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New　York



by　James　Fenimore　Cooper









THE　increase　of　the　towns　of　Manhattan；　as；　for　the　sake　of

convenience；　we　shall　term　New　York　and　her　adjuncts；　in　all　that

contributes　to　the　importance　of　a　great　commercial　mart；　renders

them　one　of　the　most　remarkable　places　of　the　present　age。　Within

the　distinct　recollections　of　living　men；　they　have　grown　from　a

city　of　the　fifth　or　sixth　class　to　be　near　the　head　of　all　the

purely　trading　places　of　the　known　world。　That　there　are

sufficient　causes　for　this　unparalleled　prosperity；　will　appear

in　the　analysis　of　the　natural　advantages　of　the　port；　in　its

position；　security；　accessories；　and　scale。



The　State　of　New　York　had　been　steadily　advancing　in　population；

resources；　and　power；　ever　since　the　peace　of　1785。　At　that　time

it　bore　but　a　secondary　rank　among　what　were　then　considered　the

great　States　of　the　Confederacy。　Massachusetts；　proper　and

singly；　then　outnumbered　us；　while　New　England；　collectively；

must　have　had　some　six　or　seven　times　our　people。　A　very　few

years　of　peace；　however；　brought　material　changes。　In　1790；　the

year　in　which　the　first　census　under　the　law　of　Congress　was

taken；　the　State　already　contained　340；120　souls；　while　New

England　had　a　few　more　than　a　million。　It　is　worthy　of　remark

that；　sixty　years　since；　the　entire　State　had　but　little　more

than　half　of　the　population　of　the　Manhattanese　towns　at　the

present　moment！　Each　succeeding　census　diminished　these

proportions；　until　that　of　l830；　when　the　return　for　the　State　of

New　York　gave　1；372；812；　and　for　New　England　1；954；709。　At　this

time；　and　for　a　considerable　period　preceding　and　succeeding　it；

it　was　found　that　the　proportion　between　the　people　of　the　State

of　New　York　and　the　people　of　the　city；　was　about　as　ten　to　one。

Between　1830　and　1840；　the　former　had　so　far　increased　in　numbers

as　to　possess　as　many　people　as　ALL　New　England。　In　the　next

decade；　this　proportion　was　exceeded；　and　the　late　returns　show

that　New　York；　singly；　has　passed　ahead　of　all　her　enterprising

neighbors　in　that　section　of　the　Union。　At　the　same　time；　the　old

proportion　between　the　State　and　the　townor；　to　be　more

accurate；　the　TOWNS　on　the　Bay　of　New　York　and　its　watershas

been　entirely　lost；　five　to　one　being　near　the　truth　at　the

present　moment。　It　is　easy　to　foresee　that　the　time　is　not　very

distant　when　two　to　one　will　be　maintained　with　difficulty；　as

between　the　State　and　its　commercial　capital。



Bold　as　the　foregoing　prediction　may　seem；　the　facts　of　the　last

half　century　will；　we　think；　justify　it。　If　the　Manhattan　towns；

or　Manhattan；　as　we　shall　not　scruple　to　term　the　several　places

that　compose　the　prosperous　sisterhood　at　the　mouth　of　the

Hudsona　name　that　is　more　ancient　and　better　adapted　to　the

history；　associations；　and　convenience　of　the　place　than　any

othercontinue　to　prosper　as　they　have　done；　ere　the　close　of

the　present　century　they　will　take　their　station　among　the

capitals　of　the　first　rank。　It　may　require　a　longer　period　to

collect　the　accessories　of　a　first…class　place；　for　these　are　the

products　of　time　and　cultivation；　though　the　facilities　of

intercourse；　the　spirit　of　the　age；　and　the　equalizing　sentiment

that　marks　the　civilization　of　the　epoch；　will　greatly　hasten

everything　in　the　shape　of　improvement。



New　York　will　probably　never　possess　any　churches　of　an

architecture　to　attract　attention　for　their　magnitude　and

magnificence。　The　policy　of　the　country；　which　separates　religion

from　the　state；　precludes　this；　by　confining　all　the　expenditures

of　this　nature　to　the　several　parishes；　few　of　which　are　rich

enough　to　do　more　than　erect　edifices　of　moderate　dimensions　and

cost。　The　Romish　Church；　so　much　addicted　to　addressing　the

senses；　manifests　some　desire　to　construct　its　cathedrals；　but

they　are　necessarily　confined　to　the　limits　and　ornaments　suited

to　the　resources　of　a　branch　of　the　church　that；　in　this　country；

is　by　no　means　affluent。　The　manner　in　which　the　Americans　are

subdivided　into　sects　also　conflicts　with　any　commendable　desire

that　may　exist　to　build　glorious　temples　in　honor　of　the　Deity：

and　convenience　is　more　consulted　than　taste；　perhaps；　in　all

that　relates　to　ecclesiastical　architecture。　Nevertheless；　a

sensible　improvement　in　this　respect　has　occurred　within　the　last

few　years；　to　which　we　shall　elsewhere　advert。



