rendered familiar and agreeable, though a regard to their health may compel some of them to seek a change by passing to the south or north of their original latitude. The New-England tide of emigration, in its westward course, penetrated and settled the northern and western parts of the State of New-York, and advancing still farther in the direction of the setting sun, entered the northern parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, extended over the whole of Michigan, and is now stretching into the Territory of Wisconsin. That from the southern counties of New-York, from New-Jersey, and Eastern Pennsylvania, first occupied Western Pennsylvania, and then extended into the central districts of Ohio and Indiana. The Maryland and Virginia column colonized Western Virginia and Kentucky, and then dispersed itself over the southern parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois; while that from North Carolina, after having colonized Tennessee, is reaching into Missouri and Iowa. The South Carolina column, mingling with that of Georgia, after having covered Alabama and a great part of the State of Mississippi, is now extending itself into Arkansas.

guished that race, admirably fit a man for the labour and isolation necessarily to be endured before he can be a successful colonist. Now, New-England, together with the States of New-York, New-Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, with the exception of Dutch and Swedish elements, which were too inconsiderable to affect the general result, were all colonized by people of Anglo-Saxon origin. And assuredly they have displayed qualities fitting them for their task such as the world has never witnessed before. No sooner have the relations between the colonies and the Aborigines permitted it to be done with safety (and sometimes even before), than we find individuals and families ready to penetrate the wilderness, there to choose, each for himself or themselves, some fertile spot for a permanent settlement. If friends could be found to accompany him and settle near him, so much the better; but if not, the bold emigrant would venture alone far into the trackless forest, and surmount every obstacle single-handed, like a fisherman committing himself to the deep and passing the livelong day at a distance from the shore. Such was the experience of many of the first colonists of New-England; such that of the earliest settlers in New-York, New-Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania; such in our own day has been the case with many of the living occupants of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa; and thus is colonization advancing in all those states and territories at the present moment.

This account of the progress of colonization westward, as a general statement, is remarkably correct, and it furnishes a better key to the political, moral, and religious character of the West, than any other that could be given. The West, in fact, may be regarded as the counterpart of the East, after allowing for the exaggeration, if I may so speak, which a life in the wilderness tends to communicate for a time to manners and character, and even to religion, but which disappears as the population increases, and the country acquires the stamp of an older civilization. Stragglers may, indeed, be found in all parts of the West, from almost all parts of the East; and many emigrants from Europe, too, Germans especially, enter by New-sisted by his sons, by young men hired for Orleans, and from that city find their way by steamboats into Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Iowa. But all these form exceptions that hardly invalidate the general statement.

CHAPTER VI.

Living on the lands which they cultivate, the agricultural inhabitants of the NewEngland and Middle States are very much dispersed; the country, far and wide, is dotted over with the dwellings of the landholders and those who assist them in the cultivation of the soil. For almost every landowner tills his property himself, as

that purpose, or by tenants who rent from him a cottage and a few acres. Field work in all those states is performed by men alone; a woman is never seen handling the plough, the hoe, the axe, the sickle, or the scythe, unless in the case of foreign emigrants who have not yet adopted American usages in this respect.

Now it is in this isolated and independent mode of life that our men best fitted to ANGLO-penetrate and settle in the wilderness are SAXON RACE FOR THE WORK OF COLONIZA-trained; and from this what may be em

PECULIAR QUALIFICATIONS OF THE

TION.

phatically called our frontier race has APART altogether from considerations of sprung, and is recruited from time to time. a moral and religious character, and the in- Take the following case as an illustrafluence of external circumstances, we may tion of the process that is continually going remark, that the Anglo-Saxon race possess-on in the frontier settlements. A man rees qualities peculiarly adapted for successful colonization. The characteristic perseverance, the spirit of personal freedom and independence, that have ever distin

moves to the West, he purchases a piece
of ground, builds a house, and devotes
himself to the clearing and tilla
forest acres. Ere long he has

to the merchant, who has opened his store at some village among the trees, perhaps some miles off, and there laying out the little money they may have left. With economy and health, they gradually become prosperous. The primitive log-house gives place to a far better mansion, constructed of hewn logs, or of boards, or of brick or stone. Extensive and well-fenced fields spread around, ample barns stored with grain, stalls filled with horses and cattle, flocks of sheep, and herds of hogs, all

