Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-04-18

"StiNity, WOtC enterprise CN COulu
ever boast OF greater commercial sue
cesses !? Yet, how transient her late
splendour and how deplorable her
present destiny 1t is not enough,
then, that we count our millions and
ten millions of citizens it is not en-
ough that abundance smiles ION our
fields and cities that .cotsmefce SUI
peradds to our native comforts the
Injuries of distant chimes. Popula-
ton, Agriculture, Commerce, in short,
atFthe qualifications to social industry,
sfaNgifySpg principles for state, but
as mucS as they are connected with
VITO Virtue is the soul of the body
poktic, ga the wealth of nations
consists in their riches much less than
in their MORALS"
This maxim is, I know, repugnant
to the systems of our modern econo-
mists. In their scale, physical man is
giant, and moral man little else than
a PignaY. To produce world, Epi:
Gurus required only motion and atoms.
Modefp& conomists are no less easily
satis6@D Give them a fruitful soil,
robua land numerous labourers, ma
terialsI ef Industry, circulating metals,
manufactures, commerce, navy
they want no more with these ele-
ments they think themselves able to
erect fabric of national prosperity e.
qually splendid and durable.
The researches of those writer's are
deep, extensive, valuable yet, 1 can
not entirely acquiesce in theories that
ascribe so much to mere physical a.
gents. Animi imperio, corboris seroi-
tic magis utimur. The holiness, the
magnihcence, the symmetry, the soli-
dirty 81 the sociai edifce appear to me
to dsReHt on moral agency still more
THAI the use of physical forces. 1
look peither for an Eldorado, nor for an
Utopia; yet, | should be better plea
sed with the latter. Public felicity is,
no doubt, compound, resulting from
the combination OF various elements !;
but in this combination, moral princi-
plies must predominant. In effect, in-
terrogate history, listen to the expert
ence OF past ages. They will inform
you that ''real greatness, liberty,
glory, universal happiness have ceased
to be the lot OF extensive empires, of
rich and populous nations, as soon as
these have been without morals and
VIsA whereas they have permanent
Jed in States, poor and inconsi-
def44fe, perhaps, but whose inhabi.
tae4 we're full of respect for the laws,
of veneration for the Deity, of love for
their country; interchangeable in la.
bour firm in danger, mistaken in
adversely, conscious of their dignity,
as men and as citizens resolved to
maintain national honour, orr to bury
themselves under its ruins and, above
all, trusting for the issue of every no
bic and manly undertaking, in that
God, who has willed that nations
should be free only as long as they
should be virtuous."
was upon such basis especially,
and not upon mere financial supports,
tn ancient legislators founded their
adflirable policy. They did not con-
sider gold as the only, or even as the
principal nerve of state. No; their
chief reliance was on the sublime in
stincts of man, and on his moral per-
fectibility. To develope, improve,
and cherish the innate germs of excel
lenc US their principal care. See
how HRly their mastery hand employ
ed thsR owerful levers of sentiment |!
with ]haAart they could kindIe the di-
vine fame f genius, or excite the noble
enthusiasm OF virtue In their go
vernments, every thing spoke to the
heart with resistless energy. The
public mind was Influenced, not by
deception or force, but by the ascen-
dency of patriotism, and the preva-
lence of generous affections. 1t was
by means like these, that Greece and
Rome rose to the highest degree of
sPlendour and glory. We must look
Tor the secret of their strength in those
sivt} and political institutions, which
seemed % swell the frame, and 70 ag-
grandize1he soul of their citizens {,
in the ATTENTION which they paid to
educatiopSas an important object of
national concern in the religions