Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-06-27
DY DAVID RAMSAY, n. D.


Judging OF the future. sy the past, what
may an infant, born TINS day, excel 10
see in case of his surviving The age Of Jour
score! What do your old citizens now
see, compared with what was tie popnia-
ton OF this country in tn days of their
youth ii some angel, lowering over the
chamber, in which our Venerable fellow
citizen, General Gadsden, drew his first
breath and iore-sCelng MS ardent patgiot-
Ism, had pronounced, with an audb!e
voice, these words " The infant lust now
born, VIII live TO see the population Of his
native country, South Carolina, advanced
from thirty Two thousand to three hum
dred and forty FIVE tnousapd''-noue hit
but conviction, that an angel spoke, would
nave procured the snalles, credit to The
extraordinary pred ctou; but we. who
now live, and can compare the REGISTERS
OF appropriations, q, diferen, periods know
that what would ,hen have teen doubtful,
as prophecy, is now ali established histo-
neal TACT.
By the same rule, a new born infant
may 1--we to see the population of ,he u
nited States, Increased to hity n.t,.ers.
which IS more than ,hree times Inc mum.
Der oil persons, which now inuabt t..cat
Britain and Ireland, Proceeding 20 cai-
culate on the data, which iormeruumera-
tons OF our people have sanctioned, oar
population, ia twenty FIVE yeats. vii. ~
mount 10 ten millions; IN fifty years 20
twenty millions in seventy-hye years to
lorty millions; IN one century 20 ei,h.y
millions; and by The same rule, IL two
centuries 10 twelve hundred ana ei-h;y
e IT,
and sons OF our p c mt CHR a.,
without any extraordinary Series Of ION.
gev ty, may I've 10 see his anlsz,s-
Increase Of our numbers. What territory
can be TOO large for a people, who multi
j.y win such uueIua!ed rapidly!
Frigid, indeed, must be The 1neilcc(s Of
hat man, VINO suPpO.as . FIAT the pos
session OF the island Of New Orleans, AID
Of Il slip Of land OH each side OF the Mis-.
7ssippi, was all that Tie Interests of ,le
United States required ana ina. ali b..
yond, instead oil Oe,ng d national be-. FL,
is national iEcumbTance." TINS Ian.
guage might apply to the subjeCl. Of 4 de-
crypt emp re, whose population was slati-
cnary and the iHhab.iaujs oil which, were,
encrvaled by soth aid mXyry;. bu, 8
very Unsuitable 10 the cjtzens Of the Unit
ed States, IN The hey day oil youhl,i blood.
who with minds Tree from debssns p.s.,.
ons, ard bodies streng' neued by fai.y Ia
Dor, are capable OF such multiplication. &c
will soon fil lhis whole coun.ry wi.n an
heal'hful, active progeny.
Congress will doubtless, direct lhe
stream Of our Increasing population mo
the most suitable channels, and prob.,l,;v.
for some time, coufue It 10 the egst,ysrJ
of the MISSES ppij but The day VIII come.
though perhaps a, Tie distance OF orc or
two centuries, when our cl.zens, on The
west OF that noble river, viii equal, if not
exceed those on is east side.
Here more formidable objection is
made by some, who aledge 4" thai this i'm
mense population viii divide into seDa-
tate independent governments or c2ff on
iy be kept together b. the strong ann Of
monarchy, or despotism, to the dcsuucli-
on OF the elective principles, which per-
wade oHrprescnt constitution" / our So
ciai compact was held together ay no
stronger ties, than those which bind tb.
government OF the old world, this oli.cij.
- would BE- solid. " our newly acaJtireJ
territory was To- continue 10 be poyer,,rd
as dependence, on the Uuited S.dtts,...
standard Of separation, woujd or. long d.,
erected, and the Inhabitants. lor,hgir.,,o
convenience, would form political as,ocl-
atoms Independents Of us. Thoa .ha co..
loaial government viii be necessary rr
some short Tins, yet ., is wisely sro,id-
ed, that the inhabitants Of i-.u.sIsl..i shall
as soon as convenient be I'D ..ii..f ,.t,flb.
union, with The same privileges as TIE ,,-
teens OF the original states D3tn-.,.,
pic Cd Connecticut govern iae rc..i or
South Carolina, or d1 the iula.rsr.. ar
Georgia govern The inhabitants oi - -
Hampshire! By no mcans. ..a ....t.
governs itself, in aN matte. 90 dom. uc,
CONCERN. On the same principles. ...s IN
haJiants Of Louisiana ri.i soon b.. On such
a footing ofequalily, that itwiHb. -..,.r
he truth t0 say ,u@t HEY Eoverui II .... t...s
we govern Them. WhIIc, Therefore, our
present constitution is preserved iovo, ...
what iuducement can they l(.ye io ,....,
ior a separation iu every oIlte OF. "a
policy, they viii b. as !adc[ f.,,, .. ..