U RA TI @ N
W A DELIVERED AT Comzmézz.

JULY 4, 1 804,.

Imizrrm 'I‘I~-IE 1-kNNiVERSA.I{Y 01* THEg1NDEPENENCE,‘

€312‘ THE

UNITED STATES

’A1‘vIE RI('1‘:A...

<:»c.»¢>cs~c»«:.wc»¢>¢»vM~-a.»gnaw-z»«:»¢»z»¢»¢»Mo-ea»<:a~e>ew-a»

Br arm: fioxv. SA.lVIUEL T'A.GGAI3{'I%‘,%
% NIIEIVIBI-SR 01-" Cawcmltss.

«Um-«:‘>W:><’5><.*5-z’:1~:*2-»“M.>¢.‘Iv<1~>¢M?><S><!&~<:>4£><:>‘:v~¢:W:v¢t~<?>¢;w<:v¢':vr#€

PUBLISHED BI” REQUEST.

V Noraamuzmptrow: A A A %%
Pmu-»'mD% BY “WILLIAM BUTLER.

180.-4_.u% M

 

 

ORATIO N.

 'lHll[!’:fli\.‘lI!'llI 

 

;Fz~:LL ow» C71 ‘IIZENS,

WI"IATEVER impropriety may lmvc foxtm;

0

"times attcnded the manner ofctslebrating an event, fol illull

trious in itfialf, tzncl fraught with fuch important c:onfequcnt-
ccs to Illfltnlillld, as that of a nation’s being literally born in
-at day, it is undoubtedly worthy of fame public noticc.--—--
"W ht;-11 we refltét upon the various fcenes we have vvitncafll

tzd, the feveral cltanges through which we-l1a.ve pafled, the:

mztny d2t11gc1*s we ltave nartmvly efcttped, and the mullti-~
plicitty ofdiflicttlties and obflacles which {food in out ‘5v2l}f,

Elllctl tvczrtc lmppily furmounttzd ClL”t1“lI1gtl1C ztrcluous Ptrugglh

for‘ out l11Cl(:‘p(":3I1Cl£’:l1C€ ; and than talte 21 View of our rapid,

I ljmtl ztlmollz fztid m1CXZtmpl<‘3Cl aclvancemtznt in populatiott: A
tmtl ttzttiottml p1*ofpt;t1°ity., fiucc the memorttble 4th of July.”

1 776,i1f1whicl1t:l‘12tt i11f1pC)1‘l‘21.11l2 l1’1ll‘.I‘11m€1‘1t was figncd, whicl»t-
allattcd our clttitnto 21 ':.-ml»; I.-"1n”lCmg tht: ttztticms of the world,
tlm pious and refle€t’i11gt—mi11d cttm1otbt1t confidtzr thc whole:
ttt. the timing of the Lord.

ON an occttfion like the p1%efi:nt,»one tl1i11g peculiarly

»8.(i21}‘f)t€’Cl to czaggztggc tlrte attcnttion of an a11dl€‘11C€ is the Clila.1‘1'17B.

of move:-:lt,y. Bttt ‘Wl1E?1"tE‘. 21 fttltjcrft hats beent fo oftctt confide-
mtrd thztt, mmty topic tltttving any 1‘f3lI{ttlO11 to It has beett

3‘€.’}:)C?alI€dly difcttfflhdy, with all the charms of glowing claw

~quc:~nct:, it is ztcliftlicult llfllli to -exhibit any tlting new.

Abs lung l‘.10‘W€V<31f‘ as the cloétrine of providence i1’l1E1ll“l)€ tbcu

ilitzved anti realized, the attentive iobfcwcr czttmiot but havc V

.21 grateful retnttmltrattcc, of the many ltindand fignalinter-
]..‘1¥OlllLlOl1S of l1(i’::1VE11 by which we haveefcapeclltnpendtng

~da.ngers, and iftttnnottxtted oppofing difficulticw, atifing eitlter A
f17‘OI.‘n our vvzmt bf ttattipeticzncct in the imantmr of CCJ'11Clu5lII1gi_ I

