50 UNITED STATES.

of a mighty empire. The population of the republic has already increased to twelve millions, or more. The city of New York, in 1790, had only 30,000, it has now more than 200,000. Philadelphia, and many other towns, have, since then, more than quad- rupled the number of inhabitants.

The institutions of the republic, the state prisons in particular, are deserving of much attention; but that which distinguishes the Americans from most other people, is their restless spirit of enterprise. To every part of their own country where any gain can be acquired, and, in their ships, to every part of the habitable globe, do they resort. This character of them as a nation has been the great cause of their prosperity, both before and since the revolution ; and according to all probability and experience, it will continue until their gigantic territory has a super- abundant population, or until great individual wealth, and consequent luxury, produce the usual effects caused by indolence, voluptuousness, and degeneracy.

The cool indifference, but calculating determina- tion, with which an American moves from the sea- board, or the Old States, to the back countries, where he can secure plenty of land for his children to settle around him, is remarkable. Nothing, however, is more common. A whole colony sometimes depart together; and, on arriving at the spot in the Wilder- ness that answers their views, immediately commence the operations of cutting down the trees, and erecting houses ; and a town, with its streets, and all the component parts of an American embryo settlement,