The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-01

htuatiou OF the feveral perlcns and !
in the fecond initance, we rlnit enquire whether ,
the younger man is rs Intelligent for his period |
of life, as the elder is for his. If we compare
boy of ten years with man of twenty, it can |,
not be correctly done, except by anS;ng whe-
ther, eogfaeriig tier relbeesip- ages, they have
made IN equal progreis.
In the f,me manner, if two nations could be
found, of equal age and equal opportunities in
all refpe6ts, we ihould only have occafon to Ell
innate them by their aHua! attainments, At the
time the comparifon was made. But as no
two nations ever had exactly the fame OPP
portunlties of improvement, or even nearly the
fame, it mutt always be a falllcious mode of
reafoning, to compare them in this manner. In
the 5th number Of the GrG ferries of the Rain
bow, have endcavored to point out the cauf-
eS which may have contributed TO retard the
human intellect in America.l have endeavored
to thew that there is no necefiity to refort TO IL
ny natural inequality Of mind, in order to folve
this problem. But if have failed in making
satisfactory theory on this fubieEt, have at
tempted to prove, that the caufeS which afIe&
national improvement, are 70 remote from hui
man obiervation, that we ought not to argue a
gainft their exiitence, merely beceufe they are
not perceived. The only correct mode there
fore =. deciding the enquiry in which ] am en-
gagged, will be to purfue the fecond courfc, viz:
by comparing the two nations with relation to
their different ftageS of exiftence.
Mot authors have traced three epochs in the
progrefS of a nation-the hunting fate, the pei
torai, and the agricultural. To theie might be
added the manufacturing, the commercial, &c.
This di'tribution is as nearly accurate as I with
It 10 be IN the prefent eiIay. 1t is marked cat
by the nature of things, and all nations mutt
pals through theie ieveral fages. America, at
The time Of her Al fra
itages; Europe, had at that time attained the
Taft. Were the people of America then, as in
teiiIgent and tagacious, coniidsring their adj
vancement in the focal fate, as the inhabitants
OF Europe, making an allowance for theirs Or
IN other words, have we any rcafon to, believe,
that Europeans would have podeGed mere iaga-
city, if they had not emerged from the hunting
fate, than the Americans enjoyed? This is the
real point Of invefigation.
II hall prove that the iavage inhabitants of
America, were fully as intelligent as any other
nation in the fame degree of civilization and G.
ven more 10 than mott of them, it will afford an
rrefftible evidence, that they will be as enlisht-
ened when they ihsl arrive at more advanced
period. a child who is as quick in his capaci-
| ~ as thoie OF his age generally are, promifes
fair TO make as able man.
1t will be objected, that have already admit
ted America to be as old as Europe, and there
fore cannot with propriety term the one a
child in companion with the other. But it
ihouid ALTO be recolle6ted, that I have remarked
the itrking difference between an individual and
a fociety, with regard to their regularity in at
tai1ing theirrefpe6tive epochs of exiftence; that
the latter may be accelerated or retarded by a
thouiand uncomfortable contingencies where
as the former is fubje6t to few deviations from
fixed and eftablihed laws.
II IL:
! that it is more difficult to agree upon the nzo9s
In which 1t ihall be conducted, than upon the in
tcrences which fhall be drawn after the method
has been fixed. Mankind do not differ 70
much in their conclufions from given data, as in
the premifeS thenielves. fl am correct in fiat
ing the qneftion as have done, there will be
very little difference of opinion among thofe
VINO are IN any manner acquainted with general
| hiftory, or the hiftory fAmerica in particular.
1t requires no elaborate difquifon to thew that
the aboriginal natives of America pofIcfed all
thoie Qualities in an eminent degree, which
might be expected to attend the infancy of any
nation. 1t is true that they had acquired none
of the ornamental arts, and few of thofe which
we are apt to coniider as ehential to our COM
fort. But let the European advocate be aiked,
where he will find nation which poGeiTed
thefe before they had emerged from the forefs,
and fubdued their fpirits TO the Iaborions occu-
patrons OF agriculture and commerce In bold.
nets OF metaphorlcal alluon, in acutenefs of
intellect, 70 far as it is necehary for the imple
exgencies of a rude and unpoIifhed nation. in
vigor and agility of body, in deep-Iaid ftrata-
gem, III perieverng conltancy in all their plans,
IN unihaken fortitude under every aggravated
torn or human tuRering; where ihaIl we find
IN all the annals of ancient and modern heroifm,
examples more luxurious and impoiing? Their
courage has been doubted but it is doubted
only bythofe who forget that the principles of
human nature while they always continue efTen-
tally the fame, are modified in thouiand yari
ous forms, according to the fzl6ion or eaorice Of
different nations. Their heroifm is neither the
heroitm OF ancient Rome, nor the fantsfic va
Tor OF chIvalry; but it is an original, peculiar,
American heroifm, characteristic of the nation
IN which II received its birth. Their mode of
HE naturally led them to climate more highly
thc talent OF tubtie and crafty Rratagem, than
the rude competition of mere phyfical ftrength.
But when two hottie tribes meet in confiet, 6,
man oppoies man, their courage will ihine even
I'D companion with European valor. IF in ac-
tive courage the favage American is equal to
the European, in patient and uncomfortable
forttude, he is infinitely hyperion. The ap-
plaufe OF mankind has been lavifhed on the he
roiim OF Mutius Scoevola, who held his hand in
the flames until 1t was confirmed. But what
hall we FAY to the Indian captive, who looks
with indifference on the horrid apparatus of
torture and death, and even inflIts his exulting
toes, while wrapped in a volume of fire, which
gradually tteas upon the feats of feniibilitv and