»~I1':1tim'12tl afiEtit*s, itlgm opett ztttcmpyts of our4clt:cylarc<:l enemies, A

t)1*ttht:‘fl;ill more ittfitd=im1stplotsttolf falfcand treaclaerioyulsfl 

though i

M

‘though pretended friends ; and have rapidly, though by

feveral progrefiive Pteps, advanced to the rank we now hold
among the nations of the world. ‘Upon a review of theft:
events wellmay apply to theft: United States the language
of the infpired Jewiih Lavv.-giver. “ Happy art thou O
Ifrael givvho is likeisnnto «thee, 0 people faved of the Lord ;
the fhieldof thy help ; and to {word of thine excellency 1”

WHEN We take a vie F our prefent fituation, com--
pared with that of other nations, we may juflly hail our
happy and highly favoured land, if we have but vvifdoml to
weflzitnateyand virtue to make a due improvement of our priva-

   

iiileges and advantages. Vilhile {ome places are ft1ffe1'i11g

by pinching want, we have not barely a COI1‘}pf3t.f:‘1‘lC.y., bat
an” abundance of the neceflaries and conveniences of life;
when lfeveral European nations, after a peaecrfiil interval
unufually fhort, are afreih involved in the calamities of xvztr,
the fruit of a lawlefs and deflrttétive ambition, we are favot1r~
led yvitlt peace in our borders, and may fit down each man
minder his own vine, and his own fig-tree, vvitlz none to make
him‘ afraid. * ‘We are, at anineonliderable expence, favour»-
«ed with the bleflings ofta free government, in its nature a-—
daptedgto extends equal proteétion to all. Our revenues
are abundantly fnflticient, not only to defray our ordinary
tnational eapences, but alfo, in time ofpeace, to afford a
furplus fuflicient to pay the intereft and efiieét a gradual ex.»
ttingnilhrnent of the principal of our public debt. We have
no foreign tails:-matters nor domieltic tyrants to fleece us at
pleafureg, or to drain the laft cent from the hard earnings of
induflry ;. property, at lealt a decent competence, is per--
haps more equally dificufedl than i in any other country on
ttherglobe; t In addition to religious liberty, the invaluable
“privilege of. worlhippin g God in a manner agreeable to, the

rwcliétates of our confciences, we are favoured with a revela-

tion of the divine will, and with-the means of grace and in»
sltrnétion neceflary to enable us dulylto appreciate, as well
as wifely to improve and enjoy the ineftirnable blelling ;
and in general we are favoured with as much health in our
habitations as ufiially falls to the lot of dying men in a dyn-

l ingilworld; Vvhat can we defire, at leall what scan we raw

tionally expeet more ? What pofiible advantage can we reap
from thofe changes whichare {or often ruinous to nations i’
A r l A " Vllhile

lfsil

i'Wl1irlle we grafp at a fliadow, we may lofe the flfrbllance.

BUT as neither individual not political happinefs is, in
thisalife, fated to be immortal, fo our profperity, and even
our independence as a nation is befet with dangers. It is a
common obfervation, andone which is but too often verili-~
ed by the experience of mankind in almofl every age. That
it is the lot of free republicangovernments to be but of
lhort duration. Such is the horruption of human nature,
and the confeqyuent tendency to depravity of manners, that
mankind are extremely prone to tyranny and oppreliion on
the one hand, and to licentioufnels and inlhbordination on
the other. Whatever feeming oppofition there may, at
firfl view, appear to be, between their: extremes, their ef-
l""e<.‘.ts are ufually the fame. Crnlhed between thefe con-~
fliéting propenlities the liberties of nations have frequently
expired. Happy will it be for thefe United States, lhonld
they, by (i.’lC.‘I1pll‘} g thole l'OCl~{S and qtticlrfands which have to
often proved fatal to other nations, be able to preterit to an
:;tdmiring world, the pleating fpeftacle of a permanent free
repul.;>lica11 govermnent, as an afylum for the opprefietl both
of the prelcnt anti future _get1e1‘21tions. But are we in no
tltttigtrr ? 'l‘.ltis cannot be witll truth ailertcd, and our peril
will not be lefl}.:~t1c:::cl by beingtg concealed. ,

