SOUTH AMERICA. 179 



dispfay of military power, would find his situation ex- 

 tremely irksome. The frowns of haughty lordlings, the 

 abuses and oppressions practised by persons, dressed 

 in a little "brief authority,'^ must either keep his 

 mind continually disturbed, or break down his spirit. 

 There are so many restraints on personal liberty, and 

 so many naked swords to enforce them, that he feels a 

 repugnance to take a single step, through fear of hav- 

 ing his pride wounded by some insolent mercenary 

 wretch, who thinks himself privileged to be a ty- 

 rant. Those who are minutely acquainted with the 

 ways of the country, may possibly steer clear of the 

 like mortifications, to which the stranger must inevita- 

 bly be exposed. How different from this is our 

 country, where the coersive power of the govern- 

 ment is so studiously concealed, and where the laws 

 and the force of public opinion, are infinitely more pow- 

 erful than all the bayonets of despotism! The stranger 

 who lands on our happy soil, carries within his own 

 breast the guide of his actions — a guide which will 

 enable him with confidence to avoid giving offence, 

 or incur displeasure, by following the golden rule, 

 of "doing unto others as he would that others should 

 do unto him.'^ By simply following this rule, he may 

 go* wlieresover he pleases, say what he pleases, do 

 what he pleases, without fear of being arrested on ma- 

 licious suspicions, or of having his property taken from 

 him, by despotic avarice. 



This question has suggested itself to me, what dif- 

 ference would have been made in our character and 

 I condition, had it been our fortune to have been placed 

 in this country, instead of the one which we possess? 

 Would the germs of liberty have taken root in this 



