and as it were with a conjiiror'a 

 wand, bid them advance or recede at our will. — 

 Wilh more than Herculean power, these ele- 

 ments drag the accumulated weight of ten thou- 

 sand laboring hanil.s — soar wilh buoyant ease 

 into etherial space, or " walk the water like a 

 thing of life." We pry into the bowels of the 

 earth and peer into the sun, moon and stars to 

 see what engages the ciealiires of those upper 

 worlds. Our energy and industry have not only' 

 changed the appearance of animate, but inani- 

 mate ihjnirs. By care and cultivation the animal 

 creation is subdued and becomes subservient to 

 our purposes, and made lo a.ssurne a size and 

 shape never known without the fostering care of 

 man. Onr spindles revolve upon a thousand 

 streams, and onr shuttles fly in twice ten thou- 

 sand looms. When we can shake off some of 

 the more sober and malerial cares of life — when 

 we have prostrated a thousand millions of 

 acres of forest— when we shall go, as it were, an 

 evening's neighlmring into the islands of the 

 ocean — bring China and the northern shores of 

 Asia within a week's sail, and England and 

 France within speaking distance — say when we 

 number about thirty millions— then, when the 

 hurry and bustle and vexation and uncertainty of 

 planting a new couniry have resolved themselves 

 into liicts, and we feel that we have got a foot- 

 hold which cannot be <n';)^erfi(/> without carrying 

 the soil with it, then will thousands of our citi- 

 zens of both sexes strike into the most elavated 

 pursuits of lileratnre, and explore every depart- 

 ment of letters — and then the labors of genius 

 will work out as many wonderful developements 

 in Natural History, Chemistry, Philo,sopliy, As- 

 tronomy, Geology and Mathematics, as they have 

 already done in the arcana of the sciences and 

 the arts. Then, situated much as the (iirmer is 

 when his crops are all in and springing to matu- 

 rity, then the Nalion will turn its alleniion to 

 .Viiisic, Poetry, Painting, Sculpture and all things 

 else which lend lo elevate, refine and embellish 

 civilized life ; and show that nothing within the 

 scope of mind and industry can be longer mo- 

 nopolized by ihe old world! Compared with 

 other nations, we shall be aged even in our 

 youth. 



We have already risen like a strong man and 

 compelled the nations of the earth to yield its 

 l''at respect lo which we are justly entitled; not 

 by conquests made, nor by any "entangling alii 

 ances" with the mighty, but by that common 

 sense of right which pervades every honest heart. 

 The eyes of millions of onr kind are turned lo 

 this country as the bivth-place of freedom and 

 the home of llie oppressed. — Scan this vastly-ex- 

 tended continent — go down to the antipodes and 

 inquire in that hive of human beings — search 

 among the archipelagoes of the east, those time- 

 honored abodes of man, and where, on this mov- 

 ing ball, do yon find a peo|)le who come so near 

 the pertectioii and dignity of man, — who enjoy 

 in so great a degree, liberty of thought and ac- 

 tion, as the sous of onr own free soil .' 



Our unnatural mother bo.ists her supremacy; 

 and if her conduct had squared with her wealth 

 and experience, it might never have been matter 

 of quesiion with us. She sometimes invidiously 

 asks, "who reads an .American book," as though 

 America had nol produced men capable ol writ- 

 ing a good book. We smile at her envy, and 

 refer her to our literature for a reply. We once 

 looked lip to her with feelings of reverence and 

 respect. But, resisted in the plenitude of her ex- 

 actions, she forbade us bed and board, drove us 

 from home, and then quarrelled with ns because' 

 we refused to abide her sage teachiiig.s. She 

 owes us a grudge from sheer envy. The tide of 

 mistress of Iheseas our ttirs have gallantly plucked 

 from her crown, and unless her policy is changed, 

 one after anolher will all her pompons titles be 

 stripped away, leaving her but a bare catalogue 

 of her atrocities, where she supposed her jewels 

 were so firmly set. We ask no favors at her 

 hands: we concede nothing lo her ambition. So 

 long as we have truth and justice as our buckler 

 ami shield, she may " imagine a vain thing," but 

 we can successfully resist her cormorant grasp. 



The Englishmtm cannot understand the rapid- 

 ity of .\merican progress, becau.se his mind has 

 never conceived the independent feelings, the 

 energy, and the self-reliance which animate all 



