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CHAP. XIX. flame alive, that confumes one half the globe, without the smallest advantage to the other, either in a moral or in a political view. Men profit little by the obfervations, the fufferings, or the opinions of others: it is with nations as with individuals, they must try their own projects, and frequently learn wisdom only by their own mistakes. It is undoubtedly true, that all mankind learn more from experience than from intuitive wisdom: their foolish paffions too generally predominate over their vir tues; thus civil liberty, political and private happiness, are frequently bartered away for the gratification of vanity, or the aggrandizement of a few individuals, who have art enough to fascinate the undistinguishing multitude.

If the conduct of the United States should stand upon record, as a striking example of the truth of this obfervation, it must be remembered that this is not a trait peculiar to the character of America, it is the ftory of man; paft ages bear teftimony to its authenticity, and future events will convince the unbelieving.

It is an unpleafing part of history, when "corruption begins to prevail, when degene

racy marks the manners of the people, and "weakens the finews of the ftate." If this should ever become the deplorable fituation of the United States, let fome unborn historian,

up

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in a far diftant day, detail the lapse, and hold CHAP. XXX. the contrast between a fimple, virtuous, and free people, and a degenerate, fervile race of beings, corrupted by wealth, effeminated by luxury, impoverished by licentiousness, and become the automatons of intoxicated ambition.

CHAP. XXXI.

CHAPTER XXXI.

Supplementary Obfervations on fucceeding Events, after the Termination of the American Revolution.-Infurrection in the Maffachusetts.-A general Convention of the States. A new Conftitution adopted.-General Washington chofen Prefident.-British Treaty negociated by Mr. Jay.-General Washington's fecond Retreat from public Life.-General Observations.

THE narration of the revolutionary war between Great Britain and her former colonies, brought down to its termination, leaves the mind at leisure for more general observations on the subsequent confequences, without confining it to time or place.

At the conclufion of the war between Great Britain and America, after the rejection of the claims of a potent foreign nation, the diffevering of old bands of governmental arrangement, and before new ones were adopted, the proud feelings of perfonal independence warmed every bofom, and general ideas of civil and religious liberty were diffeminated far and wide.

On the restoration of peace, the foldier had returned to the bofom of his family, and the artifan and the hufbandman were ftimulated to new improvements; genius was prompted

to exertion, by the wide field opened by the CHAP. XXXI. revolution, and encouraged by the spirit of inquiry to climb the heights of literature, until it might stand confpicuous on the fummit of fame.

Under fuch circumftances, every free mind fhould be tenacious of fupporting the honor of a national character, and the dignity of independence. This claim must be supported by their own fobriety, economy, industry, and perfeverance in every virtue. It must be nurtured by that firmnefs and principle that induced their ancestors to fly from the hoftile arm of tyranny, and to explore and begin a new nation in the forlorn and darkfome bofom of a diftant wilderness. The focial compacts, the religion, the manners, and the habits of these wandering strangers, and their immediate fucceffors, taught their fons the noble example of fortitude and love of freedom, that has led them to refift the encroachments of kings and nobles, and to diffipate the cloud that threatened to envelope the mind in darkness, and spread the veil of ignorance over the bright hemisphere that encircles the children of Columbia.

Indeed America was at this period poffeffed of a prize, replete with advantages feldom thrown into the hand of any people. Divided by nature from three parts of the globe, which

CHAP. XXXI.

have groaned under tyrants of various descriptions, from time immemorial, who have laughtered their millions to feed the ambition of princes, fhe was pof.effed of an immenfe territory, the foil fertile and productive, her population increasing, her commerce unfettered, her refources ample. She was now uncontrolled by foreign laws; and her domeftic manufactures might be encouraged, without any fear of check from abroad: and under the influence of a spirit of enterprise, very advantageous in a young country, fhe was looking forward with expectations of extending her commerce to every part of the globe.

Nothing seemed to be wanting to the United States but a continuance of their union and virtue. It was their intereft to cherish true, genuine republican virtue, in politics; and in religion, a ftrict adherence to a fublime code of morals, which has never been equalled by the fages of ancient time, nor can ever be abolished by the fophiftical reasonings of modern philofophers. Poffeffed of this palladium, America might bid defiance both to foreign and domes tic intrigue, and ftand on an eminence that would command the veneration of nations, and the respect of their monarchs: but a defalcation from these principles may leave the sapless vine of liberty to droop, or to be rooted out by the hand that had been ftretched out to nourish it.