fords room and opportunity for enterprise. These, together with its commercial advantages, the total exemption from all taxes and political burthens, and the comparatively small portion of labour requisite to procure the necessaries of life, certainly render this a desirable home. ..

In the west there is no jealousy or unfriendliness to strangers, who are generally received with open arms, and treated with kindness and respect; but political honours are more sparingly bestowed, and are seldom lavished upon foreigners, who, whatever may be their pretensions, can hardly be supposed to know or to feel the interests of the country.

The desponding emigrant, on the other hand, is agreeably surprised at finding every plain, substantial comfort which a reasonable man can wish and though he discovers no attempt at luxury or style, he sees hospitality, plenty, and intelligence. Instead of a vast wilderness, he finds large settlements, which, though thinly scattered, are now sufficiently dense to afford the comforts and civilities of life, to ensure protection and to enforce municipal regulations.

Of all people the English are most provokingly disappointed; the Irish, Dutch, and French amalgamate easily with our people, adopt our habits, and live happily among us. But not so John Bull: this honest gentleman, as he is generally pleased to style himself, has always been famed

for an inordinate share of credulity, so that, notwithstanding his prejudices against America, he is easily persuaded that gold is to be ploughed. up in our fields and rubies plucked from the

Well, and when the emigrant has reached his journey's end, what then? Why then, my dear Sir, he very often finds that he had better have staid at home. Labour, labour, labour, hard, heavy, incessant labour, is the lot of him who proclaims war against the forest; but the victory is certain, and the conqueror's reward is rich and ample.

James Hall, Letters from the West (London, 1828), 306-325 passim.

CHAPTER XVIII - TESTING NATIONAL

PATRIOTISM (1815-1820)

Parallel with the growth of the West came a series of questions relating to the general upbuilding of the country. The first necessity was peace, the news of which in 1815 brought general joy. For a time there was a feeling of resentment at the Hartford Convention of 1814 which threatened secession; but the New England, Middle, and Southern States were speedily drawn together by their common interests in commerce and financial organization. For some years there was a lively discussion of war, peace, and preparedness. The result of the recent naval war was to give Americans great prestige abroad; and that was reflected in a new tone of friendship, especially from Great Britain. Literary men like Irving, and jurists like John Marshall, preached the doctrine of national patriotism and common interests. A suggestion was even made that the United States might acquire a piece of territory somewhere on the Mediterranean. Poems, such as those of Bryant and Drake, phrased lofty sentiments of patriotism. The country advanced in an understanding of itself and especially in a disposition to bring all the sections of the country into common accord.

A later summary of the conditions of 1812.

SIR, between the year 1807 and the year 1816, the national character, or at least the national spirit, tone, temper, underwent a great change. A more intense nationality was developed. Everybody felt taller, stronger, more wholly American, prouder of America than he did in 1807. Everybody felt that we had passed through one epoch and stage of our history, and were come to another. We felt that we were emerging from the class of small States, to the class of large States.

We had just gone through a war with honor; we had contended not ingloriously with the first power in the world; we had recovered our long lost self-respect. The long wrongs of England for a quarter of a century had been

avenged. Our flag floated again, all unstained as on the day when freedom

"Tore the azure robe of night,

And set the stars of glory there."

Yes, Sir, everybody felt that that age-never to be remembered without a tear for Americathe age of gunboats and torpedoes; of proclamations and philanthropy, falsely so called; when we were knocked down one day by a Berlin or Milan decree, and the next by an order in council; when we retired from all the seas, and hid ourselves under embargoes and acts of non-intercourse everybody felt that that age was gone forever. The baptism of blood and fire was on our brow, and its influence was on our spirit and our legislation. Sir, I believe it was under the influence of this change of national feeling that the public men of 1816, scarcely conscious of it, perhaps, turned with the instinct of a true and happy civil discretion to a policy which was appropriate to the altered temper, the prouder spirit, the more national sentiments, the new age of their country. They turned to find in her various climate, diversified soil, exhaustless mines, ample water-power, in her frugality and industry, the materials of that self-derived and durable greatness to which they now felt that she was destined. They turned to make her independent in reality as in name. Foul shame they deemed it, that the American soldier at least should not sleep under