At.'rr~ro"u<::t~I the privileges which we pollefs are great
and fubftantial, compared with the calamities endured by
other nations, yet even at this moment, they are not enjc:y.~
ed without Tome alloy. "I”hongh we are in general at peace
abroad, yet in a certain degree, we experience the calarnim
ties of war, by the piratical clepredations of one of

the barbary powers, and the threatenecl ltollilities of anoth-—- A

or. It mnft be fome abatement of the felicity of men
‘who have hearts overflowing with feniibility at anot.l;1e*.r’s
vr es to refleél: that fo many of our brave fcrllow citizena as
were captured in the frigate Pltiladelphia, are piningin the
molt cruel bondage. And, altho’ we we might naltttiyrally

fuppofe outrfelves removed at a fuflicient clillance from the a

vortex of liluropean politics, to beentitlecl to the t nninter—
ruptecl enjoyment of all the advantages ‘Ol"0t11”net.ttral iitua-
tion, yet, to errtenfive are our mercantile c .:snec'lions with
the nations at war, tliat We cannot but be partial fnllrl-'rers.
Tito’ none of the EUI‘OpC'a..np0WC1'S are in open l”1-t?>lll£lllt’lt:‘S‘
t r A ‘ againti.

"’a9‘g§li'nll us, yet fome of them donot hefitate to aét the part

of haughty overbearing allies. Our dear republican breth.
ren, the French, capture our diefencelefs tnerchantmen with.

to V out fcruple, whenever they find it to fuit their own conven-

ience. The contributions which have been, in this way,
from time to time levied upon our commerce, have been
imrnenfe, in fotnle cafes but little ihort of the expence of ao-
tualhoililities. Frotnotherinations alfo “we have received
Tferious injuries. This is but an indireét, and, at the fame
i time, very unequal way of paying ’E1”.llij‘ilLlt€. The more
ltamely we fnhinit to fuch encroachtnents, it is probable,
the greater will be their increafe. .~*This fpecies of plunder
has, of late, become alarming, particularly in the VVef’t—In-
dies. l ‘
IT is impozfiible, at prefent, to forefee what farther ca--
A i&.I11‘lllf:‘S*OCCaJllOY1f3Cl either by foreign influence and intrigue or
by open hoflilities areyet in {lore for us. From iimilar fources

tnany nations have received their bane. Holland, Switzer-

land, Sardinia, Belgium and the Italian States are modern
examples lately added to fwell the ancient liil. i As long
as mutual jealoufies {hall aétuate the powers of Europe, ef-
pecially, as long as contending nations {hall be engarged in
aélual hoflilities, fo long they will View it an important oh-
Tjeél to fecure the €KCl‘UfiVC friendlhip of America, and if
poflihle, induce the United. States to take part in their qua1*4-
"rels. It is the true policy of our country to fiand aloof
from fucli connerrfiions. Should the time ever come, when
either a li"re-ncli or Britiih or any other foreign faélion {hall
controul the councils of America, then farewel, a long fare-«

“wel to all our glreatnefs, to our peace and happinefs, and
even our independence as a nation. Better to be expofed t

to their omen holiilities than he duped by their fecret in-»

trigues. i"But hell of all to fupport the true American‘

wcharaéter and policy,  conduéting our own national af-
‘iiairs, :ind‘epentient of any undue partialities either for or a«-
zgainll. diffet*ent foreign powers; unaured by the frowns,

l A ;-and unfeduccd by the flatteries of any nation.

