USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 3rd ed > Part 31
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It would be impolitic and unwise in us to calculate on escaping the hostile notice of the despots of continental Europe. Already we hear, like distant thunder, their expressions of indignation and
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threats of vengeance. We ought to anticipate the gathering storm without dismay, but not with indifference. In viewing the dark side of the prospect before us, one source of consolation, of much magnitude, presents itself. It is confidently expected, that the brave and potent nation, with whom we have common origin, will not risk the loss of that portion of liberty, which at the expense of so much blood and treasure, they have secured for themselves, by an unnatural association with despots, for the unholy purpose of mak- ing war on the few nations of the earth, which possess any consid- erable portion of that invaluable blessing ; on the contrary it is hoped by us that they will, if necessity should require, employ the bravery of their people, their immense resources, and the trident of the ocean, in defense of their own liberties, and by consequence those of others.
Legislators, fathers of our country ! lose no time, spare no ex- pense in hastening on the requisite means of defense, for meeting with safety and with victory the impending storm, which sooner or later must fall upon us.
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CHAPTER XXXI.
CIVILIZATION.
The causes which led to the present state of civilization in the western country, are subjects which deserve some consideration.
The state of society and manners of the early settlers, as pre- sented in these notes, shows very clearly that their grade of civiliza- tion was indeed low enough. The descendents of the English caval- iers from Maryland and Virginia, who settled mostly along the rivers, and the descendents of the Irish, who settled in the interior parts of the country, were neither remarkable for science or urbanity of manners. The former were mostly illiterate, rough in their man- ners, and addicted to the rude diversions of horse racing, wrestling, shooting, dancing, &c. Their diversions were often accompanied with personal combats, which consisted of blows, kicking, biting, and gouging. This mode of fighting was what they called rough and tumble. Sometimes a previous stipulation was made to use the fists only. Yet these people were industrious, enter- prising, generous in their hospitality, and brave in the defense of their country.
These people, for the most part, formed the cordon along the Ohio River, on the frontiers of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ken- tucky, which defended the country against the attacks of the In- dians during the Revolutionary War. They were the janizaries of the country, that is, they were soldiers when they choose to be so, and when they choose laid down their arms. Their military service was voluntary, and of course received no pay.
With the descendant of the Irish I had but little acquaintance, although I lived near them. At an early period they were com- prehended in the Presbyterian church, and were more reserved in their deportment than their frontier neighbors, and from their situation being less exposed to the Indian warfare, took less part in that war.
The patriot of the western region finds his love of country and national pride augmented to the highest grade, when he compares the political, moral, and religious character of his people, with that of the inhabitants of many large divisions of the old world. In Asia and Africa, generation after generation passes without any change in the moral and religious character or physical condition of the people.
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On the Barbary coast, the traveler, if a river lies in his way and happens to be too high, must either swim it or wait till it subsides. If the traveler is a christian, he must have a firman and a guard. Yet this was once the country of the famous Carthagenians.
In Upper Egypt, the people grind meal for their dhourra bread, by rubbing it between two flat stones. This is done by women.
In Palestine, the grinding of grain is still performed by an ill-constructed hand-mill, as in the days of our Saviour. The roads to the famous City of Jerusalem are still almost in the rude state of nature.
In Asiatic Turkey, merchandise is still carried on by caravans, which are attended with a military guard ; and the naked walls of the caravansera is their fortress and place of repose at nights, instead of a place of entertainment. The streets of Constantinople, instead of being paved, are in many places almost impassable from mud, filth, and the carcasses of dead beasts. Yet this is the metropolis of a great empire.
Throughout the whole of the extensive regions of Asia and Africa, man, from his cradle to his grave, sees no change in the aspect of anything around him, unless from the desolations of war. His dress, his ordinary salutations with his neighbor, his diet and inode of eating it, are prescribed by his religious institutions ; and his rank in society, as well as his occupation, are determined by his birth. Steady and unvarying as the lapse of time in every depart- ment of life, generation after generation beats the dull monotonous round. The Hindoo would sooner die a martyr at the stake, than sit on a chair or eat with a knife or fork.
The descendant of Ishmael is still "a wild man." Hungry, thirsty and half naked, beneath a burning sun, he traverses the im- mense and inhospitable desert of Zahara, apparently without any ob- ject, because his forefathers did before him. Throughout life he subsists on camel's milk and flesh, while his only covering from the inclemency of the weather is a flimsy tent of camel's hair. His single, solitary virtue, is that of hospitality to strangers ; in every respect he is a thief and robber.
The Chinese still retain their alphabet of thirty-six thousand heiroglyphics. They must never exchange it for one of twenty let- ters, which would answer an infinitely better purpose.
