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asylum.
The enfranchisement of the mind from re-
ligious despotism led directly to inquiries into the nature of civil government; and the doctrines of popular liberty, which sheltered their infancy in the wildernesses of the newly-discovered continent, within the short space of two centuries, have infused themselves into the life-blood of every rising state from
Labrador to
Chili, have erected outposts on the
Oregon and in
Liberia, and, making a proselyte of enlightened
France.
have disturbed all the ancient governments of
Europe, by awakening the public mind to resistless action, from the shores of
Portugal to the palaces of the czars.
The trading company of the west of
England, in-
corporated in the same patent with
Virginia, possessed too narrow resources or too little enterprise for success in establishing colonies.
The
Spaniards, affecting an exclusive right of navigation in the seas of the new hemisphere, captured and confiscated a vessel
1 which
Popham, the
chief justice of
England, and
Gorges, the governor of
Plymouth, had, with some others, equipped for discovery.
But a second and almost simultaneous expedition from
Bristol encountered no disasters; and the voyagers, on their return, increased public confidence, by renewing the favorable reports of the country which they had visited.
2 The spirit of adventure was not suffered to slumber; the lord chief justice displayed persevering vigor, for his honor was interested in the success of the company which his influence had contributed to establish;
Gorges,
3 the companion and friend of
Raleigh, was still reluctant to surrender his