a BUT perils from foreign influence and intrigue do not

Fconlliitute the whole of the dark cloud which, at prefent, : it

~oh{cure‘s our politricali horizon. Our, rninds icarnineveri he

itoo?deeply.ai;Fe€ted with the dangers refnlt-ing Vfromr ourvic- A

‘ -f.’Sa

E 7 Ll
as. Thclclomoralizing fpirit which has {proud in Europa,
and which, covercrd with the prctotico of reformation, and‘
of .tho cliffi1fio11 of a lnorc eaztcniivo fpirit ofbenevolenco
ahrotighout the world, has aimorl a deadly blow not only
at cl11*ifl;ia11ity but at ovary focial virtue, has extended its.
lfianeful iofluonce even to this land, formed by “i‘IavfU.l'6 for a
peacofulyand happy retreat. lrroligion always brings a train;
of vices along with it, wl‘1iol‘1 have a natural as well as a
H1t)3T?l..l to.tl.s;lot1cy' to ruin ; {mall as lua:ury', itllotiefs, oatrava-
gimocr,  a lZil1.()l1;.~5'§‘l1tliffil‘S cliflipatioii. Tllefo havc: ?.lI‘t‘:'c1Cly“
I‘£i.l.iilt':tjl  gi;;;gatitic fC3atl11‘t:S zizncingz us to an alarming‘ l1oigl'1t.
Iliow far lLll1l.$ poltilotico will alloét our focurity by oithcr

provol«;iag the riglmteous inclliignlation of 11oavon.,yor oporat-« a

ing as a Worm at the root of every civil and focial virtue,
it is, at profont, impofiiblo to forefoo. Let us only coo»
coivo the idea of an entire baniflimoat of religion out oftho
world, and it would be converted into a more Pa1‘1d(‘_‘iI101'1l--
um, 21 fit habitation for evil fpirits rather than human beings;
fortnczcl for focial intorcourficz. I11dc:ponclont of tlio divine
autliority and inl'piration by which it was otto-rod, ’ElI‘1C'3
truth of no maxim was over moro univorfally fancftionecl by
the f:Xp€1‘l.CI‘1C€2 of all ages than this, that “ Righteotifiiofa.
oaaltetll a nation, but fin is the reproach of any people.”
Should fuch vicoaaa have l1itl1orto univoryfally proved tho
fatalbane ofovo1*ycivil and facial virtue be generally pram
tifod, fhouldy they obtain the couiitonzmcc of 111611 clifling1;zi1'l1»~
ad for talents, poawcr anfllinflucanco, and flallc abroad witli
fucha bold front as fcarcely to fook the tlzirim:-ll: veil to-
fllizroen them from the light of day, it would be a lymptom
dark inclcoctl. The downfa1ot'l<ing;doms anal nations may,,,
almofl‘; alwayslbo traced to fimilar caufos, ancl vvlfm-1“o tlioro
is a famonofs in the caufir, tl1ti’1't1‘ will ufually be a limilarity
in the cflieét. “ The Lord hath a cont1~ov:.=:1~fy with tho in-~
Zhabitants of the land, bocaufo thczro is no truth, not ymorcy,

nor knowloclgo of God in the land. By fwcaring, and lye i

ing, and killing, andllealing, and committing aclultcry, they

break out, and blood touchoth blood ; thcrofo:to {hall the

land mourn.”   it A i A
THEdiVl.fiQ11S.Wl1lCl1"haVC already taken place in

M11” iacounytzfy, and their farther progrcfa {hill to obey

dffiadfida. open a drcaryllaad threatening ,pf0lP~e&j  In lit

a i A   _ A A A ' territory

F '3 3
territory To exteniive as the United States, compriling *‘with«
in its limits, perhaps, nearly all the varieties of the human
fpecies, to be found in the civilized world, people whole
fentiments, habits, manners, and prejudices, are very difi"er-
rant, and whofe local interefls and attachments are various,
it is not ltrange that the feeds ofdivilion fhould exiflz. Du-
l y lenfible of the dangers arifing from this fource, it ought
to be our ftudy to check their growth. But inltead of this
are there not too many who find y rather to widen than
healour breaches? Happy would it be, ifineither great
political parties, nor local attachments or politics were to
impede us in our undeviating purfuit of the general good.