Had we pursued the course of the greater number of the na- tions of the earth, we should have been this day treading in the foot- , steps of our forefathers, from whose example in any respect we should have thought it criminal to depart in the slighest degree.
Instead of a blind or superstitious imitation of the manners and customs of our forefathers, we have thought and acted for our- selves, and we have changed ourselves and everything around us.
The linsey and coarse linen of the first settlers of the country, have been exchanged for the substantial and fine fabrics of Europe and Asia, the hunting-shirt for the fashionable coat of broad-cloth
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and the moccason for boots and shoes of tanned leather. The dresses of the ladies are equal in beauty, fineness and fashion, to those of the cities and countries of Europe and of the Atlantic America.
It is not enough that persevering industry has enabled us to purchase the "purple and fine linen " from foreigners, and to use their porcelain and glassware, whether plain, engraved or gilt ; we have nobly dared to fabricate those elegant, comfortable, and valu- able productions of art for ourselves.
A well-founded prospect of large gains from useful arts and honest labor have drawn to our country a large number of the best artisans of other countries. Their mechanic arts, immensely im- proved by the American genius, have hitherto realized the hopeful prospect which induced their emigration to our infant country.
The horse paths, along which our forefathers made their labori- ous journeys over the mountains for salt and iron, were soon suc- ceeded by wagon roads, and these again by substantial turnpikes, which, as if by magic enchantment, have brought the distant region, not many years ago denominated "the backwoods," into a close and lucrative connection with our great Atlantic cities. The jour- ney over the mountains, formerly considered so long, so expensive, and even perilous, is now made in a very few days, and with accom- modations not displeasing to the epicure himself. Those giants of North America, the different mountains composing the great chain of the Alleghany, formerly so frightful in their aspect, and present- ing so many difficulties in their passage, are now scarcely noticed by the traveler. in his journey along the graduated highways by which they are crossed.
The rude sports of former times have been discontinued. Ath- letic trials of muscular strength and activity, in which there cer- tainly is not much of merit, have given away to the more noble ambition for mental endowments and skill in useful arts. To the rude and often indecent songs, but roughly and unskillfully sung, have succeeded the psalm and hymn, and swelling anthem. To the clamorous boast, the provoking banter, the biting sarcasm, the horid oath and imprecation, have succeeded urbanity and manners, and a coarse conversation enlightened by science and chastened by mental attention and respect.
Above all, the direful spirit of revenge, the exercise of which so much approximated the character of many of the first settlers of our country to that of the worst of savages, is now un- known. The Indian might pass in safety among those, whose remembrance still bleeds at the recollection of the loss of their rela- tives, who have perished under the tomahawk and scalping knife of the savages.
The Moravian brethren inay dwell in safety on the sites of the villages desolated, and over the bones of their brethren and fore- fathers murdered, by the more than the savage ferocity of the
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whites. Nor let it be supposed that the return of peace produced this salutary change of feeling toward the tawney sons of the forest. The thirst for revenge was not wholly allayed by the balm of peace ; several Indians fell victims to the private vengeance of those who had recently lost their relations in the war, for some years after it had ceased
If the state of society and manners, from the commencement of the settlements in this country, during the lapse of many years, owing to the sanguinary character of the Indian mode of warfare and other circumstances, was in a state of retrogression, as was evidently the case, if ignorance is more easily induced than science, if society more speedily deteriorates than improves, if it be much easier for the civilized man to become wild, thian for the wild man to become civilized ; I ask, what means have arrested the progress of the early inhabitants of the western region towards the barbar- ism? What agents have directed their influence in favor of science, morals and piety ?
The early introduction of commerce was among the first means of changing, in some degree, the existing aspect of the population of the country, and giving a new current to public feeling, and in- dividual pursuit.
The huntsman and warrior, when he had exchanged his hun- ter's dress for that of a civilized man, soon lost sight of his former occupation, and assumed a new character and new line of life, like the soldier, who, when he receives his discharge and lays aside his regimentals, soon looses the feeling of a soldier, and even forgets in some degree his manual exercise.
Had not commerce furnished the means of changing the dresses of our people and the furniture of their houses, had the hunting shirt, moccasons and leggins, continued to be the dress of men, had the three-legged stool, the noggin, the trencher and wooden bowl, continued to be the furniture of the houses, our progress towards science and civilization would have been much more slower.
It may seem strange that so much importance is attached to the influence of dress in giving the inoral and intellectual character of society.
In all the institutions of despotic gevernments we discover evi- dent traces of the highest grade of human sagacity and foresight. It must have been the object of the founders of those governments to repress to genius of man, divest the mind of every sentiment of ambition, and prevent the cognizance of any rule of life, excepting that of a blind obedience to the despot and his established institutions of religion and government ; hence the canonical law of religion, in all governments despotic in principle, have prescribed the costume of each class of society, their diet and the manner of eating it; and even their household furniture is in like manner prescribed by law. In all these departments, no deviation from the law and custom is permitted or even though+ of. The whole science of human nature,
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under such governments, is that of a knowledge of the duties of the station of life prescribed by parentage, and the whole duty of man that of a rigid performance of them ; while reason, having nothing to do with either the one or the other, is never cultivated.
