IT is the duty of every STATIST, to take cognisance of every thing that can in the least affect the physical or moral character of individuals as well as of the nation. "If the people of United America, desire either a distinguished rank among the nations of the earth, and to ornament the page of universal history, for the benefit of posterity, or domestic tranquility and happiness, they must deserve, and thus they will acquire a national character." THERE are interesting points in the character of all animals, possessed by nature with nervous inclinations and energetic actions, differing from the rest of their kind; and these dispositions and actions can be reproduced by attentive selections. It is therefore the duty of a good shepherd, or the manager of every flock, to improve from the first hints the race committed to his charge. Hence, by careful attention, are the frequent reproductions to perpetuate the race horse, the swift grey hound, the heroic game cock, and that invaluable animal that yields the principal staple of British commerce. Hence the honors due to Bakewell, a name illustrious in the annals of British husbandry, for having opened a new path to the perfection of rural economy. Mr. Jefferson, in his philosophic inquiry, has proved, that there are distinguishing points to be found in the African, that differ so widely from other traits in our aboriginal American, that no one can be long at a loss to define them, or to decide in favor of the latter as a more sublimely interesting creature; though with less gaiety of heart, he may be the less amiable of the two at the first interview. The American people, though chiefly of British descent, are the offspring of a bold, adventurous race from every part of Europe. The enterprizing commercial spirit they inherit from their parents, exhibits itself in every shape, in every action. As it is always a mark of a vigorous mind, wherever we may meet a native willingness to encounter the perils of the ocean, and in far distant lands to seek the meed of fortune or of fame, it is therefore by no means extraordinary, that we are a nation of choice spirits, except alas! in the alloy of our African slaves. It would be marvellous, indeed, if we were not, what we are, proud enough of our country and of ourselves. Our citizens are in general too much disposed to be of all trades, therefore they seldom excel in any art or science that may require intense study or long and close application. Hence we have yet no original book on political economy. We are indebted to the A character of our fathers for our enterprizing vivacity, and more, perhaps, to the natural result of a perfect freedom, and the widely extended field or range that our happy country affords, and that we delight to enjoy.* We may refer to the actions of our forefathers with the originał Americans, for a test of our martial character; or to the actions in our revolutionary war, at Lexington, at Trenton, at Benington, at Kings mountain, &c. for the conduct of our militia. The modes of fighting at the two last places, are new, and the last, (see Gordon's history) WILL ALWAYS SUCCEED AGAINST SUPERIOR NUMBERS of the BEST TROOPS THAT EUROPE CAN BOAST, until our active young men forget, that they can advance and retire at pleasure, with more rapidity in our rough country, than any regular troops, and that they are THE FIRST MARKS-MEN IN THE WORLD. This may happen in a few years, if we neglect to import more, on our original plan, of choice spirits from Europe, to keep up the tone of nerve in posterity; for which, it is believed we are remarkable, and from which we are falling off by an increase in the mixture with the very dregs of the slavery of Africa, which we so imprudently continue to import. As it is not generally known, it cannot be too often mentioned, to the honor of our marine, that our merchants and captains have long pursued a kind of mamaluke system, of selecting fine young lads from every part of the world, to add to our marine. Hence, chiefly by the enticing efforts of our commercial and naval gentlemen, the marine product by migration, is more than six per centum per annum, on the entire number of our seamen, over and above their own offspring at home. In this view our seamen are of inestimable benefit to their country; but as the character of our Americans will come with a better grace from a respectable foreigner, we quote the following portrait of American enterprise on the ocean, drawn by Edmund Burke, in a speech delivered in the house of commons two and thirty * A New England farmer having finished his attention to autumnal duties, thought of going to Europe to dispose of the timber cut from his last new field, as captain and owner of his sloop. His eldest sons received the following orders, to be observed during his absence: "John you may work in the smith's shop till you have iron shod the plow, and the cart wheels you have made, after which you may either build a saw or grist mill for yourself, on your own place. If I should not return in three months, you may repair and adjust the old