AMERICAN CORRESPONDENCE. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. THERE is no individual who, at the time, lamented more deeply than myself, the separation of America from Great Britain, or who now more sincerely rejoices at that event. I am fully convinced, that an overgrown empire is a great political evil, and "That numerous remote possessions are as destructive to a political body, as corpulence to the human frame." The improvement of the parent state is neglected, from the attention which its governors must pay to distant colonies, whilst the interests of those colonies are very imperfectly attended to *. Great Britain and Ireland are countries large enough for any one government to manage well; and if our naval and military strength were concentrated for our own defence, no other state would venture to attack us. Ever since the separation, I have uniformly endeavoured to promote a good understanding, and a friendly intercourse, between the two countries. With that view, I entered into a correspondence with the most celebrated men that the new empire had produced; and gave a cordial reception to any natives of America, who visited Great Britain. I likewise * The neglect shown to the circumstances and government of our American colonies was quite unpardonable, and necessarily produced the separation. A most anxiously transmitted to America any information that could further its agricultural interests; and gave any aid in my power to the improvement of its live stock.` No individual anticipates with greater pleasure the height of prosperity which America is likely to reach; and it is by no means improbable, that the new world will, in various respects, eclipse the old, unless we exert ourselves, with our utmost energy, to maintain our ancient supremacy. 1. GENERAL WASHINGTON. There was no circumstance, from which I derived greater satisfaction, than from carrying on, for a great number of years, a friendly intercourse with the First President of the United States of America; and I have now much pleasure in laying his communications before the reader, as they display, to so much advantage, the powerful talents,—the generous views, and the unbounded philanthropy of that celebrated statesman. The peculiar predilection which General Washington has so strongly and so frequently expressed, in the subsequent letters, for agricultural improvement, which he preferred to every other pursuit, is a circumstance which I am desirous should be recorded, for the benefit, both of the present, and of future times, from a desire that it may make a due impression upon the minds of those, who might otherwise be induced to dedicate themselves entirely, either to the phantoms of military fame, or to the tortures of political ambition. I feel anxious to record the praises which this distinguished statesman has bestowed on the. establishment of the British Board of Agriculture, an institution respecting which, he remarks, that he entertained the most favourable idea of it from the first; and that the more he saw and reflected afterwards on the plan, the more convinced he was of its importance, in a national point of view, not only to Great Britain, but to all other countries *. The wish which the founder of the American Republic has expressed, to have a similar agricultural establishment in America, I have also judged it expedient to publish, in the hopes that the recommendation of so great a man will at last be generally adopted, as indeed it has already been in some degree, by the establishment of a Board of Agriculture in the state of New York. It may be proper to give a short account of the origin of the following correspondence. About the year 1790, I began to be engaged in those extensive statistical inquiries, regarding the general state of Scotland, and the means of promoting its improvement, which were not only interesting to this country, but to every civilized part of the world; and having resolved to send copies of the first papers which were printed respecting these inquiries, to several distinguished characters in foreign countries, I could not think of neglecting an individual, so pre-eminently conspicuous, as the President of the United States of America. In answer to the first letter I had the honour of addressing to him, I received the communication, dated the 20th day of October 1792. I embraced every opportunity of transmitting to him, from time to time, the additional papers which were afterwards printed on the subjects of our correspondence, accompanied by letters, of which I have only a copy of one, in which I endeavoured to demonstrate the advantages which might be derived from establishing a Board of Agriculture in America. Of that letter, I beg leave to subjoin the following extract, as it tends to explain more fully General Washington's answer of the 6th day of March 1797, stating the circumstances * See Letter, No. 3, 1795, July 10. which at that time prevented the immediate adoption of the measure. Extract of a Letter from Sir John Sinclair to General Washington, dated Whitehall, London, 10th September 1796. The people of this country, as well as of America, learn, with infinite regret, that you propose resigning your situa tion as President of the United States. I shall not enter into the discussion of a question, of which I am incompetent to judge; but if it be so, I hope that you will recommend some agricultural establishment on a great scale, before you quit the reins of government. By that I mean a Board of Agriculture, or some similar institution, at Philadelphia, with societies of agriculture in the capital of each state, to correspond with it. Such an establishment would soon enable the farmers of America to acquire agricultural knowledge, and, what is of equal importance, afford them the means of communicating what they have learnt to their countrymen. I scarcely think, that any government can be properly constituted, without such an establishment. As mere individuals, four things are necessary; 1. Food; 2. Clothing; 3. Shelter; 4. Mental Improvement. As members of a large community, four other particulars seem to be essential, namely, 1. Property; 2. Marriage; 3. Laws for our direction in this world; and, 4. Religion, to prepare us for another. But the foundation of the whole is food; and that country must be the happiest, where that sine qua non can be most easily obtained. The surest means of securing abundance of food, however, is by ascertaining the best mode of raising it, and rousing a spirit of improvement for that purpose; for both of which the countenance and protection of the government of a country is essential. The trifling expense for which such an institution might be supported, is another argument in its favour. I am induced, more particularly, to dwell upon this circumstance, as it might be in my power, on various occasions, |