Their children grow up, perhaps to pursue the same course, or, as their inclinations may lead, to choose some other occupation, or to enter one of the learned professions.

farm from the wilderness, and has reared a family upon it. He then divides his land among his sons, if there be enough for a farm to each of them; if not, each receives money enough to buy one as he comes of age. Some may settle on lands bestowed on them by their father; others, preferring a change, may dispose of their portion and proceed, most commonly unmarried, to "the new country," as it is called, that is, to those parts of the West where the public lands are not yet sold. There he chooses out as much as he can convenient-attest the increasing wealth of the owners. ly pay for, receiving a title to it from the District Land Office, and proceeds to make for himself a home. This is likely to be in the spring. Having selected a spot for his dwelling, generally near some fountain, or where water may be had by digging a This sketch will give the reader some well, he goes round and makes the acquaint- idea of the mode in which colonization ance of his neighbours, residing within advances among the Anglo-Saxon race of the distance, it may be, of several miles. the Middle and New-England States of A time is fixed for building him a house, America. Less Anglo-Saxon in their oriupon which those neighbours come and gin, and having institutions and customs render him such efficient help, that in a modified by slavery, the Southern States single day he will find a log-house con-exhibit colonization advancing in a very structed, and perhaps covered with clap- different style. When an emigrant from boards, and having apertures cut out for those states removes to the "Far West," the doors, windows, and chimney. He he takes with him his wagons, his cattle, makes his floor at once of rough boards his little ones, and a troop of slaves, so as riven from the abundant timber of the sur-to resemble Abraham when he moved from rounding forest, constructs his doors, and place to place in Canaan. When he seterects a chimney. Occupying himself, tles in the forest he clears and cultivates while interrupted in out-door work by the ground with the labour of his slaves. rainy weather, in completing his house, he Everything goes on heavily. Slaves are finds it in a few weeks tolerably comfort- too stupid and improvident to make good able, and during fair weather he clears the colonists. The country, under these disunderwood from some ten or fifteen acres, advantages, never assumes the garden-like kills the large trees by notching them appearance that it already wears in the round so as to arrest the rise of the sap, New-England and Middle States, and which and plants the ground with Indian corn, or is to be seen in the northern parts of the maize, as it is called in Europe. He can great Central Valley. Slavery, in fact, easily make, buy, or hire a plough, a har-seems to blight whatever it touches. row, and a hoe or two. If he finds time, he surrounds his field with a fence. At length, after prolonging his stay until his crop is beyond the risk of serious injury from squirrels and birds, or from the growth of weeds, he shuts up his house, commits it to the care of some neighbour, living perhaps one or two miles distant, and returns to his paternal home, which may be from one to three hundred miles distant from his new settlement. There he stays until the month of September, then marries, and with his young wife, a wagon and pair of horses to carry their effects, a few cattle or sheep, or none, according to circumstances, sets out to settle for life in the wilderness. On arriving at his farm, he sows wheat or rye among his standing Indian corn, then gathers in this last, and prepares for the winter. His wife shares all the cares incident to this humble beginning. Accustomed to every kind of household work, she strives by the diligence of her fingers to avoid the necessity of going

Next to the Anglo-Saxon race from the British shores, the Scotch make the best settlers in the great American forests. The Irish are not so good; they know not how to use the plough, or how to manage the horse and the ox, having had but little experience of either in their native land. None can handle the spade better, nor are they wanting in industry. But when they first arrive they are irresolute, dread the forest, and hang too much about the large towns, looking around for such work as their previous mode of life has not disqualified them for. Such of them as have been bred to mechanical trades might find sufficient employment if they would let ardent spirits alone, but good colonists for the forests they will never be. Their children may do better in that career. The few Welsh to be found in America are much better fitted than the Irish for the life and pursuits of a farmer.

The perseverance and frugality of the German, joined to other good qualities

any claim to it; for the colonists from whom they are descended brought with them the languages of the different countries from which they came, and these are retained in some instances to the present day. At least eleven of the different languages of Europe have been spoken by settlers in the United States.

