STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
During this year the prosperity of the country appeared to advance, and the confidence of the people in the government to be established. This feeling was chiefly attributable to the altered tone of the administration, and the tenor of their measures. From their measures commerce and manufactures revived, and, by a natural consequence, agriculture was improved. Unfortunately this revival of prosperity gave a dangerous activity to enterprise, and generated a spirit of headlong speculation, which produced disastrous consequences in a subsequent year. It was during this year, indeed, that the memorable era of joint-stock schemes commenced, which ended in the ruin of many families. They that will be rich often fall into a snare.