i It is true were there an entire agreement in fentiment upon

political queflions, among all the individuals compofing the
feveral branches of our general and ftate governments, inch.
9. union might poflibly be attended with bad confequences.
It might-then be even eafier than at prefent to enter into
combinations dangerous to theliberties of the people, Mu-u
tualjealoufies have their ufe, and were they difplayed in
no other way than in free candid enquiries into public meal?»
ures, no doubt they might prove an important bulwark of

freedom. But if the time lhould come,;(and it merits out

rnoll: ferious enquiries whether there are not, even at prell
ent, fyrnptoms of its approach,) I lay if the time fhonlcl
come when offices {hall be fought and obtained merely thro’
the influence of party fpirit and intrigue; when the obtain-
ing of an ‘ofiice is confidered of more importance than the
faithful difcharge of the duties of it ; when the principal en»-
quiry concerning a candidate for oi-lice, is not,Is:he capable 3?
Is he faithful? but is he true to the party ?H'W'hen our
free and independent eleftors are bilaiied by a fyitem of
rnifreprefentation, falfehood, and intrigue, when the honeft
and well meaning yeomanry of our country who, ifcorree't-
ly informed, will always, in matters of government, act right,
become the dupes of the infidious colouringsyof intriguing
politicians and defigning demagogues, the elective, franchife,
inllead of continuing the great bulwark of our liberties,

may become the fatal eiigine of partiality and oppreflion. '

How far Inch falfe colourings, aided by thetalents of fome

ulnprincipled foreigners, anditill more unprineipled , Amery-i-i _
cans, who have afpired to he Qitgfiors of the public  i '

, have

L 9 I]

mtttvc tco1.‘1tril_:2utc*:c’l to €:"~:Cit(‘: tlmt clt:g;1~eo of ztcrimony whicil
loom mlttxn pl:t=c‘.:*:«ibctlvvt:rc:,*i11 the g1'o;.tt political pzmic-:3 which
lmvc: Cli‘v'iCi«{;’fLl our cotmtry, I p1‘€2i‘€3I1Cl11()'£ to lay ; and tmr
i”l:t1“£l1t;‘y will {till COt'1i.l1‘tuti‘ to c>pomto, Eltlltil’ upon tltofo
t.‘.ll"i.£:'“tl.;}&.3.’”‘.*,‘t’i‘il£3 Wl"1it2l.1i1t1VC tztltott place, or in thofo flill meditattzcl,
Il.l‘1‘1t;":lt"t“tL‘1il. t7it:v<;~l<:>pC.

