femain a militia of more than feven hundred thoufand men.

Of the fe

a great proportion are well-difciplined, veteran troops. Scarcely any nation or kingdom in Europe can bring into the field an army of equal numbers, or more formidable than can be raised in the United States.

*

Five thousand regular troops have, however, been enlifted for three years, and an attempt has been made by the fenate, on account of the prefent pofture of affairs, to increase that number to fifteen thousand, but the House of Representatives have refused to comply, rather chufing, in cafe of a war, to truft to the energy and exertions of the militia, than thus to risk the introduction of a military standing force.

NAVAL STRENGTH.

Marine ftrength, in a ftrict fenfe, the United States have none, many of their merchants veffels might, however, foon be converted into fhips of war of confiderable force, and their fituation and refources will enable them to establish and fupport a navy equal to that of any nation in the world, fhould they determine on fo doing, and that they will deem it neceffary to establish and fupport a naval power, there can be little doubt. The actual habits of their citizens attach them to commerce. They will exercife it for themselves. Wars then we fear, must sometimes be their lot; and all the wife can do, will be to avoid that half of them which would be produced by their own follies, and their acts of injuftice; and to make for the other half the best preparations they can. Of what nature, it may be afked, fhould thefe be? A land army would be ufelefs for offence, and not the best nor fafeft inftrument of defence. For either of thefe purposes, the sea is the field on which they should meet an European enemy. On that element it is neceffary they fhould therefore poffefs fome power. To aim at fuch a navy as the greater nations of Europe poffefs, would be a foolish and wicked wafte of the energies of their citizens. It would be to pull on their own heads that load of military expence, which makes the EUROPEAN

LABOURER GO SUPPERLESS TO BED, AND MOISTENS HIS BREAD

WITH THE SWEAT OF HIS BROW. It will be enough if they enable themselves to prevent infults from thofe nations of Europe which are weak on the fea, becaufe circumftances exift, which render even the ftronger ones weak as to them. Providence has placed the richest and moft defencelefs European poffeffions at their door; has obliged their most precious commerce to pafs as it were in review before the United States. To prote this, or to affail them, a fmall part only of their naval force will ever be rifked across the Atlantic. The dangers to which the elements expofe them there are too well known, and the

* 1794.

greater

greater dangers to which they would be expofed at home, were any general calamity to involve their whole fleet. They can attack thent by detachment only; and it will fuffice for the United States to make themselves equal to what they may detach. Even a fmaller force than any of the nations of Europe may detach, will be rendered equal or fuperior by the quicknefs with which any check may be repaired with the Americans, while loffes with European powers will be irreparable till too late. A fmall naval force then is fufficient for the States, and a fmall one is neceffary. What this fhould be, we will not undertake to fay; it fhould, however, by no means be fo great as they are able to make it. Mr. Jefferfon obferves, that Virginia alone, can annuallyfpare without diftrefs, a million of dollars, or three hundred thousand pounds; fuppofe this fum to be applied to the creating a navy, a fingle year's contribution would build, equip, man, and fend to fea, a force which would carry three hundred guns. The rest of the confederacy, exerting themselves in thefame proportion, would equip in the fame time fifteen hundred guns more. So that one year's contributions would fet up a navy of eighteen hundred guns. British ships of the line average feventy-fix guns, and their frigates thirty-eight. Eighteen hundred guns then would form a fleet of thirty fhips, eighteen of which might be of the line, and twelv frigates. Allowing eight men, the British average for every gun, their annual expence, including fubfiftence, clothing, pay, and ordinary repairs, would be about twelve hundred and eighty dollars for every gun, or two million three hundred and four thousand dollars for the whole. This is only stated as one year's poffible exertion, without deciding whether more or less than a year's exertion should be thus applied, or would be neceffary.

RELIGION.

The conftitution of the United States difcovers in no one inftance more excellence than in providing against the making of any law refpecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of it. And the conftitutions of the refpective States are equally entitled to praise in this respect, in them religious liberty is a fundamental principle. And in this important article, the American government is distinguished from that of every other nation, IF WE EXCEPT FRANCE. Religion in the United States is placed on its proper bafis; without the feeble and unwarranted aid of the civil power, it is left to be fupported by its own evidence, the lives of its profeffors, and the Almighty care of its Divine Author.

All being thus left at liberty to choose their own religion, the people, as might eafily be fuppofed, have varied in their choice. The bulk of the people denominate themselves Chriftians; a small portion of them are Jews; fome plead the fufficiency of natural religion, and reject revelation as unneceffary and fabulous; and many, we have reafon to believe, have yet their religion to choofe. Chriftians profefs their religion under various forms, and with different ideas of its doctrines, ordinances, and precepts. The following denominations of Chriftians are more or lefs numerous in the United States, viz. CONGREGATION. ALISTS, PRESBYTERIANS, DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH, EPISCOPALIANS, BAPTISTS, UNITARIANS, QUAKERS or FRIENDS, METHODISTS, ROMAN CATHOLICS, GERMAN LUTHERANS, GERMAN CALVINISTS or PRESBYTERIANS, MORAVIANS, TUNKERS, MEN. NONISTS, UNIVERSALISTS, and SHAKERS.

CONGREGATIONALISTS.

Of these the Congregationalists are the most numerous. In New England alone, befides thofe which are fcattered through the middle and fouthern States, there are not lefs than a thoufand congregations of this denomination, viz.

