Miscellanies. 187 



that of France in particular. They have tended to facilitate the 

 views of the Statesman, by offering to him in a condensed form, 

 the internal sources of wealth, not only of his own, but of surround- 

 ing nations ; their labors render the public happiness more secure, 

 inasmuch as the dark paths of the future may become enlightened 

 by the experience of the past; they offer a solid basis for political 

 and social economy, and they relieve and assist the Ministry of a 

 Government by condensing and bringing to a focus, not only the 

 minutias, but deduced facts relative to the internal or external power 

 of any nation, either remote or in their immediate vicinity. 



In the United States of America, however, the existence of such 

 Societies must be of incalculable benefit. The embryo gigantic 

 powers of tliis Republic are now beginning to develop themselves, 

 and it is of primary importance that the grand stream of prosperity 

 be directed into that course which will not only secure the present 

 prosperity, but also the future greatness of the United States, whilst 

 it must add to the welfare and happiness of her population. 



The present popular system of rapid and cheap communication, 

 has already been anticipated by the enterprising genius of the Uni- 

 ted States, and she forms a very prominent example of the immense 

 advantages which a nation derives from the projection of such plans 

 as shall tend to give full scope to the energies of the people, whilst 

 at the same time it opens the paths to the development of her inter- 

 nal resources, commercial, mineral or agricultural. 



To mark out and prudently to direct the course of such facilities 

 of communication, requires the aid of statistic information. The 

 fecundity of the soil, the amount of population, the manufactured 

 products and their separate values, each require particular conside- 

 ration ; and this can be obtained only by personal research. The 

 condensation of such researches forms one of the leading features 

 of a Statistical Society. To accumulate and condense the informa- 

 tion given by modern authors, and more particularly that offered by 

 persons who have occasion to visit foreign countries for scientific re- 

 search, forms the object of the " Universal Statistical Society of 

 France." To contrast the present degree of prosperity with the 

 past, and to enquire into the causes of the increase or diminution, 

 is its particular care ; to trace the gradual development of the cau- 

 ses which have influenced the progress, increase, and present actu- 

 al state of the wealth and power of civilized nations, forms th^ 

 grand utility to society produced by their united labors ; and finally, 