lid“ is not my }i:»t‘c;':li~mt litf}f(;‘11l‘lOI1 to clilizttfs, at large, the
CQl1T!pttt"2ti_iVt? mt3t‘l‘Z53 of tho lztft zmd ptlifisttt 21dmi2.1i{’tt~ations,
pzttrticttlzttly as it 1‘c‘l}}t:t7ts tl1ti*l1’1“C?pl1l)iiC21i1 principles zmd @-
€3t2)I.'1{')!I'ii{2Ell 211“il"Z1}”l§_?,'€?I7f’x‘{;?11[S.. It is, l‘1OVVL"3Vti‘1', 21i'iI~l&VV€ll l«;t1owt1
tl12tlltWt;“)' c:l"1:1t"gc:'::3 lmvo lT>Ci”(i’l‘1 frtsqttontly reiterate-tl flgélitliili
the lttil‘ :<u:ltt1it1ill' ‘zlfltm, C.iiii'lngL1ill.1C(l by l'jl"lt',' 1123.lI1{.“"' of tt"oClor~
ml, vixr. :1 watat of €fCOI10tT1y in ipulalic c:.-q:«a?:t1cilitt1t'es, 2”1I'1Cl 3.
tfit;"‘1‘t3ii6lTi€)I'l(;>ii1‘<i3})1i1l")ll'C&.11‘1 1:/t'ioncipll<-:s,, or an i1‘3cli1'1atiot1 to it1--
tronzittcc :3. motm.t*cl'1y;. As l’.:~;1tas fitclt CllEL1"gCS 0l3t21iI.“1 c1'c:\:l-»
itg, tllflcjv 211“(3' }T)t’:CL1li£t1‘ly ttclttpttzti to tttztlte an itnpnz-flion on.
the miocf.l:2: of l}t:otm-zn, p£‘t1“lIiCL1l1‘.1‘ly frcormztt of NCVV~li:11g§~
l;md,i wltoi lmvo bocrn, from tl1t':l1‘C1‘IlCllC‘S nurfed up in the
p1*ii1cioln;:~3 oi’ <:cc:>t1omy, and in 1-epttbliczm lmbits, ttttd who
mt: ft:tliicic11t;ly_i::2:tlous of power, cvcsn when delegated by
‘iIi1€$31]7lii<ffl.VCfS, as well 213 o.l*'tl1<:- c-rmoluments of oflice. Theft:
ttlitzlttrgcss, ctztipnccitcd, with tho boztilczd fupt:rio1* ccottomy, and
purr::: rtspttlzvlictttlilin, wl“;aicl'1 c:l1t:1*zt<E‘t<:t1"ii2:<: tilts: profe11tz1cl1nin-
Jlihiéiltloljl, ihztvc: lCL11‘I'lllil1€d 21 common place topic both for
]oa2t11ogg}r1~ic and ztlmliz. So mzmy c:~n<::omiums on our prefimt
.'l.y'l‘l‘C:!11,C‘l1“t1VoV11 1‘i"c>n1tl1c5:l7c: totzsics, l"13.1Vt1‘:lTM‘i3C:’I1 uttm*mi%tiiat1d
}ml:3lifl1t=~:«;l, :1 pf31‘fO11 is ttlmoft 1‘tZ'?mpl't':'3C.i to tllilillsi that it is
froth ttocotiity, tlmt tlltii colot1t'i1t1g,>; is laid on with fuc:l1 21 lib-
trrttl lftzmd. It is 1’1£;‘,“l£l)L’?1“ my with 1']()1”iI”1ttif11I‘.ic;)I‘1 to otttcitr
tl.1t:*%lil"'tt: as 21 Cl"::LmpiC)1’.I, in ti6,f€11<2C of trvcry tntrtdhrc of the
.ii:ift1l€i:z5::‘tl21(iI‘t71iI1iilI‘E1tlt)I1. '1"‘ll1o goVt:*1*ttm<mt tfléjy were cttllcrci
to Z‘t(3ltI"I1llI”1l'll'ti‘1", W213, in rnzttty rofpoélis, Clifllfi‘1't‘311t from any
otlmr tt:~co1*dod in tho mgr: ol’ ltillory, and the 2-1ClI‘I1iI1lilt‘t;‘t-
‘riot: itlislf E3‘. mattter of (Z'Xpt:i1“iI1“tt‘3t1l1. It is not tl1C1'€fiC)1'_C to
bowottdo1*t:d 2112, if titczy tmazltz fome 11'llilI2li{€3S.t'%l But, that

A A “ A tl':u*:[o

‘it’-' ,1-":tslt*t"1t..1<:l%a htts l>eam1 fetid ttizyout the profufioni cifllt11olfe¢ie1"tL1 ad.-
I}f1iI"lil.i‘i1'i3ll'.i(31"l.,il_I.§1I’1Ci the cc:.mpt::.1*21t,ixrtily' «=2:-tcellcntt rt1j:«.11fm;:.:>_-:ét'z‘;.er1t txfitlw
profotttl has l:;»<;:-<31"; the i”1;ti3§o:ft oof'c2“:;1l.og;i;:so :7-?.l3"nO«fl‘. inmtntomble, lt:ht4: ffolu.
ii,(:”1‘i.“€r"ii'1E;2: ioritrl" ii')C2’Lil*f;’1'}’1.Cf1'1’lIf~I-,i clmwtt f-i:l‘t:>tlt1’i'i<:sLtt"t:t%zso whiclt I believe to be
:~mti“:t-mtic,  :il;€1“Vt’3 l‘tC>“,“g§tive ibmo ic.'lt~.‘:a ofitltttt ‘fttiajeét. From at vii.-—