It is difficult to fay what is the prefent ecclefiaftical constitution of the Congregational churches. Formerly their ecclefiaftical proceedings were regulated, in Massachusetts, by the Cambridge Platform of church discipline, established by the fynod in 1648; and in Connecticut, by the Saybrook Platform of difcipline; but fince the revolution, lefs regard has been paid to these conftitutions, and in many instances they are wholly difufed. Congregationalifts are pretty generally agreed in this opinion, that Every church or particular congregation of visible faints, in gofpel order, being furnished with a Paftor or Bishop, and walking together in truth and peace; has received from the Lord Jefus full power and authority ecclefiaftical within itself, regularly to adminifter all the ordinancies of Chrift, and is not under any other ecclefiaftical jurifdiction whatever." Their churches, with fome exceptions,

difclaim

disclaim the term Independent, as applicable to them, and claim a fifterly relation to each other.

From the answer of the elders, and other meffengers of the churches affembled at Bofton, in the year 1662, to the queftions propofed to them by order of the General Court, it appears that the churches, at that period, profeffed to hold communion with each other in the following acts, viz.

"In hearty care and prayer one for another. In affording relief, by communicating of their gifts in temporal or fpiritual neceffities. In maintaining unity and peace, by giving account one to another of their public actions, when it is properly defired; to ftrengthen one another in their regular adminiftrations; in particular by a concurrent teftimony against persons justly cenfured. To feek and accept help from, and afford help to each other, in cafe of divifions and contentions, whereby the peace of any church is disturbed; in matters of more than ordinary importance, as the ordination, installation, removal, and depofition of paftors or bishops; in doubtful and difficult queftions and controverfies, doctrinal or practical, that may arife; and for the rectifying of maladministration, and healing of errors and fcandals that are not healed among themselves. In taking notice, with a spirit of love and faithful. nefs, of the troubles and difficulties, errors and scandals of another church, and to administer help, when the cafe manifeftly calls for it, though they fhould fo neglect their own good and duty, as not to seek it. In admonishing one another, when there is caufe for it; and after a due courfe of means, patiently to withdraw from a church, or peccant party therein, obftinafely perfifting in error or fcandal."

A confociation of churches was, at the period mentioned, confidered by them as neceffary to a communion of churches, the former being but an agreement to maintain the latter, and therefore a duty.-The confociation of churches they defined to be, Their mutual and folemn agreement to exercife communion in the acts above recited, amongst themfelves, with fpecial reference to thofe churches which, by Providence, were planted in a convenient vicinity, though with liberty referved without offence, to make ufe of others, as the nature of the cafe, or the ad, vantage of the opportunity might lead thereunto.

The minifters of the Congregational order are pretty generally affociated for the purposes of licenfing candidates for the ministry, and friendly intercourse and improvement; but there are few Congregational churches that are confociated on the above principles; and the practice has very generally gone into difufe, and with it the communion of churches in moft of the acts before recited. In Connecticut the ...beltéra

2

western parts of Maffachusetts, the churches have deviated lefs from their original conftitution. The degeneracy of the Congregational churches from that order, fellowship, and harmony, in difcipline, doctrines, and friendly advice and affiftance in ecclefiaftical matters, which formerly fubfifted between them, is matter of deep regret to many, not to fay to most people of the denomination. A reformation, or a return to a practice conformable to the original principles of the Congregational churches, is an event more earnestly defired, than confidently expected by them.

Congregationalifts are divided in opinion refpecting the doctrines of the gospel, and the proper fubjects of its ordinances. The body of them are Calvinists; a refpectable proportion are what may be denomi nated Hopkenfian Calvinifts; befides these, fome are Arminians, fome Arians, a few Socinians, and a number who have adopted Doctor Chauncey's fcheme of the final falvation of all men.

PRESBYTERIANS.

Next to the Congregationalists, Prefbyterians are the most numerous denomination of Chriftians in the United States. They have a conftitation by which they regulate all their ecclefiaftical proceedings, and a confeffion of faith, which all church officers and church members are required to fubfcribe. Hence they have preferved a fingular uniformity in their religious fentiments, and have conducted their ecclefiaftical affairs with a great degree of order and harmony.

"

The body of the Prefbyterians inhabit the middle and fouthern States, and are united under the fame conftitution. By this conftitution, the Prefbyterians who are governed by it, are divided into five Synods and feventeen Prefbyteries; viz.-SYNOD OF NEW YORK, five prefbyteries, ninety-four congregations, and fixty-one fettled minifters, --SYNOD OF PHILADELPHIA, five prefbyteries, ninety-two congregations, and fixty fettled minifters, befides the minifters and congregations belonging to Baltimore prefbytery.-SYNOD OF VIRGINIA, four prefbyteries, feventy congregations, and forty fettled minifters, exclufive of the congregations and minifters of Tranfylvania prefbytery.-SYNOD OF THE CAROLINAS, three prefbyteries, eighty-two congregations, and forty-two fettled ministers, the minifters and congregations in Abington prefbytery not included. If we fuppofe the number of congrega tions in the prefbyteries which made no returns to their fynods, to be one hundred, and the number of fettled ministers in the fame to be forty, the whole number of prefbyterian congregations in this connec❤ tion will be four hundred and thirty-eight, which are fupplied by two hundred and twenty-three fettled minifters, and between seventy and VOL. I.

3 B

eighty