HISTORICAL SKETCH. 227 



sometimes conflicting feelings, habits, pre- 

 judices, and dispositions of the different 

 classes of the population. Hence, with a 

 determined spirit of independence, now 

 almost general, the question as to how 

 that independence shall be exercised, is 

 susceptible of a great variety of modifica- 

 tions; and the opposition, or contrariety 

 of interests, of habits, and feelings, may, 

 perhaps, ultimately give birth to as many 

 points of difference between the nations 

 or states of America, as exist amongst 

 some of the nations of Europe. 



National feelings appear to be impressed 

 as a law upon human nature ; and it is only 

 a limited number of individuals who rise 

 superior to the prejudices to which they 

 give birth — prejudices, however, which are 

 frequently of great utility, as well as the 

 intellect which soars above them. 