But let us examine these two points somewhat more minutely, and we cannot fail to be struck with the facts which will be presented to our view.

which he has in common with the Anglo- | upon the existence of but one language, Saxon race, enable him to succeed tolera- can the citizens of the United States make bly well even in the forest, but he finds it more to his advantage to settle on a farm bought at second-hand and partially cultivated. The Swiss are much the same with the Germans. The French and Italians, on the other hand, are totally unfit for planting colonies in the woods. Nothing could possibly be more alien to the usual habits of a Frenchman. The population of France is almost universally collected in cities, towns, villages, and hamlets, and thus, from early habit as well as constitutional disposition, Frenchmen love society, and cannot endure the loneliness and isolation of the settlements we have described. When they attempt to form colo-ferent languages, as may be seen in the nies, it is by grouping together in villages, United States. Within the last two hunas may be seen along the banks of the St. dred years, people have been arriving from Lawrence and of the Lower Mississippi. some eleven or twelve different countries, Hence their settlements are seldom either and distinguished by as many different extensive or vigorous. They find them-tongues, yet so singular a fusion has taselves happier in the cities and large towns. If resolved to establish themselves in the country, they should go to comparatively well-settled neighbourhoods, not to the forests of the Far West.

CHAPTER VII.

ON THE ALLEGED WANT OF NATIONAL CHAR-
ACTER IN AMERICA.

FOREIGNERS Who have written about the United States have often asserted that it is a country without a national character. Were this the mere statement of an opinion, it might be suffered to pass unnoticed, like many other things emanating from authors who undertake to speak about countries which they have had only very partial, and hence very imperfect, opportunities of knowing. But as the allegation has been made with an air of considerable pretension, it becomes necessary that we should submit it to the test of truth.

And in the first, never has there been witnessed so rapid a blending of people from different countries, and speaking dif

ken place, that in many localities, where population is at all compact, it would puzzle a stranger to determine the national origin of the people from any peculiarity of physiognomy or dialect, far less of language. Who can distinguish in New-York the mass of persons of Dutch descent from those of Anglo-Saxon origin, unless, perhaps, by their retaining Dutch family names? Where discover, by the indices of language, features, or manners, the descendants of the Swedes, the Welsh, with a few exceptions the Poles, the Norwegians, the Danes, or the great body of French Huguenots? Almost the only exceptions to this universal amalgamation and loss of original languages are to be found in the Germans and French; and even in regard to these, had it not been for comparatively recent arrivals of emigrants caused by the French Revolution, the St. Domingo massacres, and various events in Germany, both the French and German languages would have been extinct ere now in the United States. The former is spoIf oneness of origin be essential to the ken only by a few thousands in the large formation of national character, it is clear cities, and some tens of thousands in Louithat the people of the United States can siana. In the cities, English as well as make no pretensions to it. No civilized French is spoken by most of the French; nation was ever composed of inhabitants and in Louisiana, the only portion of the derived from such a variety of sources; Union which the French language has ever for in the United States we find the de- ventured to claim for itself, it is fast giving scendants of English, Welsh, Scotch, place to English. German, also, spoken Irish, Dutch, Germans, Norwegians, Danes, although it be by many thousands of emiSwedes, Poles, French, Italians, and Span- grants arriving yearly from Europe, is fast iards; and there is even a numerous and disappearing from the older settlements. distinguished family in which it is admitted, The children of these Germans almost uniwith pride, that the blood of an Indian prin-versally acquire the English tongue in their cess mingles with that of the haughty Norman or Norman-Saxon. Many other nations are of mixed descent, but where shall we find one derived from so many distinct races ?

