O24 
Tf I might hazard a conjeClure from 
what motive the oppofition of the Nor- 
thern and Southern divifions to this pur- 
chafe arifes, I would only afk, whether. 
they do not apprehend a lofs of the 
cuftom of the Weftern merchants, who, 
infiead of coming twice a year to their 
fea-ports to purchafe goeds, will get them 
from New Orleans in exchange for pro- 
duce; and the difference of diftance, and 
length of time required to fail up the Mif- 
fiffippi and the Obio will be no ob- 
fiacle, provided the tratiic is mutually ad- 
Vantageous. 
Your Correfpondent mentions the “¢ vat 
extent of the United States being detri- 
mental to them before this purchafe, be- 
caule it drew off and feattered the popula- 
tion, and militated egainit their improve- 
ment and fecurity, which are only to be 
obtained by a fleady fetilement.”” This 
is certainly one of tne moft ime ortant to- 
pics conneéted with the cifcuffion of the 
queftion and though his opinicn might 
apply to European. fates, in confequence 
of the predominance of war, yet T think 
it perfectly inapplicable to America, and 
I infer the direétly oppofite confequences 
from that drawing off and fcattering of the 
population, wiich he does. 
The climate, the agricultural, the do- 
mettic manufaéturing | intereits uP Ame- 
rica, demand a widely fcattered popu- 
Jation. In all countries where the cli- 
mate is warm, a crowded, or even a mo- 
derate quantum of population, has been 
attended with the greateft inconvenience 
and moft deplorable calamity. The banks 
of the Ganges in India, the city of Con- 
ftantinople, Smyrna, Cairo, Alexandria, 
Algiers, Tunis, Lifbon, and London, 
have been vifited by that moft dreadful 
of all fcourges, the plague; and though 
I am tar from faying that the crowded 
population has been the caufe of it, yet 
there isno doubt of its aggravating it, 
and that it was a great fufferer by it. “The 
population adds to the heat of the climate 
jn a moft extraordina ry and incalculable 
degree by its breath, its various eftablith- 
ments which require fire, and caufe fmoke 
and feam. ‘The fea-ports of America, 
thougn under the beft-regulated police, 
and Philadelphia in particular, have 
fmarted feverely for fcveral years by the 
vifitation of the yellow fever; and though 
it might be conjéétured that nothing of 
the kind would have taken place in Phila- 
delphia, and perhaps the other ports, 
had not the quays and wharfs, and con- 
tiguous ftreets, been injudicioufly built 
upen and crowded together, for mercan- 
Objfervations on Remarks on the Ceffion of Louifiana. [July ly 
tile convenience as a plea, but, in reality. 
for fhort-fighted cupidity, yet, it will not 
be denied that thefe were the confequeuces 
of an increafing trade and an extenfive 
population. 
Had Philsdelphia remained ftationary: 
at one half of its prefent fize, it is pro- 
blematical whether the fever would have 
made its appearance; and if it had, the 
calamity would not have been fo grievous, 
and the chance of extirpation and preven. 
tion in future would have been greater. 
A clofe acd concentrated population 
cannot be favourable to agriculture, be- 
caufe the commercial eftablifhments, which 
are always fu biting 1 in fuch a ftate, create 
artificial wants ; and the almoft fure, but 
moderate, profits of the farmer, will not 
afford him the means of living like the 
merchant; therefore, all the people in 
towns muit either be in trade, or depend 
in forme fhape or other upon it. 
While America has fuch immenfe traéts, 
of land to cultivate, it is her duty, as 
well as her real and folid intereft, to di- 
rect the attention of her citizens to agri- 
cultural purfuits, which mutt, of courfe, 
caule a very fcattered population. Upon 
extenfive plantations, where the negroes. 
cannot be fully employed all the year, the 
domeiic manufactory of cotton, hemp, 
and flax, into goods for the wear of the 
houfehold, cherithes a fpirit of induftry. 
highly favourable to the health, the pro- 
fperity, the morality, and happinefs of the 
people. 
the very effence, of independence and re- 
publicanifm refides in this fcattered po- 
pulation, which conftitutes the bulwark 
of the Federal Union; and which, re- 
moved farther in circumftances and fitua- 
tion from European luxuries than the ci- 
ties, knows not the want of them, and, 
having refources within itfelf, proved to 
America what it could do im the day of 
battle againft reoular and veteran armies. 
It has thus given an earneft of what may. 
be expected from it, whenever the govern- 
ment fhall have occafion for its patriotifm 
and courage. No one can doubt that 
there is more reverence paid to the patri- 
archal authority of families, and a purer 
and. more fincere homage rendered to the 
Father of the Univerfe, in the fcattered. 
population of America, than in the towns 
and cities. If there be not real virtue, 
there is a negative kind, by the abfence of 
giaring vices, which, perhaps, is as much 
as can be expected in this imperfect ftate 
of being. 
' Your Correfpondent calls the people 
who are going to feitle in Lovifiana, “a 
reftlefs, 
The {pnit, nay, I may call it, 
