1804 | 
feldom confift of above a ground floor. 
Flower-pots are difplayed before the win- 
dows, and the luftre of metal and other 
furniture every where dazzles you in the 
houfes and apartments. ‘The harbour is 
tolerably frequented ; but the inhabitants 
are only proprietors of veffels, which they 
-tend out on. freight to foreigners, and 
generally to make long voyages. 
(Te be continucd. ) 
a 
For the Monthly Magazine, 
HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT of AME- 
RICAN LITERATURE, communicated 
Jrom PHILADELPHIA.*® 
POLITICS. 
HE wide ocean which feparates 
America from Europe, renders the 
political condition of the United States, 
at prefent, a fubject, comparatively, of 
trivial intereft. “Fhe form of government 
adopted by this rifng Republic, the 
pacific policy which diftinguifhes the 
adminiftration, the fcantinefs of national 
wealth, and the univerfal occupation of 
the people in the purfuits of induftry and 
the means of improving their private 
* circumitances, do not admit of engaging, 
without evident neceffity, in the zmperial 
game of war, which fo greatly agitates 
and engrofles the minds of men in the 
Old World. This habit of ftill life, of 
peaceful and unoftentatious employment 
in cultivating the arts of national felicity, 
will probably appear in the eyes of Eu- 
ropeans to conf{titute a fort of infignifi- 
‘cance in the political world, which a 
moderate fhare of fpirit, according to 
the prevalent way of thinking, fhould 
induce every nation to confider as one of 
the moft ferious evils. 
‘The progrefs of the American States 
towards importance and influence in the 
{cale of nations will probably be flow, 
but not on that account le(fs fure or fteady. 
The foundation on which they. rife is fo 
broad, the materials of the fuperftructure 
they are rearing fo folid and durable, 
that nothing but prudence and _perfever- 
_/ ance is neceflary to complete the work. 
If their prefent career fhould prove fuc- 
cefsful, nations will not be wanting which 
will be difpofed to follow them, by tread- 
 3ng in the fame fteps; but if otherwife, 
the caufe of Republican government will 
be driven from the earth, and the mot 
* This was not received in time for the 
“Supplement, but we hope to experience go 
 éifappointment in future, 
R rane 
Retrofpe? of American Literature.— Politics. 
undaunted theorift will fhrink from a ré- 
petition of the experiment. 
The period at which-the United States 
will be confidered as an important pewer , 
by the governments of Europe, is likely 
to be much accelerated by the late ceffion 
of Louifiana. The mere extenfion of 
territory, though very great, comprifes 
but a {mall part of the advantages which 
will probably refult from this fplendid 
acquifition. By gaining full command of 
the Mififfippi, the country lying to the 
eaft of ic will fpeedily difclofe a multi- 
tude of refources which muft have re- 
mained hidden and unemployed as long as 
the lower banks of that river were held 
in the poffeffion of a foreign power. 
The ftruggles of party in the United 
States have prefented a curious {pectacle 
ever fince the ceflion of Louifiana became 
publicly known. It will be recollected 
how highly the importance and refources 
of that province were eftimated by the 
oppofition during all the time that the 
French were fuppofed to intend taking 1t 
into pofieffion. The valley of the Miffif- 
fippi was affertcd to rival the Delta of 
Egypt ; and the whole province, taken 
together, to offer inducements for coloniz- 
ing which were no where elfe to be found. 
The delicioufnefs of the climate, and the 
fertility of the foi] were pourtrayed in 
the higheft colours of fancy. ‘The pur- 
chafe of New Orleans, or of any part of 
the adjacent country, was reprefented as 
one of the wildeft proje&s ever contrived 
to infult the underftanding of the public. 
But no fooner was the treaty of ceffion 
made known, and with it the terms of 
purchafe, than the province was pro- 
nounced a tract of wild lands, worthlefs 
for the prefent, and in its future fettle- 
ment and population likely to become in- 
jurious to the Union. ‘The oppofition to 
the treaty at every ftage of its progrefs, 
the fyftematic efforts to decry the value 
of the acquifition, and the pretended ap- 
prehenfions of war with Spain, efpecially 
when contrafted with the former declara- 
tions of the party, afford a lamentable 
inftance of the inconfiftency and prejudices 
which political collifons will fometimes 
exhibit under the mafk of patriotifm. 
The transfer of Louifiana to the United 
States, as might have been expected, pro- 
duced a great deal of {peculation, dif- 
cuffion and controverfy. ‘The molt of 
this was carried on in the newfpapers, 
and, of confequence, was of too fugitive 
a kind to be recalled to memory. Many 
publications, however, on this fubjeé, 
appeared in the form of pemphlets, and 
deferve 
ge 
