THE BEE,

OR

LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER,

FOR

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14. 1792.

STATISTICAL NOTICES OF AMERICA.

COPY OF A LETTER FROM DR S- L STH OF PRINCETON, TO DR CS NT OF MONTROSE. For the Bee.

The following original letters, containing a very particular account of the internal state of North America, were communicated to the Editor by a gentleman to whom he lies under great obligations for many other favours. He has no doubt but they will prove highly acceptable

- to most of his readers.

SIR,

Princeton, No. 26. 1784. I HAD the honour a few days ago, of receiving yours of the 25th of July, by the hands of Mr Rogers. I am much obliged by your acceptance of my friendship and correspondence, and for the proof you have given; at the same time that your are willing both to give and receive information. The friends of piety in this country are sorry to learn that infidelity is so much the fashion, and even the rage, among literary men in Europe. It is not surprising that men of licentious characters fhould wish to establish licentious principles; yet we cannot forbear being somewhat surprised, that in Britain, VOL, xil

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where they reject so disdainfully the imputation of political servitude, they fhould patiently submit to a literary one. Perhaps the difsolution of manners having effected a corruption of taste in the nation, they are willing to enjoy their favourite authors without that interruption of their pleasures, that reason and religion, addressed to them by men of severe virtue, would create; and hope to accomplish this more easily by vesting a censorship of letters in an unprincipled society, rather than by leaving to the prefs its proper liberty. If Europe has passed the meridian of her virtue, she will also have passed that of her science; and a declining age, leaving the improvements .. that have already been made in the arts, without any

further accefsions, some future revolution will probably give them in that state to nations of more hardy and simple virtue, who will make additions to them, similar to those which our fathers have made to the arts of Greece and Rome. Revolutions may be unhappy events when we consider merely the ease and pleasures of mankind; but when we consider that human society can advance only to a certain period before it becomes corrupted, and begins to decline, and that letters always decline with virtue, revolutions are perhaps the necefsary scaffolding by which science and human nature must gradually ar-. rive at their summit. The present age values itself upon understanding the philosophy of society, and the philosophy of man. We indeed enjoy some peculiar advantages for contemplating the progrefs of civil society; but whether we understand the real principles and motives of mens actions, better than

the divines and philosophers of a century ago, seems at least very questionable. Only they regarded as sins what we call natural principles. They regar ded them with the detestation due to vice, we with that cool philosophy that finds fault with what it esteems the order of nature.

I thank you for your account of the present state of patronage in the church of Scotland. I think indeed with you, that your friends have taken too great an interest in your affairs. I am not surprised that the people fhould clamour against such an abuse, and fhould desert the established church. An American, who has fought so many years for the enjoyment of his own consent, views, perhaps, with a peculiar kind of horror, such an encroachment upon the most sacred rights of men. At best, men who contribute to fasten such fhackles upon themselves, must be greatly lost to honour and. virtue; not to say that it appears utterly inconsis-tent with the allegiance which a minister of the gos-pel owes to truth, to religion, and to himself.

The Americans ought to thank every Briton for his cautions against the remaining pride of his country, and the rancour of those that govern it, and have been disappointed in a favourite object. I am afraid indeed that the Americans, confident from their late success, are too secure. They have a pride: not unlike that of the nation from which they are: sprung; and because prudent generals have once de-fended us against our invaders, with a small army, together with afsistance of a militia always rea dy to run to arms, they are ready to imagine that

an undisciplined militia will ftill be an overmatch for any foreign enemy. Since, in the most unprovided state imaginable, with respect to arms and ammunition, and when our citizens and husbandmen had scarcely ever seen an enemy before, they have resisted the most formidable invasion, and at length obtained some signal victories over the second nation in the world, it is not easy to persuade our har dy rustics that they are in danger. As a sample at once of their security and their pride, it is the common language held in Kentucky, a settlement on the waters of the Ohio, entirely begun and completed during the war with Britain, that they intend to force themselves a free trade through the Missisippi; and that, if the Spaniards oppose it, they will send a power down the river sufficient to conquer the Floridas and New Orleans. They even mention an attack upon Spanish Mexico, and the mines of Santa Fee de Bagota, as an event that may not be many years distant. So that you see our countrymen are like the rest of the world,--they take their character from their circumstances, which have necessarily made them hardy and active warriors. They despise distant nations because they do not know their power, or have once coped with it, with advantage. Succefs, and the thirst of gain, intoxicates them, and makes them unapprehensive of hazards; and particularly on our northera and western frontiers. Perpetually combating with difficulties and dangers, enterprise becomes a habit; and they have no sooner succeeded against the first obstacles than they push on to seek new adventures. Somewhat of a different character prevails on the sea

coast, and in the adjacent counties; but still tinctured with the same complexion. Remote, however, from savage enemies, and delivered from European ones, I presume they will not easily be alarmed, but by the most imminent appearances of danger. This certainly does not promise well for their future safety, but it enables them, they think, to enjoy their present tranquillity. I hope the nations of Europe will continue in peace, or that they will find sufficient employment for one another. This I believe will be our best security.

I wish that our political wisdom may entitle us to the esteem of wise men on your side of the water, as much as our independent spirit, our first measures, and our succefs in arms, have done. You remark, "That wisdom is necessary to make us known to the world." If we can attract the attention of mankind by the prosperity of our country, it will be a happy circumstance; otherwise, it were, perhaps, more desirable not to be known. We fhould not then be objects of the ambition, or the avarice of others and not having the wisdom to be good ourselves, we fhould not have knowledge enough to substitute for virtue the vices and follies of more improved countries.

Your inquiries I fhall endeavour to answer in one or two following letters. They would lead me to a greater extent than I have time to reach at present; but, if God spare my health, I fhall make my business to satisfy you very shortly. To be continued.

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