The nation experienced all the advantages of such an institution during the existence of the first, from 1791 to 1811; but a storm of public opinion having been raised against it, not only as being unconstitutional, but for other reasons in the bosom of the democracy, the charter was left to expire with its own limitations. Five years of a depreciated, and almost bankrupt currency brought the nation to its senses, and a new bank was chartered in 1816, with a greatly increased capital. The currency was instantly regenerated, credit restored, and the public again experienced all the blessings resulting from the action of a national bank, during the term of its charter. But the absolute will of a single man, who had become the idol of the people, destroyed it by his vote, against the vote of a Congress acting with himself on other questions, but which had the good sense and firmness to oppose the authority of his name and the weight of his influence in this particular. The consequence of this despotic act was a series of the most unparalleled disasters and distress.

Thus does the American Government vacillate, and show its weakness on the most important and momentously practical subjects. A liberal and active system of internal improvements, carried on by the General Government, as all acknowledge, would contribute immeasurably to the general welfare. No nation ever had opened before it so fine a field. for such enterprise. The useful and the grand might be combined on the most extensive scale, for outdoing all nations and ages.

NOTE G. Page 43.

Recklessness of the American character.

It happened in July, 1838, that two men were killed in Broadway, New York, in two successive days: one, a most

respectable citizen, run over by a man on horse-back; the other, an English quaker, by a horse running away with a vehicle at his heels. Almost every day's paper records some accident of this kind in New York. The author of these pages, in a single ride out of the city, saw two carriages run away with, and dashed to pieces.

Every now and then is a tale of rail-road disaster in some part of the country, at inclined planes, or intersecting points, or by running off the track, making splinters of the cars and of men's bones; and locomotives have been known to encounter, head to head, like two rams fighting. A little while previous to the writing of this line, a locomotive and tender shot down the inclined plane at Philadelphia, like a falling star. A woman, with two legs broken by this accident, was put into an omnibus, to be carried to the hospital; but the driver, in his speculations, coolly replied to a man, who asked why he did not go on ?—that he was waiting for a full load! The list of steam-boat disasters, in the waters of the United States, for twelve months out of the years 1837-38, by bursting of boilers, burning, wrecks, &c., besides numerous others of less consequence, comprehends the total loss of eight vessels and 1080 lives!

NOTE H. Page 50.

American Mobs and Riots.

Popular disturbances of this kind in America, are not always void of respect for existing law, as in the case of Abolition riots, in one of which, Pennsylvania Hall, at Philadelphia, was burnt to the ground, May 17th, 1838. On the contrary, the people, who looked quietly on this scene, and permitted the proceeding, regarded the erection and opening of that building, under the circumstances connected with it,

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as an outrage on public feeling, and looked upon the place as a nest of sedition against the peace and integrity of the American Union. While, therefore, they appeared to be conniving at the violation of law, and were in fact doing so in regard to one of its lower departments; they were governed by a respect for the "supreme law of the land," the Constitution of the country. And had it not been, that the municipal authority of the City and County of Philadelphia were responsible for the damages, it is not unlikely, that the ringleaders of the riot would have gone unpunished; at least, that less pains would have been taken to make them an example.

So is it generally with the Lynching practices of the South, which have taken place in consequence of the Abolition excitement. It is known that opinion will sustain them and hence these summary proceedings.

NOTE I. Page 63.

Statistics of American Religious Sects.

The following is the table of the religious denominations of the United States, from the American Almanac of 1838:

Remarks. The Christ-ians, Mennonites, and Tunkers are Baptists, as well as the first four in the table, which swells the ministers of this great denomination to 8,330; congregations 5,707; and communicants 680,486. But with most of the Baptists, any uneducated man, who manifests edifying gifts, is made a minister. Hence the great number. This, also, is the leading rule with the great majority of American religious sects. It prevails extensively with the Wesleyans, though they have many distinguished men among their ministers. A professional education for the pulpit is, however, becoming more the practice in America, than formerly. The column of population in this table is conjectural, though worthy of some respect. The other columns are averred to have been formed from the latest published records, under the authorities of the different sects. But there are numerous minor sects omitted here.

NOTE K. Page 108.

The Logic of Religious Belief.

In stating, that the logic of religion is that of its faith, of its convictions, we mean not to express disrespect for it. On the contrary, we have never been able to come to any other conclusion, than, that a true religious faith is a body of first principles in the modern universe, which have not been left for man to discover, but which God has brought down to him in his inspired Word. Although the external, or historical evidences of Christianity, are sufficient to confront and silence infidelity in all its forms, it is not the kind of proof on which the soul of man, as a religious being, relies. It is not that, on which Christians generally rely, for satisfaction. But it is the exact fitness and adaptation of the Christian scheme, with all its prohibitions, precepts, suggestions, encouragements, and revelations, to the spiritual wants, desires, hopes, and fears of man, as a religious being; in a word, it is its adaptation to man, such as he is, that constitutes the prime and final argument for a true faith. In other words, that there can be no better or higher reason for Christian faith, than faith itself. We are aware, that this great fact in the religious world has been observed-for it is too obvious not to be seen-and that it has been made a weapon of infidelity, simply because Christians, in trying to be philosophers above what is required, have admitted the validity of the objection, or tried to refute it. It is enough, that the Christian literature of the age is more than a match for infidelity, and abundantly satisfactory to those who have or feel occasion to resort to it. But it would not be enough, if the great body of believers, unlearned, and unskilled in such a mode of argumentation, were not able to say, each one for himself, "I know my Bible to be true, because I feel it to be so." This, after all, is the evidence, on which the