es have furnished the spectacle of a
people struggling with energy to win its independence; and the efforts
of the Americans in throwing off the English yoke have been considerably
exaggerated. Separated from their enemies by three thousand miles of
ocean, and backed by a powerful ally, the success of the United States
may be more justly attributed to their geographical position than to the
valor of their armies or the patriotism of their citizens. It would
be ridiculous to compare the American was to the wars of the French
Revolution, or the efforts of the Americans to those of the French when
they were attacked by the whole of Europe, without credit and without
allies, yet capable of opposing a twentieth part of their population to
the world, and of bearing the torch of revolution beyond their frontiers
whilst they stifled its devouring flame within the bosom of their
country. But it is a novelty in the history of society to see a great
people turn a calm and scrutinizing eye upon itself, when apprised by
the legislature that the wheels of government are stopped; to see it
carefully examine the extent of the evil, and patiently wait for two
whole years until a remedy was discovered, which it voluntarily adopted
without having wrung a tear or a drop of blood from mankind. At the time
when the inadequacy of the first constitution was discovered America
possessed the double advantage of that calm which had succeeded the
effervescence of the revolution, and of those great men who had led the
revolution to a successful issue. The assembly which accepted the task
of composing the second constitution was small; *c but George Washington
was its President, and it contained the choicest talents and the
noblest hearts which had ever appeared in the New World. This national
commission, after long and mature deliberation, offered to the
acceptance of the people the body of general laws which still rules
the Union. All the States adopted it successively. *d The new Federal
Government commenced its functions in 1789, after an interregnum of two
years. The Revolution of America terminated when that of France began.

[Footnote a: See the articles of the first confederation formed in 1778.
This constitution was not adopted by all the States until 1781. See also
the analysis given of this constitution in "The Federalist" from No. 15
to No. 22, inclusive, and Story's "Commentaries on the Constitution of
the United States," pp. 85-115.]