We are peculiarly placed in this country.

Here, as a rule, facts--meaning political and social facts--are greatly in advance of opinion, simply because the former are left chiefly to their own free action, and the latter is necessarily trammelled by habit and prejudice; while in the 'old region' opinion, as a rule--and meaning the leading or better opinion--is greatly in advance of facts, because facts are restrained by usage and personal interests, and opinion is incited by study, and the necessity of change." "Permit me to say, brigadier, that I find your present institutions a remarkable result to follow such a state of things." "They are a cause, rather than a consequence.

Opinion, as a whole, is everywhere on the advance; and it is further advanced even here, as a whole, than anywhere else.

Accident has favored the foundation of the social compact; and once founded, the facts have been hastening to their consummation faster than the monikin mind has been able to keep company with them.

This is a remarkable but true state of the whole region.