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CH. XV.] men to feel an interest in the government of the country in which they live. The other seven tenths may, however, be presumed to be favourable to the independent system, inasmuch as they have already experienced from it substantial benefit in the remission of taxation and the abolition of slavery. It is true, that the humble portion of society to which I particularly allude, is so widely separated, both by local situation and intellectual feeling, from the seat of government and the moral spring of political transactions, as to be scarcely sensible even of the existence of the former, and seldom alive to any impulse which it might be attempted to impart to them through the remote vibration of the latter. Yet, although they know but little of the nature of presidents, councils, and congresses, they all know their respective parish curate; and as he is the most important authority with which they are practically acquainted, it is natural that they should be much guided by his example and