The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1816-01-31

I >iy nay ~ ,rsctsd, 3 esoss s,pet
4 oSeper c'not7- Among our I'D
.vcolvtouss aek detcrn.jncd fcrsfaihers, w,
Ieittheif nstive e)imss 10 battle with the uo
knovnwotid, were undoubtedly many learprt
lu-n, csyseisl'y cIergyuen, habisuated Z,
svljy and consSmpiatios. Bus from the mo
ment they set foctin this new world, the,
y encountered series q obstacles that demsn
dsd sscry 'exsflion Of mind and body 10 sur
4 neunI. Their days wesc consumed in pro-
>idine agaiuss cold and famne,. or In guar
ciox egainst the fury and vilcs Of the iealou,
5 lS4o4 Mary years oil danger and hardship
elapsed, before they could sit down quietly
.sod resume their usual habits Of life and
wpen siis period arrived, these habits were
losc Trecovcrab'y in the long struggle for
rxistsncc. II is well known how tedious
s'o@and lingering Isl approach Of pec.
pie 70 learning, and in how short period
they reipps in other pursuits. A few years
pG active ard dangerous employment are suf.
Icient for the creation Of hardy and warlike
race, but generations must pass away, and
eEes of peace elaps, before people, once
drawn from the habits o. study and contcm.
/. piatIon, will probably ever resume them a.
Z rlin.--An active life, and ono which associ.
etcs danger with almost every step, is alto
Ee,hcc incompatible with the nature and pur-
saits Of the scholar, and Il will be found that
3 though in few raro instances a man may
retain his requirements in such situation,
Ms postefiiy will never succeed to them.
: a cioso inspection of the history Of this coun-
rs, from its first colonization TO the rcvoIu.
lion, which threw an everlasting barrier be-
fween the United States, and England, will
Hshow that al no period whatever were The
scattered people exempt from an actual state
of warfare, either against savage men or
svage beast. The first settler, in addition
10 his implements Of labor, was obliged 10
carry bis musket or his rilc, and his employ
inent was always combination Of labor with
danger. 1t is easily to be supposed that this
'-.s no period Of learning 10 fioutish, or for
the human mind 10 take direction towards
Literature, or the arts, except such as were
necessary to substance or security. Men
now living in tho city of New-York can re.
collect the period when tho inhabitants were
under continued spprehensions of Indian
hostility. Yet such Is the elasticity, and such
capacity, of young pstions as we'll as young
children, 10 recover the ELECTS Of adverse
accidents, that The geneus ofour country
rose against the pressure of tho . obstacles /;
" where, and every year assumed new con-
seqonces, and taste, ut least, for polite lit
cra,ure gradually appeared wherever there
was personal security. Al tho commence
men, Of those disputes between this country
and England. which as oGcc mcnopoiizcd,
as IL we're, the minds of men, we had many
elegant and accomplished schco!crs. They
did not, Il 10 true, write books, for every man
90 - 49, - L... 4 4
guired stores Of science and information that
would have placed them high in any country.
"At this poin, Of time the stormy indica-
tions Of revolution appeared in the frma-
ment, and drew the attention of the colonis,s
from every other subject. The questions
which then sgitated tho minds of men, were
such ss involved considerations Of sufficient
magnitude to occupy them all, and to COM
binc every energy in tue pursuit Of one sim
gle object. Il will be perceived, that there
IS vast difference, and ono materially affect
ing this inquiry, between . war carried into
the territory Of an enemy, and one that is
Brought homo to ourselves. In one case it
], only felt remotely, and Il little more than
a rumor Of war ; II endungers the personal
safety, and inlerferes with the pu suits. only
of those actually engaged on the side Of the
Invading party. sBut in the other, it comes
home TO the bosom and business Of every
man II howls II mis- door, inyades his home,
and forces him from his ordinary occupations
20 the defence Of every object dear to MS af.
feclions. For centuries past, though England
has been almost continually engaged in hos
tilisies, her wars, with tho exception of the
civil comnotion which converted very in-
different monarch into an iIlustrious martyr,
have been garfield oo 81 a distance, and conse-
qusn,ly, did not interfere with the ordinary
pursuits Of time Of peace. During lapse
of ages sho has seen but one hostile army,
and 10 all ,ha, time, with the exception just
inado, the culiivators of literature as we'll as
M tbe soij have re mai cd n undisturhcd In 80.