Social condition in England, ii. 179.
Social condition of France, past and
Social habits of the Americans, ii.
179.
Social melioration in the United
States, more energetically but less
perseveringly conducted than in
Europe, i. 239.
Society, new forms of, its influence
on private judgement, ii. 6. The
subdivisions of, caused by the prin-
ciple of equality, ii. 228. Its sub-
divisions in aristocratic countries,
ii. 228. Its mixed character in a
democracy, ii. 231. Its general
aspect in the United States, ii.
242. Its excitements, monotony,
, vicissitudes, &c., ii. 242.
Socrates, his opinions on material-
Sovereignty of the people, the prin-
ciple of, in the United States, i. 57.
Application of the principle of, by
the Americans previous to the rev-
olution, i. 58.
Sovereignty of the nation, principle
of, in the composition of the house
of representatives, i. 122.
Sovereigns of Europe, the earlier, the
origin of their income, &c., ii. 326.
Their freedom, &c., ii. 326. Their
increased wealth and power, &c.,
State, the executive power and influ-
States, the separate, sovereignty of,
apparently weaker, but really
stronger than that of the Union, i.
178.
Steam-engine, its introduction by the
Americans, ii. 46.
Strength, often the first element of
national prosperity, i. 172.
Subordinate classes, the, their notions
of pride and self-respect, ii. 188.
Suits of the Union and those of the
separate states, i. 151.
Supreme court, the, its peculiar char-
acteristics, in the United States, i.
147. Its high rank among the
great powers of the state, i. 159.
The great judicial power of the
United States- the extent of its
prerogative, its political influence,
&c., i. 159. The tranquillity and
very existence of the Union, de-
pendant on the wise discretion of,
i. 161.
Supreme power in a democratic na-
tion, stronger than in any other,
ii. 319. The causes which affect
its influence upon society, ii. 334.
Temperance societies, their extent
and influence in the United States,
ii. 118.
Theatres, the, their influence in form-
ing the tastes of the people, ii. 85.
Their peculiarities in democratic
countries, ii. 86. The small at-
tendance at, in the United States,
the causes of this, &c., ii. 88.
Townships and municipal bodies, the
system of, in America, i. 61. Of
New England, description of, i. 63.
Trades and professions, the emula-
tion in, less in democratic than
aristocratic countries, ii. 50.
Trial by jury, in the United States
considered as a political institution,
i. 307. Extract from Mr. Story,
upon, i. 308. An instrument of
the sovereignty of the people, i.
308. Composition of juries in the
United States, i. 308. Effects of
the system upon the national char-
acter, i. 309. Its tendency to ad-
vance the education of the people,
i. 312. Its tendency to establish
the authority of the magistrates
and to extend a knowledge of law,
among the people, i. 314.
Union, the natural causes of, existing
among confederated peoples, be-
side laws, i. 178.
Jnion, American, the causes in fa-
vour of its duration, and what dan-
gers threaten it, i. 413. Reasons why
the preponderating force lies in the
states, i. 413. Why it will only
endure, so long as the states choose
to belong to it, i. 414. Causes
which tend to keep them united,
i. 420. Its utility for resisting
foreign enemies and to prevent the
existence of foreigners in America,
i. 421. No natural barriers be
tween the several states, 1. 422
No conflicting interests to divid
them, i. 422. Reciprocal interests
of the northern, southern, and
western states, i. 423. Intellect-
ual ties of the Union-uniformity
of opinions, &c., i. 424. Dangers
to which it is exposed, resulting
from the different characters and
passions of its citizens, i. 425.
Character of the citizens in the
north and south, i. 431. The rap-
id growth of the Union, one of its
greatest dangers, i. 433. Progress
of the population to the northwest,
i. 434. Passions originating from
sudden turns of fortune, i. 435.
Whether the existing government
of the Union, tends to gain strength,
or to lose it, i. 436. Various
signs of its decrease, i. 437. Inter-
nal improvements, i. 438. Waste
lands, i. 439. Indians, &c., i. 440.
The bank and its advantages, L
443. The tariff, i. 444. General
Jackson, i. 447.
United States, the advantages of the
federal system of, 173.
Utilitarianism, the doctrine of, its ex-
istence and influence in the United
States, ii. 22.
Vanity of the Americans, excessive
ii. 238.
Vanity of the English, partial ab-
Wars, great, why the Union has
none to fear, i. 183.
Vindictive character of the Ameri- Washington, the city of, described,
cans, ii. 181.
Virginia, the first English colony of, Wealth, men of, engaged in commer-
established in 1607, i. 29.
Extravagant ideas of its wealth, by
the first emigrants, i. 29.
Wages, the influence of democracy
upon, their increase, &c., ii. 199.
Wages in France, their condition,
&c., ii. 200.
Wages, their sudden rise and fall, ii.
201.
War, the main peril of confedera-
tions, i. 181. The dread of, the
causes which induce it, ii. 298.
Some considerations on, in a dem-
ocratic country, ii. 298. Machia-
velli's observations on, ii. 300. Its
existence in aristocratic and demo-
cratic countries compared, ii. 303.
Civil, in democratic ages, unfre-
quent, ii. 303.
cial pursuits, &c., ii. 167. Their
different pursuits in aristocratic
and democratic countries, ii. 167.
Wealthy, the, their intercourse with
the lower classes, ii. 111.
Winthrop's speech in defence of tib-
erty, &c., i. 42.
Wives, in the United States, their
peculiar characteristics, &c., 11.
202. Their loss of independence
in matrimony, ii. 202.
Women, the, of America, respect
paid to them by the opposite sex,
i. 226. Their superiority, the
source of national greatness, 11. 227.
Workmen, the classes of, numerous
and uninformed, ii. 200.
World, the other, in seeking the con-
cerns of, the secret of success in
this, ii. 159.
Worldly pursuits, excessive care,
evils of, ii. 159.
FOR information concerning all the countries of the West which have not been visited by Europeans, consult the account of two expeditions undertaken at the expense of congress by Major Long. This traveller particularly mentions, on the subject of the great American desert, that a line may be drawn nearly parallel to the 20th degree of longitude * (meridian of Washington), beginning from the Red river and ending at the river Platte. From this imaginary line to the Rocky mountains, which bound the valley of the Mississippi on the west, lie immense plains, which are almost entirely covered with sand, incapable of cultivation, or scattered over with masses of granite. In summer these plains are quite destitute of water, and nothing is to be seen on them but herds of buffaloes and wild horses. Some hordes of Indians are also found there, but in no great number.
Major Long was told that in travelling northward from the river Platte, you find the same desert lying constantly on the left; but he was unable to ascertain the truth of this report. (Long's Expedition, vol. ii. p. 361.)
However worthy of confidence may be the narrative of Major Long, it must be remembered that he only passed through the country of which he speaks, without deviating widely from the line which he had traced out for his journey.
SOUTH AMERICA, in the regions between the tropics, produces an incredible profusion of climbing-plants, of which the Flora of the Antilles alone presents us with forty different species.
The 20th degree of longitude according to the meridian of Washington, agrees very nearly with the 97th degree on the meridian of Greenwich.
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