the league. The affairs of the Confederation are managed by a diet, in which the representative of Austria presides. Until a very recent period each of the German States had its own custom houses, tariff, and revenue laws, by which the internal trade of the country was subjected to many vexations and ruinous restrictions; but chiefly through the influence of Prussia this selfish system has been abandoned; free trade exists between the States; and a commodity that has once passed the frontier of the league may now be conveyed without hinderance throughout its whole extent.

For notices of Russia, Poland, and Hungary, see pp. 287, 311, and 542.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Map No. XVIII.

The UNITED STATES Occupy the middle division of North America, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and embracing an area of about three millions two hundred thousand square miles. Physical geography would divide this broad belt into three great sections; 1st, the Atlantic coast, whose rivers flow into the Atlantic; 2d, the Valley of the Mississippi, whose waters find an outlet in the Gulf of Mexico; and 3d, the Pacific coast, embracing an extensive territory west of the Rocky Mountains. The section between the Alleghanies and the Atlantic, embracing the thirteen original States, has a soil generally rocky and rough in the north-eastern or New England States; of moderate fertility in the Middle States; and generally light and sandy in the Southern Atlantic States. The immense Valley of the Mississippi, încluded between the Alleghanies and the Rocky Mountains, and drained by the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, and Red rivers, is one of the largest and finest basins in the world, embracing an area of more than one million square miles-nearly equal to all Europe, with the exception of the Russian empire. In the eastern and middle sections of this valley the soil is generally of very superior quality; but extensive sandy wastes skirt the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. The country west of the Rocky Mountains exhibits a great variety of soil. Washington and Oregon territories are divided into three belts or sections, by mountain ranges running nearly parallel with the coast. The eastern section is rocky, broken, and barren; the western fertile. Most parts of Utah and western New Mexico are an extensive elevated region of sandy barrens and prairie lands: the northern and eastern sections of California are hilly and mountainous: the only portion adapted to agriculture being the southern section, and a narrow strip along the coast, forty or fifty miles in width. The vast mineral wealth of California gives that country its chief importance.

The United States seem destined to become, at no distant day, in population, wealth, and power, the greatest nation of the earth. In the year 1850 their population numbered more than twenty-three millions; and if it should continue to increase, for a century to come, as it has during the past twenty years, at the end of the century it will number one hundred and sixty millions, and then be only half as populous as Britain or France. Hardly any limits can be assigned to the probable wealth of so extensive and fertile a country, intersected by numerous canals and navigable lakes and rivers, bound together by its roads of iron, bordering on two oceans, and commanding the trade of the world. In commerce it is even now the second country on the globe, being inferior only to Great Britain: in its agricultural products it has no equal; and in manufactures it has already risen to great respectability. Its revenue, which has arisen chiefly from customs on imports, and the sale of public lands, was sufficient in January 1837, not only to complete the payment of the public debt contracted during the two wars with Great Britain, but also, after retaining five million dollars in the treasury, to distribute more than thirty-seven millions among the States. In 1838 the United States was entirely free from debt, while at the same time Great Britain owed a debt of nearly eight hundred million pounds sterling, equal to more than thirty-five hundred millions of dollars! the annual interest on which, at the low English rates, was more than three times the amount of the total annual expenditure of the American government.

The national existence of the United States commenced on the 4th of July, 1776, when they

declared their independence of Great Britain. The seven years' war of the Revolution followed: the definitive treaty of peace was signed September 30th, 1783: the present Constitution was ratified by Congress July 14th, 1788; and on the 30th of April, 1789, Washington was inaugurated first President of the United States. In 1803, Louisiana, embracing a vast and undefined territory west of the Mississippi, was purchased from France for fifteen millions of dol lars; and in 1821 Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain. On the 4th of June, 1812, the American Congress declared war against Great Britain: peace was concluded at Ghent, Dec. 14th, 1814. In the year 1845 the Republic of Texas was annexed to the United States. In April 1846 a war with Mexico began: California was conquered by the Americans during the summer of the same year; on the 27th of March, 1847, Vera Cruz capitulated; and on the 14th of September the American army entered the city of Mexico. In February, 1848, a treaty was concluded with Mexico, by which the United States obtained a large increase of territory, embracing the present New Mexico, Utah, and California.

Ꮲ Ꭺ Ꭱ Ꭲ III.

OUTLINES OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY.

CHAPTER I.

THE ANTEDILUVIAN WORLD.

ANALYSIS. 1. The earliest historical statement that we possess carries us back to the antediluvian period of our world's history. Seeming barrenness of the field thus opened to us. What assurances are given the student.-2. Subject presented, and questions suggested by the SCRIPTURAL ACCOUNT OF THE CREATION. What is purposed in relation thereto.-3. Popular belief relative to the work of creation. The belief opposed to this.

4. GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE EARTH.-5. The facts on which the geological argument is based. Character of the earth's surface.-6. Formation of the stratified rocks. Fossil remains in the uppermost strata.-7. Evidences of great convulsions of the globe. What geology has not the rashness to conjecture, on the one hand, and what it has proved, on the other.-8. How the geological theory is now generally regarded. The opposition to it. The suggestion of various possibilities-miraculous interpositions, &c., how regarded. The supposition that the fossil remains were deposited at an epoch so recent as the deluge.-9. The assertion that the geological theory is derogatory to the Deity.-10. Various opinions whether the whole or a part of the globe was embraced in the "six days" work of creation.-11. Of the period of time embraced in them.-12. Concluding remarks on the geological portion of our world's history. 13. The sceptical argument against Bible history. Collateral testimony-of what use to the student.-14. The four leading historical facts in the history of the antediluvian world.

15. UNITY OF THE HUMAN RACE, the doctrine of the Bible. Varieties of the human family. Science not opposed to scripture testimony.-16. Peculiarities of form and color not permanent characteristics of races. Examples. The proof furnished by them.-17. The comparative study of languages tends to the same result. Languages of the earth, how grouped. The affinities between them show a common origin.-18. The same result shown by the course of ancient migrations.

19. Institution oF A SABBATH. The sabbath probably known to the antediluvians. Evidences of the Sabbath among heathen nations.-20. Division of time by our Saxon ancestors. Origin of our names of the days of the week.-21. The result-showing a common origin of the prevalent custom of dividing time.-22. Jewish festivals, and heathen sacrifices.

23. THE ORIGIN OF DISCORD. Brief scriptural account of it in the history of Cain. Asiatic traditions on this subject more minute. Account which the Asiatics give of their own origin. Supposed original source of these traditions. Grecian and Roman account of the origin of discord.-24. The struggle of opposing races forms the main subject of primitive history. How described in the poems of Hindoo mythology. The same legend enlarged and beautifled by the Greeks.-25. Sources of early profane history. Moses probably not the first historian. Job.

26. COINCIDENCES BETWEEN SACRED AND PROFANE HISTORY.-27. Sanchoniatho and his writings. Coincidences with scripture history.-28. Phoenician system of idolatry.-29. General