ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
The main scope of the author's principal productions in verse,
has been to indicate to his fellow-citizens, in a connected manner,
the measures best calculated for increasing and prolonging the
public felicity. He deemed the success of our revolution the broad
basis on which this superstructure was to be built. The first thing
to be done was to establish our independence; the second to prepare
the national mind to profit by our unusual advantages for happiness;
and the next to exhibit in perspective those numberless blessings
which Heaven has lavished around us, and which can
scarcely be lost but by our own folly or fault. Having attempted
to furnish his countrymen with some seasonable arguments and reflections
on these subjects, in his “Address to the Armies,” in his
“Poem on the Happiness of America,” and in the “Prospect of
the Future Glory of the United States,” he proposes now to show
the prodigious influence of national industry in producing public
and private riches and enjoyments.
One of the primary objects of a good government is to give
energy and extent to industry, by protecting the acquisitions and
avails of their labour to the governed. This industry is the cause
of the wealth of nations. It hastens their advancement in the arts
of peace, and multiplies their resources for war. Under such a
safeguard, mankind, engaged in any lawful and productive profession,
will advance, at the same moment, their own interest and
that of the commonwealth. Universal prosperity must ensue.
With us, the successful issue has been the best panegyric of such
a system. Could industry become generally fashionable and prevalent,
indigence, and the calamities that flow from it, would be
confined within very narrow channels. With a few exceptions,
such as are offered by the bee, the ant, and the beaver, social toil,
which accomplishes works truly astonishing for their contrivance
and magnitude, distinguishes the human race from every species
of the animal creation. A reciprocation of wants and aids, as it
were, rivets man to his fellows. What isolated person can perform
for himself every act which his helpless and feeble state requires?
By a combination of well-directed efforts, what miracles
of improvement, what prodigies in refinement, may be effected!
The expediency, and even the necessity of concerted and persevering
operations, have a natural tendency to confirm and augment,
through the medium of mutual services and benefits, fidelity,
kindness, valour and virtue, among the members of civil society.
Who, then, will envy the indolent and comfortless lot of the solitary
savage, or the thinly scattered tribes of the desert?
The influence of industry is not less efficacious in procuring personal
advantage and fruition for individuals. It commonly gives
health of body and serenity of mind, together with strength of resolution
and consistency of character. It thus furnishes a kind of
moral force for overcoming the sluggishness of matter, which constantly
inclines to repose. Influenced by a desire of being free
from humiliating dependence and degrading penury, every man,
who is not visited by sickness or prevented by disaster, will be enabled,
in his youthful days, to provide a plentiful subsistence for
his old age; so that, in the last stages of infirmity and decrepitude,
distress and mendicity will seldom, if ever, be seen. Such
is now the condition of the people of the United States of America.
To flatter the idle and worthless, by perpetually declaiming
on the duty of the industrious and wealthy to dispense largely their
contributions and charities, is the insidious language often used in
Europe by many vociferous demagogues and revolutionary scribblers.
To prevent poverty as much as possible, by presenting
employment to protected and provident industry, is the high office
of a wise and just government. In our country that policy has
been successful beyond all former example. The traveller may
journey thousands of miles without meeting a single beggar. And
herein a striking difference will be remarked between our country
and most of the countries in the world.
That industry is capable of speedily changing a dreary wilderness
into a cheerful habitation for men, the history of the progress
of society in the United States of America has sufficiently proved.
It is at present generally understood, that an unequalled share of
happiness is enjoyed by the inhabitants of this newly discovered
continent. This is, perhaps, chiefly attributable (under the benediction
of Providence) to their singularly favourable situation
for cultivating the soil. May we not fairly calculate that this
effect will continue co-existent with the cause; namely, the abundance
and cheapness of land? An almost unlimited space of excellent
territory remains to be settled. Freehold estates may be
purchased upon moderate terms. Agriculture will probably, for
a succession of ages, be the chief employment of the citizens of
the United States.
Notwithstanding the beauties and pleasures of rural life have
so frequently been happily described in poetry, it was presumed
the settlement and cultivation of a new hemisphere might supply
some new topics and allusions. There many things wore a novel
appearance, when examined in their process and result. The
agricultural character was presented in action, with more than
usual effect and felicity. The changes were, in some respects,
like those in a garden of enchantment. Upon the introduction
of civilization into those rugged and inhospitable regions, whose
barbarity was coeval with the world, forests fell, houses rose, and
beautiful scenery succeeded. It was not intended, by deviating
from the beaten track of describing old establishments, to run
unnecessarily into the bye-path of innovation and singularity.
Many American prospects rose before the author's transported
imagination, when he was far absent from his native land. How
frequent did he wish for a magic pencil to make them equally
present to the mental sight of his European friends! How often,
and with how much ardour, did his fancy dwell on the humble and
unvarnished blessings of peace, when contrasted with the proud
and dazzling miseries of war! In thus ruminating on the walks
of still life, he hoped he should at least be permitted, without incurring
the displeasure of any ill-natured critic, to proceed in a
course so amusing to himself, picking here and there a wild or cultivated
flower, and attempting to delineate such landscapes as he
might occasionally find, interspersed with scenes of romantic
grandeur or domestic simplicity.
This Poem was proposed to be so constructed as to permit sentiment
to be mingled with description, without appearing misplaced.
The author makes no excuse for having bestowed a portion
of his mortal duration, not immediately claimed by business
or duty, in recommending to his countrymen that industry, which,
he conceives, would most effectually promote their temporal happiness.
In this, as in every thing not unlawful, he feels himself
a free agent, accountable for his actions to his conscience and his
God. Yet it would be an unworthy affectation to pretend a total
insensibility to the opinion of others, or, more properly speaking,
to that of the enlightened and virtuous part of the community.
However sensible he might be to their favourable decision, he
must be allowed to be more ambitious of deserving than obtaining
it. Consciousness of an upright endeavour to serve, and a reasonable
solicitude to please, those to whom this address is offered, may
satisfy himself. No one more sincerely or fervently desires their
attainment of felicity. If any thing produced or done by him shall
have been obviously calculated for that object, he will have performed
the most pleasing task which he could have imposed on
himself.
D. HUMPHREYS.
