venient means for its transportation to market, and its quality, and the increasing demand for its use, throughout the United States, must one day render its manufacture and exportation a profitable employment for many of the inhabitants of the State. It is probable, that this tract of slate formation extends southwestward to Waterville on the Kennebeck, where it has been found, said to be of a good quality.

Among others of the natural products which may stimulate the enterprize and reward the industry of the inhabitants of the State, may be classed those of the sea which washes its shores, and the rivers which, water its interior. It is sufficient however merely to mention them in this place; their kind and value are well known; and it will at once be perceived that the great extent to which the taking and curing of fish, and the manufacture of salt, may furnish employment, and the means of subsistence and wealth, to a numerous population, inhabiting around the multitude of bays and harbors with which the State is indented, will by consequence extend, as it were, the territory of the State into the ocean, and increase its numbers, wealth, and physical strength, to a degree not easily calculated. Some further notice of this article will be taken in Chapter 8.

Those natural products which require the aid of the labor of man, in agriculture, as also the products of manufacturing industry, will be noticed under their respective heads.

How far, and in what manner the parental care of the Legislature, or the enterprize of private citizens, may avail to increase the value of the natural products with which the State abounds; to promote the production of such as are most useful, and require the hand of culture; to preserve from waste those which are exposed to destruction; to explore the extent to which valuable native products may be found to exist, or be made useful; and to improve, in the best manner, the ad

vantages which the whole, in various ways, may afford to the State, as sources of individual and public wealth and comfort; are questions which cannot fail to be interesting, and which may be of very great interest to the future welfare of the State; but, to an intelligent and enterprizing people, it will be sufficient merely to make the suggestion.

CHAPTER V.

Divisions.

The artificial divisions of the State, which are formed for political purposes, or for the convenience of distinct portions of the people, will be most readily understood by consulting the general Map of the State, and the Atlas, Plate 6. Those natural divisions which result from the relative position of mountains, lakes, rivers, &c. will appear in some measure in the general Map, but more especially in the Atlas, Plate 1, to which Plate 4 may also be added; and these, with the descriptions in chapter 2, may suffice for this part of the subject.

There is however another kind of natural division, or, perhaps more properly, a result of natural divisions, which occurs in a greater or less degree, in most countries of any considerable extent, and exists, in some degree, in Maine. This division arises chiefly from the mutual wants and conveniences of the inhabitants respectively in different parts of the State-the number and local position of the places where they find the means to supply those wants, or increase those conveniences-the directions and facilities of the usual channels of intercourse-the transient or permanent character of any obstacles to the intercourse between different sections-the position, and natural and artificial advantages of the commercial towns, or focal points, which concentrate the business of particular districts;

and perhaps sometimes to natural or artificial rivalships, competitions, or combinations among different classes of the community. It is not intended to suppose that such divisions have uniformly or necessarily an injurious effect. They may sometimes be beneficial. The object here is to show that they must exist, in a measure, in this State; and to suggest some of the possible results, in order that the minds of those, who deem it of any importance, may be excited to the inquiry whether any practicable course of policy or enterprise may be available to improve whatever advantages, or obviate the disadvantages, which might result to the community, from the existence or effects of such natural divisions.

We may for a moment suppose a country of any extent, possessing but one port,-one point of commercial correspondence, and of general communication, with other countries. It will be perceived at once that this port will be the general depot for all the surplus products of the country, whether of agriculture or manufactures, and the place at which these will be exchanged for the products of other countries. The mutual wants and convenience of all the inhabitants of this country will bring them frequently together at this place, and will lead them to connections in business, acquaintances, friendships, &c. which will tend to assimilate their habits of thinking and acting, and to form a general homogeneous character in the whole community. The interest and feelings of the whole, will become in some measure identified with those of each part, they will generally act together on all subjects of general interest, and all measures of public improvement will tend directly to draw closer the connection, and promote the intercourse between the centre and the extreme parts of the country.

Suppose next, that there are two or more such posts, each conveniently accommodating a particular district of the country, but none situated so as sufficiently to accommodate the whole, nor so as that their respective necessities, nor convenience, require any connection with each other. Here then

there must be two or more classes of the population, having but little intercourse or acquaintance with each other. Their real interests may be substantially the same, and require, in general, the pursuit of the same policy, and the adoption of the same measures; but their respective views on the subject may be different, and their feelings selfish, local, and exclusive. Hence jealousies and discord will arise, and often prevent the adoption of measures, both of a general and local nature, which would have been highly beneficial to the whole community. It is possible too that a spirit of emulation may excite them to greater activity and exertion, each in fair measures to promote the interests of their respective sections; and the general interests of the whole country may be advanced by the competition.

Suppose also that the position, or natural advantages of these several ports, and the circumstances and geographical features of the country, are such that the enterprize and industry of the inhabitants of one district may improve the means of intercourse with, or offer some superior advantages to, a part of the inhabitants of others, so as to induce them to form their commercial connections and acquaintance with themselves, and unite their interests and views and feelings in the same system of local and sectional policy. Such a course would be open to either. It might be pursued in a spirit of honorable enterprize, and ardent competition, resulting in improvements highly beneficial to the whole country. It might also be pursued differently, and in some cases, much to the physical and moral injury, not only of the rival parts, but of the whole.

These remarks may apply, at least in a measure, to possibilities arising from some of the local circumstances of this State; and it will be well if a consideration of the subject should prompt to a course of thinking and acting, which, when applied to all questions of a public nature, should result only in measures the best calculated to obviate whatever disadvan

tages, and improve to the utmost whatever advantages may pertain to, or flow from, these circumstances.

The State of Maine has no common centre, to which the wants or convenience of its inhabitants would induce them naturally to resort, or with which to form connections which should combine the whole in one general interest. Such connections and combinations therefore, if formed at all, must result only from the general principles of patriotism, virtue, 'and liberality, sustaining themselves against the counteracting influence of local attachments, and sectional and exclusive interests. Of course it is evident, that besides, and in aid of, the force of physical enterprize, a high degree of moral culture, in the mass of the people, is necessary in order to overcome whatever disadvantages may exist, and to elicit, in the best manner, the natural advantages which the state affords, and to bring them to their proper bearing on the wealth, strength and happiness of the community.

The most of the numerous bays and harbors with which the sea coast of the State is indented, afford suitable sites for commercial and manufacturing villages, which form so many focal points, for a greater or less extent of country around them. At some point in the intermediate distances between them, will be a dividing line, beyond which their commercial connections with the interior will not extend, unless through the influence of adventitious circumstances, which will ever vary with the numbers, captital, and enterprize, of those at these focal points.

At a distance from the sea shore, the head of navigation on the several rivers will naturally form other points, which, from their local position, will intercept more or less of the trade which otherwise would fall to the share of towns on the sea coast. Farther in the interior there are also points which offer some superior advantages, for manufacturing and trading villages; and the circumstances under which they may be formed will give a direction to the current of trade beyond them, and