It　will　be　in　their　trade；　their　resources；　their　activity；　and

their　influence　on　the　rest　of　the　world；　as　well　as　in　their

population；　that　the　towns　of　Manhattan　will　be　first　entitled　to

rank　with　the　larger　capitals　of　Europe。　So　obvious；　rapid；　and

natural　has　been　the　advance　of　all　the　places；　that　it　is　not

easy　for　the　mind　to　regard　anything　belonging　to　them　as

extraordinary；　or　out　of　rule。　There　is　not　a　port　in　the　whole

country　that　is　less　indebted　to　art　and　the　fostering　hand　of

Government　than　this。　It　is　true；　certain　forts；　most　of　them　of

very　doubtful　necessity；　have　been　constructed　for　defence；　but

no　attack　having　ever　been　contemplated；　or；　if　contemplated；

attempted；　they　have　been　dead　letters　in　the　history　of　its

progress。　We　are　not　aware　that　Government　has　ever　expended　one

cent　in　the　waters　of　Manhattan；　except　for　the　surveys；

construction　of　the　aforesaid　military　works；　and　the　erection　of

the　lighthouses；　that　form　a　part　of　the　general　provision　for

the　safe　navigation　of　the　entire　coast。　Some　money　has　been

expended　for　the　improvement　of　the　shallow　waters　of　the　Hudson；

but　it　has　been　as　much；　or　more；　for　the　advantage　of　the　upper

towns；　and　the　trade　coastwise；　generally；　than　for　the　special

benefit　of　New　York。



The　immense　natural　advantages　of　the　bays　and　islands　at　the

mouth　of　the　Hudson　have；　in　a　great　degree；　superseded　the

necessity　of　such　assistance。　Nature　has　made　every　material

provision　for　a　mart　of　the　first　importance：　and　perhaps　it　has

been　fortunate　that　the　towns　have　been　left；　like　healthful　and

vigorous　children；　managed　by　prudent　parents；　to　take　the

inclination　and　growth　pointed　out　to　them　by　this　safest　and

best　of　guides。



London　is　indebted　to　artificial　causes；　in　a　great　degree；　for

its　growth　and　power。　That　great　law　of　trade；　which　renders

settling　places　indispensable；　has　contributed　to　her　prosperity

and　continued　ascendency；　long　after　the　day　when　rival　ports　are

carrying　away　her　fleets　and　commerce。　She　is　a　proof　of　the

difficulty　of　shaking　a　commercial　superiority　long　established。

Scarce　a　cargo　that　enters　the　ports　of　the　kingdom　that　does　not

pay　tribute　to　her　bankers　or　merchants。　But　London　is　a

political　capital；　and　that　in　a　country　where　the　representation

of　the　Government　is　more　imposing；　possessing　greater　influence；

than　in　any　other　Christian　nation。　The　English　aristocracy；

which　wields　the　real　authority　of　the　state；　here　makes　its

annual　exhibition　of　luxury　and　wealth；　such　as　the　world　has

never　beheld　anywhere　else；　ancient　Rome　possibly　excepted；　and

has　had　a　large　share　in　rendering　London　what　it　is。



New　York　has　none　of　this　adventitious　aid。　Both　of　the

Governments；　that　of　the　United　States　and　that　of　the　State；

have　long　been　taken　from　her；　leaving　her　nothing　of　this　sort

but　her　own　local　authorities。　But　representation　forms　no　part

of　the　machinery　of　American　policy。　It　is　supposed　that　man　is

too　intellectual　and　philosophical　to　need　it；　in　this

intellectual　and　philosophical　country；　PAR　EXCELLENCE。　Although

such　is　the　theory；　the　whole　struggle　in　private　life　is　limited

to　the　impression　made　by　representation　in　the　hands　of

individuals。　That　which　the　Government　has　improvidently　cast

aside；　society　has　seized　upon：　and　hundreds　who　have　no　claim　to

distinction　beyond　the　possession　of　money；　profit　by　the　mistake

to　place　themselves　in　positions　perhaps　that　they　are　not　always

exactly　qualified　to　fill。　Of　all　social　usurpations；　that　of

mere　money　is　the　least　tolerableas　one　may　have　a　very　full

purse　with　empty　brains　and　vulgar　tastes　and　habits。　The　wisdom

of　thus　throwing　the　control　of　a　feature　of　society；　that　is　of

much　more　moment　than　is　commonly　supposed；　into　the　chapter　of

commercial　accidents　may　well　he　questioned



Some　crude　attempts　have　been　made　to　bring　the　circles　of　New

York　within　the　control　of　a　code　prepared　and　promulgated

through　the　public　press。　They　who　have　made　these　abortive

attempts　have　been　little　aware　of　the　power　with　which　they　have

to　contend。　Napoleon　himself；　who　could　cause　the　conscription　to

enter　every　man's　dwelling；　could　not　bring　the　coteries　of　the

Faubourg　under　his　influence。　In　this　respect；　society　will　make

its　own　laws；　appeal　to　its　own　opinions；　and　submit　only　to　its

own　edicts。　Association　is　beyond　the　control　of　any　regular　and

peaceful　government；　resting　on　influences　that　seem；