Neither, if national character depends

infancy, and where located, as generally happens, in the neighbourhood of settlers who speak English as their mother tongue, learn to speak it well. Indeed, over nearly the whole vast extent of the United States, English is spoken among the well-educa

ted, with a degree of purity to which there | ment of their claims to national character, is no parallel in the British realm. There, do the same. on a space not much larger than a sixth part Amalgamation takes place, also, by inof the United States territory, no fewer than termarriages to an extent quite unexamthree or four languages are spoken; and in pled anywhere else; for though the AngloEngland alone, I know not how many dia- Saxon race has an almost undisputed poslects are to be found which a person unac-session of the soil in New-England, peocustomed to them can hardly at all com- ple are everywhere else to be met with prehend, however familiar he may be with in whose veins flows the mingled blood pure English. As for France, with its Gas-of English, Dutch, Germans, Irish, and con, Breton, and I know not how many French. other remains of the languages spoken by

Nor has the assimilation of races and the ancient races which were once scat-languages been greater than that of mantered over its territory, the case is still ners, customs, religion, and political prinworse. Nor does either Germany or Ita-ciples. The manners of the people, in ly present the uniformity of speech that some places less, in others more refined, distinguishes the millions of the United are essentially characterized by simplicity, States, with the exception of the newly-ar-sincerity, frankness, and kindness. The rived foreigners; a uniformity which ex-religion of the overwhelming majority, and tends even to pronunciation, and the ab- which may therefore be called national, is, sence of provincial accent and phraseology. [in all essential points, what was taught by A well-educated American who has seen the great Protestant Reformers of the sixmuch of his country may, indeed, distin- |teenth century. With respect to politics, guish the Southern from the Northern with whatever warmth we may discuss the modes of pronouncing certain vowels; he measures of the government, but one feelmay recognise by certain shades of sound, ing prevails with regard to our political if I may so express myself, the Northern institutions themselves. We are no propor Southern origin of his countrymen; but agandists: we hold it to be our duty to these differences are too slight to be read-avoid meddling with the governments of ily perceived by a foreigner. other countries; and though we prefer our Generally speaking, the pronunciation own political forms, would by no means of well-educated Americans is precisely insist on others doing so too. That govthat given in the best orthoëpical authori-ernment we believe to be the best for any ties of England, and our best speakers people under which they live most happiadopt the well-established changes in pro-ly, and are best protected in their rights of nunciation that from time to time gain ground there. A few words, however, are universally pronounced in a manner different from what prevails in England. Either and neither, for example, are pronounced eether and neether, not ither and nither, nor will our lawyers probably ever learn to say lien for leen. There is a very perceptible difference of accent between the English and Americans, particularly those of the Eastern or New-England States. There is also a difference of tone; in some of the states there is more of a nasal inflexion of the voice than one hears in England.

person, property, and conscience; and we would have every nation to judge for itself what form of government is best suited to secure for it these great ends.

Assuredly no country possesses a press more free, or where, notwithstanding, public opinion is more powerful; but on these points we shall have more to say in another part of this work.

The American people, taken as a whole, are mainly characterized by perseverance, earnestness, kindness, hospitality, and selfreliance, that is, by a disposition to depend upon their own exertions to the utmost, English literature has an immense cir- rather than look to the government for asculation in America; a circumstance which sistance. Hence, there is no country where may be an advantage in one sense, and a the government does less, or the people disadvantage in another. We are not want- more. In a word, our national character ing, however, in authors of unquestion- is that of the Anglo-Saxon race, which able merit in almost every branch of liter- still predominates among us in conseature, art, and science. Still, if a litera-quence of its original preponderancy in ture of our own creation be indispensable the colonization of the country, and of the to the possession of a national character, energy which forms its characteristic diswe must abandon all claim to it. tinction.

It may be added, that we have no fashions of our own. We follow the modes of Paris. But in this Germans, Russians, Italians, and English, without any abate

* I have been informed that there are twelve distinct languages and patois spoken in France, and that interpreters are needed in courts of justice with

in a hundred miles of Paris!

Has the reader ever heard Haydn's celebrated oratorio of the Creation performed by a full orchestra? If so, he cannot have forgotten how chaos is represented at the commencement, by all the instruments being sounded together without the least attempt at concord. By-and-by, however, something like order begins, and

at length the clear notes of the clarionet | Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, but are heard over all the others, controlling the northern and southern bounding lines, them into harmony. Something like this if extended according to the terms of the has been the influence in America of the charter, would have terminated, the one in Anglo-Saxon language, laws, institutions, the Pacific Ocean, and the other in Hudson's Bay; yet by the same charter, they were both to terminate at the South Sea, as the Pacific Ocean was then called.