quadrant, and take charge of the old sloop, after you have new decked her Joseph will help you spin the new rigging the sloop will want, after he has finished the loon for your mother to weave a top-sail; on which, after turning the rounds for the spinning-wheel, he may plow the old field, and then go on a voyage to Labradore for cod, or a whaling to Falklands Island, just as he likes. You must take command of the sloop yourself, load her for the West Indies, u less you find that governor Phillips's last prices will do for young stock, and provisions, if so go to New Holland, and I shall be home, God willing, to welcome your return. My son Joseph it is time to leave off making wooden clocks and fiddles; tan the hides and make shoes for the family." This is not beyond the character of the people, however it may agree in the minutia with any known incidents. years since. This is a people who our unthinking farmers would persuade to abandon the ocean, who while (as the author says) in the gristle exhibited such wonderful enterprise for the general weal. "As to the wealth which the colonies have drawn from the sea by their fisheries, you had all that matter fully opened at your bar. You surely thought these acquisitions of value, for they seemed even to excite your envy; and yet the spirit by which that enterprising employment has been exercised, ought rather, in my opinion, to have raised your esteem and admiration. And pray, sir, what in the world is equal to it? Pass by the other parts, and look at the manner in which the New England people have of late carried on the whale fishery. Whilst we follow them among the tumbling mountains of ice, and behold them penetrating into the deepest frozen recesses of Hudson's bay, and Davis's streights; whilst we are looking for them beneath the arctick circle, we hear that they have pierced into the opposite region of polar cold; that they are at the Antipodes, and engaged under the frozen serpent of the south. Falkland's island, which seemed too remote and romantic an object for the grasp of national ambition, is but a stage and resting place to their victorious industry. Nor is the equinoctial heat more discouraging to them, than the accumulated winter of both poles. We know that while some of them draw the line and strike the harpoon on the coast of Africa, others run the longitude, and pursue their gigantic game along the coast of Brazil. No sea but what is vexed with their fisheries. No climate that is not witness to their toils. Neither the perseverance of Holland, nor the activity of France, nor the dexterous and firm sagacity of English enterprize, ever carried their most perilous mode of hardy industry to the extent to which it has been pursued by this recent people; a people who are still in the gristle, and not yet hardened into manhood." The character of a country or a nation is rarely drawn with an impartial hand. Who would wish to be the cold hearted animal, with no partial feeling; no bias for his COUNTRY, or his COUNTRYMEN? Perhaps it is better for those who may have formed a mean opinion of the United States, to read the philanthropic delineations of Dr. Morse, Dr. Ramsay, of a Cooper, a Marshall, or of the amiable and accomplished Mrs. Warren. But for our own improvement, and to correct excessive self love, our youth may find an alloy in the misanthropic caricatures by Abbe Mably, by Weld, Parkinson, Volney! "et tu Brute" Anacreon Moore!!! for there are shades of truth in some parts of these pictures, which, like Dr. Swift's Yaho, may place our real faults in a light so disgusting as to provoke the efforts for amendment. Our faults arise chiefly from the ease with which we gain a subsistence. Our excitements to labour are so few, that this melancholy truth is often highly injurious both to our mental and bodily health, particularly in the interior of our country, or wherever our idle youth can too easily call on a slave to change their apparel, from mere indolence. It is said, but we hope from very limited au thority, that there are parents in the United States, who give a young slave to each of their children at an early age, long before their arrival to years of discretion: over this slave the infants are permitted, and sometimes encouraged, to exercise an unpardonable tyranny. And even where the caprice common to spoiled children is less wanton and cruel in its effects, the whites, by never doing any thing for themselves, while they have a slave always within call, are sometimes reared without hands, or rather with two useless left hands; and hence the love for idleness incident to neglected nature, pervades through life. In consequence of this improvident mode of rearing mere helpless animals, instead of MEN and WOMEN, narcotics and stimulating drams in the morning, are said to be taken even by children! and young persons in the prime of life, who are often not ashamed to be seen reclining on a matrass at mid day, without having made a single useful exertion in the morning!! It is also reported, (indeed we wish these stories may have come from the moon