The public spirit of the Union is, so to speak, nothing more than an abstract of the patriotic zeal of the provinces.

Every citizen of the United States transfuses his attachment to his little republic in the common store of American patriotism.

In defending the Union he defends the increasing prosperity of his own district, the right of conducting its affairs, and the hope of causing measures of improvement to be adopted which may be favorable to his own interest; and these are motives which are wont to stir men more readily than the general interests of the country and the glory of the nation.
On the other hand, if the temper and the manners of the inhabitants especially fitted them to promote the welfare of a great republic, the Federal system smoothed the obstacles which they might have encountered.
The confederation of all the American States presents none of the ordinary disadvantages resulting from great agglomerations of men.

The Union is a great republic in extent, but the paucity of objects for which its Government provides assimilates it to a small State.

Its acts are important, but they are rare.