The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-07-07

@a'a' &c cSpanSe oil terrltOry,0y It's means
we are enabled 10 preserve, our relations
and 10 know intimately the affairs Of each.
from Maine to the Mississippi--from
the Atlantic TO our North Western from.
uer-does the most perfect intercourse
prevail. The facilities, then, that we en-
Joy OF increasing the permanency of our
union. and ofmaking the advancement of
one state concurrent with that Of another,
must be obvious to all. And, let me re.
mark, that these facilities are not neglec-
ted. Our youth, just ripening into man
hood, and who begin to feel themselves
OF some importance in the world, soon
make themselves acquainted with the
nature OF their governments, and with
the particular transactions of the times.
In reading rooms and coffee houses, do
you behold them discoursing with all The
gravity ofage, and giving their opinions
upon probable events, that are likely to
disturb the harmony of nations. Atsges
when those of other countries have
scarcely escaped from their leading
strings and nurseries, do you see them
mounted on high met,lcd stceds, in all
the fire of health and independence, and
daring the most chivairous exploits. AZ
more advanced periods do you mark
them cool, clear headed, thinking politi-
ciaDs-intimately acquainted with pas
sing events, and studiously devoted TO the
welfare of their country. The liberal
system that is pursued for the instruction
of our youth, deserves the highest enco-
miums, colleges and semiDaries Of
every description are increasing daily
throughout our vast territory and no
later than the last session, did the legIs-
lature Of Virginia appropriate largely for
this important end. The other states
have not been backward in liberality; and
the free institutions of our soil now exhibi,
splendid galaxy, beamiDg with every
thing that is great, intellectual and good.
No longer can the venomous pages of a
review, tax us with want of eruditioD-
no longer can English arrogance, borrow
iag the language OF our Clifton, say tha,
this is the land where "genius dies
Young as we are, as nation, our literary
horizon has assumed brightness as daz.
zling as that of any othor olirno. .9ar-ra-
pld advancement in every thing,that tends
TO enlighten and humanize the soul, has
been unequalled by any other country
ihe arts have ever been diffused by slow
and gradual means, but our impros en,ent
has been as sudden as it is glorious
England who now exults in the polish of
her manners and 10 her'learnine and re-
finernent, can have scarce forgot the long
night that obscured her intellectual star.
when the miserable superstition of her
Druids held her chained inthe letters of
ignorance; when.with Egyptian barbarity,
she offered up human victims upon the
affairs Other Gods. She cannot have for.
gotten that 1t was not until after an inter.
val OF more than 800 years of the most
dePiorable abasement, that she recovered
from the effects of this darkness, or that
the light of science illumined her skies.
From the FIRST knowledge that we have of
her to the Heptarchy from the Hep,ar.
chy to the reign Of Alfred the Great did
this ignorance prevail. What right has
she, then, to rail at the infanhle years of
any country? II becomes her rather to
look with humiliation on her own.
Gentlemen, while VIC have been ex.
tending our improvements in literature
and science, we have not been neglecting
either our agricultural or commercial
interests. The productions of almost
every soil under the management of our
intelligent farmers,are seen covering with
abundance, our fields, and the riches of
every cline are waited by prosperous
gales to our shores. AS we increase in
political importance our friendship be-
comes the more necessary 70 otber co,,,,