The native American., 1837-08-26

1 we VIII snpposeis adverse to the system ofnterna i'm
Provements Acting under the general policy of tha
i region, mlneralogy has not been attended to-th
Pough, alone has turned up the bosom of the earth
no curious searcher has penetrated into her rich
erles, and vast beds Of COAL and ron and gold lie be
meath the surface, unknown to the lazy ponghman tina
whistles to his toling team. Suddenly, "specimen'
is turned up to the careless clownthe owner sees it,
speculation is set on footdiscovery is made of the
hidden treasureaction takes place in the Legislature
the whole surface Of the country is dug up for mines
- railroads opened-intercourse breaks in with
golden and sautary rays upon the secluded and hithe
to unfrequented country. "A change comes DER the
spirit of its dream," and every thing rises in value
and with every thing, mind takes towering and noun
famous flight. The policy of half word is changed
by the fnrrow cutting implement Of husbandry called
plough The era is marked out, not with a white
stone, but with piece Of iron ore. Thus we agree
that history in its infancy would do we'll to mark down
these matters, and then the genius of people can be
traced through the dim and far reaching apses of time
We thank Mr. Woodbury. once more for-having called
the attention of the Society to this, in our opinion
very important point 'lt is thus land we quote the
beautiful language Of Mr. Woodbury. ssthat history
becomes the useful schoolmaster of every age. Its
pupils are the lving-its lessons the monuments Of
the dead in the record of their principles and their
deeds'
MIR. Woodbury. exhibits great strength in the brief
outline ne has drawn of the distinguishing charace-
rstics of our ancestors We quote the following Sc
rions and striking passage:
The condition of many of the first settlers here led
them at to commence, it did not impose on them
the necessity OF thorough of training for self
government Hence, most Of their rulers were, from
the first, voluntarily chosen, and was not till some
stability in business and progress in wealth were at
taned chiefly by their exertions, that many of
the colonial establishments deemed of sufficient
importance to tempt from abroad the interference Of
much regulation, domination, and persecution, in the
shape Of government. But, the neglected condition
of their first establishments; the daring character of
the early emigrants; their habits of sef-possesson and
sefegisation for most exgencies; the entire freedom
of thohght feeling, and opinions they gradually che
rshed, and the feebleness eff delegated power when
imposed from great distance as Europe kept M a
constant education for Independence which must with
out any temerity, or tax ea the odum Of STAMP
duties, have been other early OCCASION when.
ever sufficient strene tn and numbers obtained and
any slight povnca'ion occurred to an explosion
"Coming events had for some time sscast their sha-
dow before" Their institutions and habits had made
men bold, but not bad; hardy, Intelligent equal, plain
dealing, and just houghenerprsing and shrewd; had
promoted the employment Of the faculties in useful ac-
feared ashi ssoes haiegen, farmers industrious
and scientific mechanics and practical lawyers for lead
ers rather than scholars, only the sometimes
weak inheritors of Office"
We take especial satisfaction at the tone and temper
Of MIR. Woodbury's reflections the condition Of the
early settlers Of this country. He establishes conclu-
sively, that they were finn, calm, reflective, and
wise set Of men, who dared every danger but that
threatened by foreign bondage. They were, hey yond
all doubt,a people separated and appointed by the AL
mighty ruler of the world work out his mysterious
ends and not like the reckless and houseless myrads
that swarm like the locust-curse Of Egypt upon
shores.
Our ancestors came under the chain Of connect
ing d,stinies that brought Christopher Columbus to
this hemisphere. They were but part Of that mighty
plan which is now developing itself gloricusly in
the complete accomplishment of all republican hopes
They were men peculiarly adapted to the times-ftted
to the mountains and morasses-educated to be the
acheves of stern ceeds, and the ransmiters to other
times of profound political truths They not the
outpourngs of jais and alm-houses for then tyranny
tolerated such excressences the latter, however
abundant may have been the irst-they not a
people who bawling for political ascendancy
demagogues in the "green tree'' and tyrants in the
.sdry,'' but they were pious and steady, Chi
valric and romantic race--the Plymouth pilgrims or
the James river cavaliers, and they bent their reapng
hooks and falchon blades to improve the SOIL or de-
fend their lives and property. They were not the
frantic inmates Of madhouses, let loose upon civil
zed people-the pck-pockets Of London, too bad for
Botany Bay, that paradise Of decayed cockneys, but
they were soldiers Of the iron and dauness heart
and fit winners Of realm surprisingly fair and love-
ly as this--and none but the descendants Of such a
race can with Justice lay claim to retain the possession
of this country, and to other will the titles be
ever yielded up. We regret that our limited space
will not allow of copious selections. Altogether, we
like the address-it is plaln manly, and unpretendng
and what is more purpose it is purely American
there is throb and beat about it that speaks well
for Mr. Woodbury's love of country and devotion to
the sterling land marks of national character.
We have received the Southern Literary Messenger
for july and ndisposition has prevented perusng
il with that attention which its general character de-
| cerves.
Mr. White, the publisher, is an interchangeable man;
cta in ie