The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-06-22

Western hemisphere, causes enough rise up before
at once to account fully for the subsequent history
and character Of these provinces. The Viceroys
and Provincial Governors OF Spain never al
home in their Governments in America. They did
not el that they were OF the people whom they go
verned. Their official character and employment |
have good deal of resemblance to those OF the Pro-
consuls of Rome in Asia, Sicily, aud Gau but OBJ |
,iously no resemblance TO those OF Carver and WIN
throp and very little TO those OF the Governors OF
Virginia after that colony had established popular
House Of Burgesses
The English colonists in America, generai'y
speaking were men who were seeking new homes
in new world. They brought with them their fam
lilies, and all that most dear to them. Tins was
especially the with the colonists OF Piymoutn
and Massachusetts. Many Of them were educated
men, and all possessed their full share, according 10
their social condition, of the Wedge and attain
ments of that age The distinctive character Sue OF
their settlement is the Introduction Of the civilization
OF Europe into wilderness, without bringing win IL
the political Institutions of Europe. The arts, SCI
ences, and literature of England over with the
settlers That great portion Of the common law
which regulates the social and personal relations
and conduct of men, came also. The jury came;
the habeas corpus came the testameniary power
came, and the law of Inheritance and descent came
also, except that part OF it which recognizes the
rights of primogenlture, which either did not come
at ALL or gave way to the right OF equal partl-
ton of estates among children. But the Monarchy
did not come, the aristocray, the church, as
an estate OF he realm Political institutions we're
to be framed anew, such should be adapted TO the
state of things But it could not he doubtful what
should be the nature and character of these nsttu-
tons. general social equality prevailed among
the settlers and equality of political rights seem
ed the natural, if not the necessary consequence
After forty years OF revolution, violence and war,
the people of France have placed al the head of the
fundamental instrument of their government as the
great boon obtained by all their suferings and sacri
fees, the declaration, that ali Frenchmen equal
before the law. What France had reached only by
the expenditure OF SO much blood and treasure, and
the exhibition Of much crime the English cOlOnsts
obtained, by simply changing their place, carrying
with them the intellectual and moral culture of Eu-
rope and The personal and social relations TO which
they were accustomed but leaving behind their poll
teal institutions. 1t has been said with much vera
city, that the felicity of the American culonsts con-
sisted in their escape from the past This Is true,
TAR as respects political establishments but no further
they brought with them full portion Of all the
riches OF the past IN science, IN art In morals reli-
eion and literature. The Bible with them.
And it is not to he double ed that the free and uni
versAl reading Of the Bible is to be ascrbed in that
age ascribed in every age, that men were much in
dehed for right views OF civil liberty. The Bible is
a book of tauh and book of doctrine; but it is also
a book which teaches man his Individual fespon-
siby, his own dignity, and his equality with his tel.
low man. Bacon, and Locke, and Milton and
Shakespeare also came with them. They to
form new political systems, but all that belonged TO
cultivated man, to family, to neghborhood, to social
relations accompanied them. In the Doric phrase of
one of our own historians, they Jeanne 10 settle
bare creation but their settlement in the wilderness
nevertheless, was moi lodgment of nominal tribes,
mere resting place of roaming savoges. 1t was the
beginning OF a per nanent community, the fixed resi-
dence OF cultivated men. Not emily was English
literature read, bot English, gool English was spo-
ken and written, before the had made way TO let
In the upon The habiIaoDs and fields of the set
tiers. And whatever may be said to the contrary, a
correct use Of the English language is at this day,
more general throug bout the United States than it is
throughout England herself. But another grand
characteristic is, that in the English colonies, poi,i
cal affairs were left 10 be managed by the cOlonlsts
themselves. There is another fact Wholly dis'in-
gushing them III character as 1t has distinguished
them fortune, from the colonists Of Spain
Heie lies The foundation of that experience in self gov
ernment which had preserved order, and security
and regularly Amidst the play of popular institutions
Home government was the secret of the prosperity Of
the North American settlements The more dis
tnguished of the New England colonsts, with most
remarkable sagacity, and long sighted reach into
futurity, refused to come to America unless they
could bring with them charters providing for the adj
minisration of their affairs in this country They
saw from the rst the evils of being governed in the
new world, by councils held in the old. Acknow-
Lodging the general superiority of the crown they
still insisted on the right OF passing local laws, and of
local administration And history teaches The
justice and the value Of this determIna alton, in the
ample of Virginia The attempts early to settle that
colony failed, sometimes with the most melancholy
and fatal consequences, from want of knowledge,
care and attention on the part of those who had the
charge of their affairs in England and it was only
after the issuing of the third charter that IFS prope
rty fairly commenced. The that by that
third charter, the People Of Virginia, (for by this
time they SO deserve to be called,) were allowed to
constitute and establish the first popular representa-
tive Assembly, which ever conveyed on this CONT
nent, the Virginia House of Burgesses.
Here, then, the great elements Of our political
system originally introduced, early in operation, and
ready to be developed, and more the progress
Of even should justify or demand
Escape from the existing political systems of Eu.
rope; but the continued enjoyment OF its sciences
and arts, It's literature and It's manners with a
res of improvements upon its religious and moral
sentiments and habits; Home vernments; or the
power of passing local laws with local adm.nstra-
ton.
Equality Of rights
Representative systems
Free forms Of Government, founded on popular
Represen alton.
Few topics are more inviting, or more fit for phi
losophical discussion, than the action and influence
of the new world upon the old the contributions
of America to Europe.
Her obligations to Europe for science and art laws
literature and manners, America acknowledges as
she ought, with respect and gratitude. And the peo
pie of the United States, descendants of the English
stock grateful for the treasures of knowledge deriv-
ed from their English ancestors, acknowledge Also
with thanks and fiial regard that among those ances
tors, under the culture of iIampden and Sydney, and
other assiduous friends, that seed of popular liberty
first terminated, which soil has shot up 10 its
full height, until its branches ovorshadow all the
land.
But America has not failed to make returns. II
she has cancelled The obi CATION, equaIed IT
by others of like weight, she has, at least, made
spectacle advances, and some approaches towards
rqua y. And she adm is, that standing in the
midst Of civilized nations and in a civilized agc-a
nation among nalions-there high part which she
pected TO act, for the general advance of human
interos and human welfare.
American mines have filled the minis of Europe
with n; precious metals The PRODUCTIONS OF The
American soil and climate have poured out their |