When we cast our eyes upon the map of the United States, we perceive the chain of the Alleghany Mountains, running from the northeast to the southwest, and crossing nearly one thousand miles of country; and we are led to imagine that the design of Providence was to raise between the valley of the Mississippi and the coast of the Atlantic Ocean one of those natural barriers which break the mutual intercourse of men, and form the necessary limits of different States.
Estatu Batuetako mapari begiratu bat bota eta Alleghany mendikatea ikusten denean, ipar-ekialdetik hego-mendebaldera hedatua eta herrialdea 400 lekoatan zeharkatuz, zera sinesteko tentazioa sortzen da: Probidentziaren helburua Mississippiren arroaren eta Atlantiar ozeanoko kosten artean hesi natural horietako bat eraikitzea izan ote den, hesi horrek, jendearen arteko harreman iraunkorren kontra egonik, herri ezberdinen beharrezko mugak bezala eratzen dituelarik.