Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-08-09

Oi the euTtD--Wnerc Tue Iuncy loves 10
linger How poor is brute iorce--even
the most magnificent, even the Roman
compared to the empire of mind, to which
all other minds pay their voluntary hom-
age! Her literature and her arts, ac-I
! quired to Athens this empire, which her
remains still preserve, and always will
! preserve. In contemplating the phe-,
nomenon of her literary achievements, a.
great and profound writer could not for.
= bear saying, "that it seemed a providen-
tial event, in honor of human nature, to
show to what perfection the species
might ascend" Call it providential, if
you please-as every event is, in some
sense, providential-but it was the effect
Of artificial causes; as much so as the
military power ofthe Romans; it was the
effect Of policy, early adopted, and al
ways afterwards steadily pursued l
know the opinion that ascribes all this to
a peculiar felicity Of nature. Horace, l
know, says
|, "Grdiis ingenium; Gratis dedit ore rotundo
"Musa loqu; prefer auden mullins avaris"
! But what gave them that absorbing
avarice Of fame? 1t was infused into
them by their institutions; it was that one
universal sentiment, generated by those
nstitutions; and what he calls the gift of
genius, bestowed by the muses., was the
common mind, exalted and refined by the
operation and force of the same insttu-
tions. 1t was these which had refined
an Athenian mob, as the Athenian peo-
pie are sometimes called, into an au-
diencc Of critical taste. The Attic elo-
quence, called so by way ofpre emincnce,
was but conformity to the requirem ents
Of that taste.
I Such is the wonderful efficacy Of stead
mess of pursuit (as we have seen display
ed in those instances) by nation pursu-
ing national objects by adequate means.
| But to return to this protecting policy.
II seems to me strange, passing strange,
that enlightened, and rejecting, and pa
triotic men should doubt the expediency
of this policy for our country, or be cold
in The pursuit. But the bitter hostility it
encounters from such men, is to me as
tonishing; it puzzles and confounds me
when would account for it, But for my
respect for them, l should say it was like
the fanaticism of hallucinated minds,
feeding on their own chmeras; so IRA
tional, so visionary, it appears to me, to
4 impute any distress that may exist, in
any part OF Oul country, to this policy rs
its cause. 1t appears to me like the in
sanity that mistakes a friend for foe,
and under that delusion is fatally bent on
destroying that friend
We have an ample revenue from i'm
ports, an incre asing revenue from imports
and made so by this very policy; unin
numbered with debt, or soon to be disin-
cumbcred; ample for our civil list; am
pie for all the works of external defence,
and all works Of internal improvement
works called for by all the interests OF
the country-works that would cost the
government nothing but the advance of
the capital, to be again returned to the
treasury with interest-works that would
reimburse themselves, ten times told, in
the increased wealth Of the country
thereby. And this policy, from which
this ample s. increasing revenue springs,
as from perennial fountain, is to be a
bandoned; not suspended, but abandon.
ed, now and forever! The idea of i'm
proving the condition of the country for
intercourse is to be abandoned now and
forever, at least, so far as this Govern
ment is to be concerned. The deprecia-
ton, the loss tho ruin, as to works of
this kind, now in being or progress, whe-
ther by States or individuals, which will
f be involved in the abandonment of this
policy as its necessary consequence; the
final bar, as another necessary conse-
quencc Of such abandonment, to further
like enterprises, either by States or indi
viduals; the entire and the external loss
of this whole object TO our country, are
disregarded, and treated as trifes light
as air. This ample revcnue-ample for
all the purposes indicated, and ample for
: the further purpose Of laying those foun-
, datiOns, which, in due time, would make
this country as illustrious in mind and its
, immortal productions as pre-eminent for
physical resources and prosperous condi-
: tion-this ample revenue, that does not
bear upon the country with the weight OF
, a feather--that is not felt by the people
: as burthen, more than the air they
, breathe, is to be abandoned, and for
what3 To favor foreign industry, at the
1 expense of our own: for, whatever may
= be intended, this will be the effect. The
: stimulus it gives to our industry, and the
, increased profits of that industry, make
the supposed burthcn merely imaginary.
Besides, the necessary effect of the pol
, icy is to reduce prices; this is not de-
, nicd, nor can it be; but it is said the el:
feet is not immediate. In Legislation, are
7 we to look, only, to the present momen,