Even among christians, those founders of religious societies have succeeded best who have prescribed a professional costume for their followers, because every time the disciple looks at his dress he is put in mind of his obligations to the society to which lie belongs, and he is therefore the less liable to wander into strange pastures.
The English government could never subdue the esprit du cour of the north of Scotland, until, after the rebellion of '45, the prohi- bition of wearing the tartan plaid, the kilt and the bonnet among the Highlanders, broke down the spirit to the clans.
I have seen several of the Moravian Indians, and wandered that they were permitted to wear the Indian dress. Their conduct, when among the white people, soon convinced me that the conversion of those whom I saw was far from being complete.
There can be but little doubt but that, if permission should be given by the supreme power of the Mussulman faith, for a change, at the will of each individual, in dress, household furniture, and in eating and drinking, the whole Mohammedan system would be over- thrown in a few years. With a similar permission, the Hindoo superstition would share the same fate.
We have some districts of country where the costume, cabins, and in some measure the household furniture of their ancestors, are still in use. The people of these districts are far behind their neighbors in every valuable endowment of human nature. Among them the virtues of chastity, temperance and industry, bear no great value, and schools and places of worship are but little regarded. In general, every one "does what is right in his own eyes."
In short, why have we so soon forgotten our forefathers, and everything belonging to our former state! The reason is, every- thing belonging to our former state has vanished from our view, and we meet with nothing in remembrance of them. The recent date of the settlement of our country is no longer a subject of re- flection. Its immense improvements present to the imagination the results of the labors of several centuries, instead of the work of a few years ; and we do not often take the trouble to correct the false impressions.
The introduction of the mechanic arts has certainly contributed not a little to the morals and scientific improvement of the country.
The carpenter, the joiner and mason, have displaced the rude, unsightly and uncomfortable cabins of our forefathers, by comforta- ble, and in many instances elegant mansions of stone, brick, hewen and sawed timbers.
The ultimate objects of civilization are the moral and physical
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happiness of man. To the latter, the commodious mansion house, with its furniture, contributes essentially. The family mansion of the nations of the earth furnish the criteria of the different grades of their moral and mental condition. The savages universally live in tents, wigwams, or lodges covered with earth. Barbarians, next to these, may indeed have habitations something better, but of no value and indifferently furnished. Such are the inhabitant of the Russian Tartar and Turkish peasantry.
Such is the effect of a large, elegant, and well furnished house, on the feelings and deportment of the family, that if you were to build one for a family of savages, by the occupancy of it they would loose their savage character ; or if they did not choose to make the exchange of that character for that of civilization, they would for- sake it for the wigwam and the woods.
This was done by many of the early stock of backwoodsinen, even after they built comfortable houses for themselves. They no longer had the chance of "a fall hunt ;" the woods pasture was eaten up; they wanted "elbow room." They therefore sold out, and fled to the forest of the frontier settlements, choosing rather to encounter the toil of turning the wilderness into fruitful fields a second time, and even risk an Indian war, than endure the incon- veniences of a crowded settlement. Kentucky first offered a resting place for those pioneers, then Indiana, and now the Missouri ; and it cannot be long before the Pacific ocean will put a final stop to the westward march of those lovers of the wilderness.
Substantial buildings have the effect of giving value to the soil and creating an attachment for the family residence. Those who have been accustomed to poetry, ancient or modern, need not be told how finely and how impressively the household gods, the blaz- ing hearth, the plentiful board, and the social fireside figure in poetical imagery. And this is not "tying up nonsense for a song." They are realities of life in its most polished state; they are among its best and most rational enjoyments ; they associate the little family and community in parential and filial affection and duty, in which even the well clothed child feels its importance, claims and duties.
The amount of attachment to the family mansion furnishes the criterion of the relative amount of virtue in the members of a family. If the head of the family should wander from the path of paternal duty, and become addicted to vicious habits, in proportion as his virtue suffers a declension, his love of his home and family abates, until, any place, however base and corrupting it may be, is more agreeable to him than the once dulce domum. If a similar de- clension in virtue happens on the part of the maternal chief of the family mansion, the first effect of her deviation from the part of maternal virtue is, that "her feet abideth not in her own house." The same observations apply to children. When the young man or woman, instead of manifesting a strong attachment to the family
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mansion, is "given to outgoing," to places of licentious resort, their moral ruin may be said to be at no great distance.