V ‘ ‘ mety

E the Cl

tliefe were neither numerous nor important, may, I thiinlr,
be fairly prefutned‘ from the confideration that nearly all the
leading features of the prefent adminiftration, particularly
with regard to revenue and expence, have been copied from
tile lafl,.,li*ttle or nothi4nag new being originated,. however

the

H riety of documents it appears that the federal adminiltration receiv-

ed from the old confederation a debt of 76.,*;8'1,9 5 5 dollars. Exclu-
live of this fum, they had to pay for feveral incidental claims and-
parts ofunfnnded- deb-t arifing under the old government, for debts.
due to foreign lollicers and _p€'I‘lllO1'1S to invalid foldiers, the fum.
1,741,000 dollars, making the debt to be provided for 78,522,955‘
dollars. All the national property tranfrnitted to them from the
old government, did not exceed 2,5co,ooo dollars. After dedmfl:-
ing this {um there will remain 76,022,955 dollars. This debt was
to be provided for, and government to be fupported by a revenue
fyftem to be created, and brought into operation, and which, on ae-

eount of the low {late of our commerce,» was, in the beginriing of",
its operation, comparatively unprodu-Etive. OnJan. I, 1798, this .

debt amounted to 67,627,338 dollars. Onlan. 1, 1800, it amount»
ed to 70,212,718 dollars. On account of extraordiriary expences
incurred duringithat; period, occafionecl principally by outrages Llp-4-
onour commerce by the French Republic, the debt had i11c1'ea.fed~
the {urn of a,i5,8‘5',.5 dollars. Mr. Gallatirn ftates in a report that
on Jan. t, 18:31, the nominal debt wasia fraétion more than filo mil-
lions, but in this Ptaternent he makes no allowance for upvaardslll of
a',ooo,ooo dollars calla in the treafury, for cafli in the hands of col-»
letters,‘ bonds in the cullorn-houles, and bank {lock which could not
have arnounted to lefs, probably to more, than’Io,ooo,ooo dol.lars~..
After deduéliing this fum, the real debt to be provided for, when a
ehaoge in the adminiftration took place, was but little, if any more
than 7o millions. . But when the federal adrninillration cornmenced

i the debt was upwards of 76 millions ; after deducfting the whole as
‘mount of all the national. property which came into their hand.s.--pm
Belides the 'l'upport of tbe- ‘civil lift, which, during that ardminiilra-«A

 

tion, amounted to not far from 5,ooo,ooo dollars *;l and befides up-
wards of 23 and a half millions of dollars paid for intereli: on the
publicrdebt, they hadtytoy pay for the ereeftion of ligltt-hou;l'es for the
lecurity oftrade, and tdr the conllrncftiorn of fortifications to proteét
our coalls andlharbours, 893,000 dollars ; for fupprefling infurrec-

tions, and making and preferring peace with the Indiantrib,es,. . \

1,446,ooo dollars ;. for the redemption of captives at Algiers, and
making; and preferring peace with them and the other Barbary pow»
ers, 1,682,000 dollars ; foreftablilhing the boundary line between
the United States and Great-iBritain,. and Spain, and carrying into

;‘l

. effeéttlle treaties with thofe nations 23.g,ooo dollars ; for the e-xn a

pences of Indian Wars 5,ooo,,ooo dollars ; for the military efl:a~b-~
lill1me:nt.over and above this 5,ooo,ooo ; the rpurchafe of arms and

military lfiores, the building and equipping of veffelsg, and allriirtliet l

additional

 It ]

tite. Elidztlillifirittiall i-tfelf be decried. I have not I:i'1C‘7ii£1tfl11.iIi-Co1’§.;,
H01‘ even 21 with to charge the prefent aditxiinifitmtitonwitih e

Wzlllt of refpeet for 21 1*epubiica.n government, or withia ’C.i\‘f::»‘;.-‘.7

iiiggiai to introduce any other form, not do I believe th«e:chatge
true wieth refpeét to the left. I believe that, with the ex.-as

eeption of thofe, who are either the open er feeret advo-

eates fer abfolute anzmzhy and infuborciination, the great
may of the people of the United States are friendly ta at
1*{:‘pui)iiC2‘L11 government, under the banners of whatever pc>-
i‘itiC‘c1~i party they may r2mi<: tixethfelves, A aitho’ there may
he fame difFet"ence in their fentimehts of the heft manner orff’
.adxni11iiie1*ing* the fyfizetn. Probably %indi=viciuaIs may he
found in an our politiictxl parties, who wmtld wiih for a dif-
feretit form, and who would even prefer a menarehyt. But
their number is, at pzrefent, fo {trial}, and their influence fa.
311CO1'1fidCI‘I:1bi'C, that the man who wouiei, at this time, be