only, along with the flaming lava recently found to puzzle our philosophers, and that they may have no nearer foundation; we, however, give the tales as they exist ;) it is said that there are fine young men, fully grown, who have never done any thing to deserve a good name; who though born to affluencé, and one day to the controul of valuable estates, have yet to learn how every part of their business is to be effected, or to trust to an idle, worthless overseer, as the negro driver is called, who has the meanness of spirit to prefer this situation to the care of his own farm! while there are prime lands to sell at 2 dollars the acre, in a better climate than the one in which he is content to pillage his idle employer, and to incur the eternal hatred of the sable gang subject to his tyranny. Is it to be wondered, that with such management, the Abbe Mably should suppose, that in time, the lands of the south, deprived of their nutritive particles, and never replenished, should finally become a floating desert, like the sands of Arabia, or those now in the vicinity of long lost Carthage! Balbec! and Palmyra! These are indeed shocking reports, and possibly, no further true than those which state, that the young men of this description, spend much of their time in gambling, cock fighting, in horse racing, &c. and that the young ladies of the same country, are almost as idle and as helpless as the gentlemen. A traveller has told us, that he knew where there were families, in which the young ladies danced every evening, till the approach of the morning; and hence, after a late breakfast, they were often seen reclining on a sopha, or a bed, with palid cheeks and swollen eyes, amused by a worthless novel, written by some abandoned catch-penny wretch, with the intent to excite in indolence, a bent to immorality; by which the brains of these unhappy young ladies have sometimes been so bewildered, as to mistake a mere coxcomb (as idle, and O tempora! as worthless as themselves) for an accomplished gentleman! and for a fit husband!!! Gracious powers! can this be true? We appeal to common sense to assist us to refute such abominable, such infamous libels, against the fair fame of our charming country women. How, in the name of wonder, can these things happen, when our country abounds with the best moral and highly entertaining writings of the age, to inform and correct the mind? And do not all our amiable, discreet, and virtuous mothers, know what books are proper for their lovely offspring? And have we not our full share of the most exemplary clergymen, whose moral sermons are replete with such classic purity, that genius and science may doat forever on their hallowed lips? Are not the social virtues their continual theme, and enforced by that enthusiastic power that is alone the life and soul of eloquence? If these were not continually pouring forth in exalted strains, their inspired sentiments and refined wisdom, in favour of that true morality, that is alone the attendant of celestial and terrestrial happiness, we might be led to suppose it were possible for a few young married men to be disgusted with home, from sore disappointment at having wedded an helpless, idle doll, for an helpmate, who in truth knew nothing of good housewifery. But who ever hears of such things, now a days? or of real gentlemen, who in their sober senses would marry such trumpery, if it were to be found? Or what father would ever give his consent to match an amiable, an industrious, and truly accomplished daughter, with the stalking effigies only of the divine image, and scarce a single manly qualification? These things are so much opposed to the dictates of common sense, we are determined to be cautious how we admit such horrible tales to disgrace our manual; for even if such a pair as we, heaven forgive us! have attempted to describe, should ever be found, they surely would not be permitted to remain in our highly improving country. Already we can boast of our polished DIAMONDS in a WEST, a CoPELEY, a TRUMBULL, a STUART, who in lustre have rivaled the first artists in Europe. A list of the names of those who have ornamented the age with their literary and universally scientific talents, would not be doing justice, unless we were able to delineate their respective virtues many of these have the more praise for being bred and self taught, in our yet unsettled countries, "Where many a gem of purest ray serene, Dark groves conceal and rugged mountains bear; And waste its sweetness on the desert air." The evils that were the result of slavery are daily lessening; nor are those that arise from a defect in education so dangerous as they were, except in some few instances in our legislative bodies, where, indeed, " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Reader, if you are a traveller, you may possibly have heard of a legislative body, sometimes convened near Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, that with an overflowing treasury, have yet done comparatively nothing for PUBLIC SCHOOLS, lest their offspring should presume to |