CHAPTER VII. Financial and general prosperity of United States. Its peculiar causes considered.-Principally attributable to a free and protecting government.-Mexican and South American Republics compared with the United States.-Report of Mr. M'Lane on the finances of the United States.-Opinions of Revue Britannique and Quarterly Review on economy of American govern ment. THAT part of the American system which, perhaps, most strikes the European observer, is its excellent financial administration, and the success that has hitherto constantly attended all the fiscal arrangements of the Union, as well as the continued increase of its sources of revenue not accompanied by a proportionate augmentation of expenditure. Again, if we turn from the contemplation of the revenue and expenses of the Federal Government to consider the general revenues of the United States as a nation, the growing prosperity and riches of each state, of companies, or individuals, we find generally an equally flourishing state of things. Many peculiar but sufficiently obvious circumstances contribute to this unexampled prosperity. The virgin soil of immense and fruitful tracts of unoccupied territory awaiting the increasing wants of an enterprising and industrious population; the non existence of powerful and jealous neighbouring governments; or, at least, of such as seek to interfere with the growing fortunes of the Republic, or who have any interest in so doing; all the facilities for commercial undertakings that are afforded by the command of numerous excellent harbours, maritime cities, immense rivers, every material for ship-building, and the possibility of producing the growth of almost every soil or climate within their own territory-these advantages, improved by the peculiar feelings, disposition, and habits, which I may be excused as an Englishman for thinking are inherited from the mother country,-all these contribute, together with many others that might be enumerated, to the unexampled progress of the extraordinary country that we are considering. But although when tracing the sources of this prosperity of the Transatlantic Republic, due weight must be allowed for the co-operation of all the above causes in producing such successful results, we must not forget that they are mainly attributable to the free institutions adopted from the commencement of the existence of the United States as an independent government. This popular form of government may be said to have owed its origin and frame-work to the system already in force when America formed part of the colonial possessions of Great Britain. Nor can it be denied that the character of the people and their previous political education (if this term may be allowed), impressed with the habits, and familiar with the mechanism, of representative and free forms of government (one of their best inheritances from their British progenitors), had the greatest influence in forming the system that at present regulates the American Federation, and produced the most beneficial effects in carrying into practice the principles adopted at its foundation. The spirit that animates the institutions of the United States affords encouragement to all classes to improve each of the numerous resources within their reach; by facilitating education and the diffusion of practical knowledge, the people are prepared to reap those advantages, the possession of which is afterwards protected by the force and stability of the laws. The results so far exceed the rational anticipations of even impartial observers, that in seeking to account for them, we are apt to undervalue the immense effects of free and protecting institutions in producing such gigantic consequences, and thus ascribe an undue share in their production to the influence of other causes. Doubtless the adoption of the form of government of the United States would not have alone caused an increase of population from three to thirteen millions in fifty years, nor the absence of a national debt-nor would it have created such a maritime force and commercial navy as now exist in America ; * Vide Appendix, List of Colleges, &c. but, on the other hand, all the favourable circumstances to which we have alluded would not, under an opposite system, have produced similar prosperity. Look at Mexico, for instance, favoured by climate (except on parts of the sea-coast or in the Gulf) beyond almost any country in the same latitude; and its productions of the richest and most profitable nature, with an immense and fertile territory: yet we see little promise, since the acknowledgment of her independence, of such a proportionate aggrandizement as the example of the United States might lead us to expect. Some of its richest and most available territory is at this moment occupied and brought into cultivation by a sort of private colony* of natives of the United States; and this with the connivance, if not protection, and consent of the Mexican government, who rightly feel that the resources of this important province (the Texas) will not soon be rendered available by their own people. If we look to the governments of South America, the results hitherto are still less encouraging, for the prospects of sudden emancipation (even under highly favourable physical circumstances) of a people not duly prepared to enjoy political independence. It is true that some essential features of resemblance are wanting to render the parallel between the United States and South America complete. It has * For some account of this colony, and the Province of Texas, see Appendix. been objected that the South American Republics form several distinct and independent countries, jealous of each other, and often as opposed by interests as different in habits; while, at the same time, they are separated by immense distances and natural obstacles. Yet the South American governments are more entirely the scions of the common stock than the States of the North American Union,-they are almost exclusively of Spanish origin, speaking the same language and having the same religion; nor are they more disunited by distance, climate, or local interests, than the northern population of the United States are distinct from their southern fellow-citizens; added to which, many of the States of the Union do not even at the present day assimilate either in language, habits, or religion*. * New York was the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, and at this moment many of the old Dutch families of New York are among the first in the Union. On the occasion of a late visit of the minister of the King of Holland, M. Bangemann Huygens to Albany, speeches and toasts, at dinners given to him in that capital, were made and replied to in the original language of the colony, which is still as familiar to many of the old families in New York as English; or, if we may rely upon the veracious History of Knickerbocker, much more so. In Pennsylvania, as well as many other States, there are great numbers of Germans, Swedes, and Finns, &c. or their descendants. In Louisiana, the language is principally French or Spanish; indeed many of the natives of that state do not understand English: in Florida, Spanish is general. The religion of the latter States is chiefly |