Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-06-27

little TO those cf the Governors of Virginia after that
Colony had established popular House OF tu'gess,'
The English colon'ss IN America' generai.y SPeah.
ipr were men who were seeking new homes IN a nc '"
World They brought with them their families, ana
all that was most dear TO them This was espeeaiy
The case with The coonisis oil plymouth ana Hassa
chasst,s Many of them were eouca'ea Hea, anu Nv
their full share, according TO their social con
dtou of the knowledge and asainments OF that age
The distinctive characteristic OF their settlement, - e
nroduc,ion of the civilization OF Europe mo "'oe
ness without bringing with It the political institutions
of Europe The arts sciences, and literature OF EHe
land came over with the settlers That great portion
OF The common Law, which regulates the socia anu
relations and conduct OF men, came Also nc
Jury cane-the habcas corpus camc-the leslameh'ay
power cane-and the law OF inheritance ana descent
came also excep: that part OF It which recognises the
riuhs or nrimoasni,u.e, which either did mol come at
all or soon oaye way the rae OF equal PARTITION Of
estates among children. But The monarchy oio not
come nor the arsiocracy, nor The CHURCH. ss an es-
tate Of the realm. fotica institutions were 70 &c
framed anew such should be adapted to the state oil
thinus IN, could not be doubtful what should be
the nature and character OF these institutions &C.
nera social eonaly prevailed among Tue settlers ana an
equality Of political rights seemed Tie NATURAL not
the NECESSARY consequence. After forty years of revo
luton violence and war, the people Of Frsnce have
DIaced =, tho head of the fundamental Instrument OF
their Government the great boon obtained by all
their su.rinrs and sacrifices the declaration that all
Frencbmrn are equal before the law. What France
had rea -ed only by the expenditure of much blood
and treasure and the exhibition of much crime the
English coonists obtained by simply changing their
place carving with them the intellectual and moral
cuIure of Eurone and the personal and social relations
10 which thav accustomed, bat leaving behind
Their polca Institutions. II has been sad, with much
vpraci,v tha! The felicity of the American coloniss
consisted ~ their escape from The past This is tue,
so far as respects political establishments, but no nr:
Their They brought with them a full portion oil oil
the riches of the past, science in art, in morals, re
lision, and literature. The Bible cane with them
AID il be donbed that TO the free and univer-
sal reading Of the Bible is TO be ascribed in that age
ascrbed in every cge-that men were much indebted
for right views of civil liberty. The Bible is book OF
faith, and book of doctrlne-but it is also book
which teaches man bis own individual responsibility,
his dignity, aud his equality with his fellow-man
Bacon, and Locke, and Milton, and Shakespeare, also
came with them. they to form political
systems bat all that belonged 10 cultivated man, 10
family, TO neghborhood TO social relations, accom-
panied them. la the Doric phrase OF one OF our own
historians, I" they came to settle on bare creation =
but their settlement in the wilderness, nevertheless,
was not lodgment Of homemade tribes, amere resting
place OF roaming sayages. Ii was the beginning OF
permanent communicative fixed residence OF cutiva-
ted mel. Not only English literature read, but
English, good English, spoken and written, before
The had made way to let in the upon the habI-
tatons and fields of the settlers And, whatever may
be said 10 the contrary, correct use of the English
language is at this day general throughout the
United States, than il is throughout England herself
But another grand characteristic is, that in the Eng
l,sh colonies political affairs were left to be managed
by the colonies themselves. There is another TACT,
wholly distinguishing them in character, as 1t has DIS
tingushed them in fortune, from the coloniss ol
Spain Here lies The foundation of that experience in
se government, which had preserved order ana secu
ry, and regularity amidst the play OF popular iosttn-
tons. Home government the secret OF .he pros
periiy OF The North American settlements The more
distinguished of The New England cconis!s, With a
most remarkable sagacy and long sighted reach into
uturity, refused come TO America unless they could
bring with them charters providing for the ad,inIs-
,ration of their affairs in this country. They saw
from the first the evils Of being governed IN the New
World by couuses held in the Old. Acknowledging
the general superiority Of the Crown, they still in
sisted the right Of passing local laws, and OF local
administration And history teaches US the justice
and the value OF this determination in the example OF
Virginia. The attempts early TO settle that colony iai
ed sometimes with the most melancholy AND iata'
consequences, from wan, OF knowledge care, and at
enton the part of those who had the charge OF their
affairs Englaud-and was only after The issuing
the third charter that its prosperity fairly commenced
The was, that by that hrd charter the people
OF VHgina-inr, by hs time, they SO deserved To be
ccled-were allowed to constitute and establish the
first popular representative Assembly which ever con-
vened on this co.linent-the Virginia House of Bur
gessss.
Here, then, are the great elements of our political
system originally introduced early in operation, and
ready TO be developed, and more. The progress
OF vents should justify demand
Escape from the existing political systems of Eu-
rope-bu the continued enjoyment of its sciences and
arts, IL literature, and It's manners-with series OF
improvements upon its religious and moral sentiments
and habi,s-hone governments-or .he power Of pass
ing local laws, with local administration.
Equality of rights
Representative systems.
Free forms Of Government, founded on popular re-
presentation.
sopaical discussion than the action and influence OF
the New World upon the Old-or the contributions OF
America 10 Europe.
Her obligations TO Europe for science and art, laws,
literature and manners, America acknowledges as she
ought with respect and gratitude And the people of
the U. S, descendants Of the English stock grateful
for the Of knowledge derived from their En-
glish ancestors acknowledge ALSO with thanks and
hal regard, that among those ancestors, und'r the
cclure of lsmpden aud Sidney, and other assiduous
friends, that seed Of popular liberty first germinated,
which soil has shot TO its full height until ITS
branches overshadow all the land.
But America has not failed to make returns. II she
has not cancelled the Obligation, equalled by others
of like weight, she has, at least made respectable ad
vanceS, and some approaches towards equality. And
she admits that, standing i'll the midst of civilized
nations, and III a civilized age-a nation among ma
tionsthere is high part which she is expecte" TO
act general OIL human interests ana
human welfare.
American mines have filled the minis Of Europe
with the precious metals. The productions of the
American soil and climate have poured out their abun.
dance of luxures for the tables of the rich and of
cessaries Tor the sustenance of the poor. Birds and
animals Of beauty and value have been added to the
European SOCKS and transpantatons from the tran
adant and unequaled relies of our forests have min
ged themselves prolusey with the ems and ashes, and
druidca oaks OF England.
| America has made contributions far vast
Who can estimate the amour: The value of the
augmentation OF the commerce Of the world, that has
resulted from America Who car imagine to himself
what would be Tie shock 10 the Eastern Continent il
the Atlantic longer ,raversable there were
no longer American productions or American markets.
But America exercises influences holds out exam
pies for the consideration CT the Old World Of much
higher, because they are of moral and political cha
| racier.
America has furnished 10 Europe proof Of the fact,
that popular nstl,ullors founded equality and the
principle OF representations capable of maintaining
governments, able to The rights Of person, pro-
pef,y and reputation.
America has proved that il is practicable to elevate