AND NAVIGATION. 



3.37 



the people to be made to return to the ancient 

 colonial system. 



The British North American colonies first 

 showed the example of throwing off the yoke 

 of the mother-country, and this was to be ex- 

 pected from the principles of many of the first 

 settlers. The attempt succeeded ; but a doubt 

 still remains whether it would not have been 

 more to their advantage to have remained subject 

 to Great Britain for some time longer; whe- 

 ther they were at the time of emancipation of 

 a competent age to rely upon their own re- 

 sources. However, the spirit of their govern- 

 ment and of their people may have made amends 

 for any prematurity of freedom; and the United 

 States have advanced with most surprising 

 (I may almost say unnatural) rapidity in power 

 and wealth, and consequent importance in the 

 scale of nations. Their change of situation was 

 not however obtained without years of bloodshed 

 and desolation. 



The Spanish colonies are now making the 

 same experiment ; they are experiencing great 

 misery, and the contest is far from being de- 

 cided. 



Brazil has obtained a government of its own, 

 under most peculiar circumstances, and these 

 have probably saved that country from the 

 misery of revolution. If the rulers of that ex- 

 tensive kingdom perform their duty, if they act 



vol. 11. z 



