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36 UNITED STATES.

free government on earth, as the groundwork of theirs : making a royal and hereditary chief _ magis- trate, a nobility, and a national church, the exceptions of any consequence. Their immense territory, extend- ing along a vast length of sea-coast, abounding ’With numerous harbours, rivers, woods, fisheries, minerals, rich soils, and almost every climate under heaven, placed all natural advantages in their immediate pos- session. They enjoyed, also, the benefit of all the knowledge and literature of England, without the labour of translating the language, or paying for the copyright of books; and they had the first advan- tage of our discoveries in the arts, without restric- tions as to the right of patents. They had, in short, the knowledge and experience of all ages and coun- tries to guide them, Without being shackled by here- ditary rights or established usages.

With such extraordinary advantages, as no other people ever possessed, they were enabled to avoid most of the blunders committed by nations, whose constitutions grew up with them ; and they had, besides, the peculiar good fortune, at that period, of being governed by honest men.

Of these personages, the greatest was George Wash- ington. He was appointed to the chief command of the army, solely on account of his personal merit and military abilities. He had served as an officer, in the former war against France, with much well- earned distinction. At the peace, he retired to his patrimonial estate, Where he lived as a respectable private gentleman, endeared to all who knew him,