Architecture is of no use even in the important province of re- ligion. Those who build no houses for themselves, build no tem- ples for the service of God, and of course derive the less benefit from the institutions of religion. While our people lived in cabins, their places of worship were tents, as they were called, their seats logs, their communion tables rough slabs and hewen timber, and the cov- ering of the worshippers the leaves of the forest trees.
Churches have succeeded to tents with their rude accommoda- tions for public worship. The very aspect of these sacred edifices fills the mind of the beholder with a religious awe, and as the most believing and sincere, it serves to increase the ferver of devotion. Patriotism is augmented by the sight of the majestic forum of jus- tice, the substantial public highway, and the bridge with its long succession of ponderous arches.
Rome and Greece would no doubt have fallen much sooner, had it not been for the patriotisin inspired by the magnificent public edi- fices. But for these, their histories would have been less complete and lasting than they have been.
Emigration has brought to the western regions the wealth, science and arts of our eastern brethern, and even of Europe. These we hope have suffered no deterioration in the western coun- try. They have contributed much to the change which has been effected in the moral and scientic character of our country.
The ministry of the gospel has contributed no doubt immensely to the happy change which has been effected in the state of our west- ern society. At an early period of our settlement three Presbyter- ian clergymen commenced their clerical labors in our infant settle- ments, the Rev. Joseph Smith, the Rev. John McMillan and the Rev. Mr. Bowers, the two latter of whom are still living. They were pious, patient, laborious men, who collected their people into regular congregations, and did all for them which their circumstances would allow. It was 110 disparagement to them that their first churches were the sliady grove, and their first pulpits a kind of tent, constructed of a few rough slabs, and covered with clapboards. "He who dwelleth not exclusively in temples made with hands," was propitious to their devotions.
From the outset they prudently resolved to create a ministry in the country, and accordingly established little grammar schools at their own houses or in the immediate neighborhoods. The course of education which they gave their pupils, were indeed not exten- sive ; but the piety of those who entered into the ministry more than made up the deficiency. They formed societies most of which are now large and respectable, and in point of education their ministry has much improved.
About the year 1792, an Academy was established at Canons- burg, in Washington county, in the western part of Pennsylvania,
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which was afterwards incorporated under the name of Jefferson College.
The means possessed by the society for the undertaking were in- deed but small ; but they not only erected a tolerable edifice for the Academy, but created a fund for the education of such pious young men as were desirous of entering into the ministry, but were unable to defray the expenses of their education. This institution has been remarkably successful in its operations. It has produced a large number of good scholars in all the literary professions, and added immensely to the science of the country.
Next to this, Washington College, situated in the county town of the county of that name, has been the means of diffusing much of the light of science through the western country.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed on those good men who opened these fruitful sources of instruction for our infant country, at so early a period of the settlement. They have immensely im- proved the departments of theology, law, medicine and legislation in the western regions.
At a later period the Methodist society began their labors in the western parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania. Their progress at first was slow, but their zeal and perseverance at length overcame every obstacle, so that they are now one of the most numerous and re- spectable societies in the country. The itinerant plan of the minis- try is well calculated to convey the gospel throughout a thinly scat- tered population. Accordingly their ministry has kept pace with the extension of settlements. The little cabin was scarcely built, and the little field fenced in, before these evangelical teachers made their appearance among them, collected them into societies, and taught them the worship of God.
Had it not been for the labors of these indefatigable men, our country, as to a great extent of its settlements, would have been at this day a semi-barbaric region. How many thousands and tens of thousands of the most ignorant and licentious of our population have they instructed and reclaimed from the error of their ways ! They have restored to society even the most worthless, and made them valuable and respectable as citizens, and useful in all the rela- tions of life. Their numerous and zealous ministry bids fair to carry on the good work to any extent which our settlements and popula- tion may require.
With the Catholics I have but little acquaintance, but have every reason to believe, that in proportion to the extent of their flocks, they have done well. In this country they have received the episcopal visitations of their bishops. In Kentucky they have a cathedral, a college and a bishop. In Indiana they have a monas- tery of the order of St. Trap, which is also a college, and a bishop.
Their clergy, with apostolic zeal, but in an unostentatious man- ner, have sought out and ministered to their scattered flocks through- out the country, and as far as I know with good success.
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The societies of Friends in the western country are numerous, and their establishments in good order. Although they are not much in favor of a classical education, they are nevertheless in the habit of giving their people a substantial English education. Their habits of industry, attention to useful arts and improvements are highly honorable to themselves are worthy of imitation.
The Baptists in the state of Kentucky took the lead in the minis- try, and with great success. Their establishments are, as I have been informed, at present numerous and respectable in that state. A great and salutory revolution has taken place in this com- munity of people. Their ministry was formerly quite illiterate ; but they have turned their attention to science, and have already erected some very respectable literary establishments in different parts of America.
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