ed statesmen as *• a wise and liberal system of police, by 

 which property and hfe and the peace of society are best 

 secured." It renders unnecessary those more violent 

 and expensive methods to which other governments have 

 been compelled to resort, to restrain the licentious pas- 

 sions of their subjects. Notwithstanding the great in- 

 crease of our numbers, and the varied employments that 

 they are constantly pursuing, it is comparatively rare that 

 ihe penal code is called to exert itself upon one of our na- 

 tive citizens. Who is more interested in a continuance of 

 this state of things than the landholders of New-England, 

 "where the meanest labourer is far from being a slave, and 

 to whose integrity and moral principle and intelligence we 

 are often obliged to trust ? A degree of mental cultiva- 

 tion is essential to the happiness of a Farmer, as well as a 

 security for his rights. His occupation is furnishing him 

 with constant opporti!inities to reflect upon the dignity of 

 his moral nature. The smiles and the frowns of Provi- 

 dence affect his interests immediately, without the inter- 

 vention of second causes. Every object around him leads 

 to the most sublime and interesting contemplations ; and 

 if pursued with proper feelings, must lead to the most 

 "beneficial effects to his character. Let our hterary insti- 

 tutions decay, (as appears to be the wish of modern inno- 

 vators) and but a few generations will pass before our de- 

 scendants from the Hesperian gardens of the West will 

 look in vain for the neat School-Houses, for the Temples 

 of Religion, and for the decent Grave-Yards of their an- 

 cestors. The traveller may indeed find a bloated popu- 

 lation — he may find fields of rank luxuriance — he may 

 hear the noise of the Mechanic, and see the busy stir of 

 commerce ; but it will be a ' barren splendour,'' a ' sicJdy 

 greatness,'' a ^florid vigour,'' betokening disease, decay 

 and death. Instead of the present happy distribution of 

 property, he will find the lands and the wealth engrossed 

 by a few supercilious lordlings, looking down upon the 

 labouring Farmer and the Mechanic as an inferior ra,ce of 