. imrdy enough to ,t11ztk;e the attempt to intiroduee, or who»

fltouici even entertztin ai1epe~0if iI}tR‘{;‘>dL'l«CiI1gti1&t fyf’tem,mi ght,

with gre.ater propriety, be viewed as 3. ihitable tenant for

S hediam,
aciditic>nai expence of our preparations sag-ainfi Ftrtmce, 8,830,000 cloiu
Eittrs; for fO1’Gi§§11 intercourfe, including extmordinary mifiiorxs to
Frzmee mid Greztt-list-ita.in, 7 59,6900 dollars ; .m2x1tin~g the 1i‘1li1'£1,‘tC)1II3.l
of ‘I”3,849,0CI>C> dolltmis. iDuri11g.;'this peried they had fttecefsfitlly
mmelucieci  treaty with Engltmd, which has feeured fttbitzmtial in-—
»detr1r1ifiic::ttiot~1 to our mercltahtss, and brottgltt the negocieuzions with
lihzmce fer Item in an iiihe, as ten tender :1 fr-mziter cexttirtumtce of me»-
ny e:ttmordin:.try expences uhtteeefiirtry, Amid they left to their fee»

i-czeiihrs at debt c:»f'nc;::t. hit‘ from 70 millions, with ‘ fun}: :a.*.perm*a.nent

mvemte, and {pmdueitive funcis, as, ac:ce1~di.rx.g to Mr. Galh2.tin’s mite-a
tartettt, ie fttfhcient ‘ta defrity every <;ietm~md of government, and en»

tizrely iiqttieistte the public debt in fifteett years and a limit" A; tegeth-A

ear with. public {hips and prep:sm1iti~<>t":s for -building others, mswy ya.x‘ei>s;

t public httildings, and imiliteryt hates, to the amount effeverzd miiat i

predeeeiihrs came into the 2u:1mi.:niPcrat=io2t.t V e   % e i
‘Letefis new fee what hats. been done by the boaflecl eecmio-my’ ’0f
mar p1°ef'ent a.<:1mini‘£im.tion tmvarcis the fa imueh tta.i;1<:e<;i of d1feherge-

Iiicmss mare. * A iimtzttien vaftly d’ifferent from that in which their?

of the puhiie debt. ‘ Eitmnge imieed would it he,’conf;id~e1*'ihg i‘.i.fi.‘f.‘%“1i“%.iiJ.'~i- A V‘

p@TiOrQ..(1i'V‘3.11t£1ig€S titeywere under, if femeti1i1tg\vatse%nett dehe,A as
they Imdttot only the predeuétive revenue fyfhem‘, &11‘}§d‘.the large {hm
ofnatiomtlt p-repert’y tc>Ae:pptopri.:tte to th21tenci,‘btit&th2’vve fehzi 

V lie‘ {hips and h3.t”x1ti‘:fl:oc:'i%: te“eg1‘arge; amount. 71’fl5;f1i:fii3_’fiZi‘1€.i'1Ti1€T1‘1%1ii tax-%£
esfhztgve b_fl811~1“JBp*3a1’@d, yet7th»ettetmcshnments  thiit fi§‘»11rC3
  ma1urgeiamoun:,as Wei1%:-mifimrtttizetdire<St§%i*:t:tx,*1mveheen apprem

pihtted Vhy the pxefettt a;datixti{t“t“h;trietx.i it   i Th J t

[12 T

bodiam, ti1;m;asiai-iciango1'oL1s foe to our 1*opL1i:>iicim” coniiifi-o~
tutiona: Butiaft:::1*ifomc1"c-coin:r:vc::11ts whicrh wiiionot bat

’im::m:2<.iiia1’cfoiyforgotten; p211~ticuim~iy, 21ftei'ti1oadiiitimii of

 

fii.:t.C€11'miiiiOI1S‘IOOUT national ci«.::bi:, for ti1<:: pi:zi*<:im1i:;* <:.>i’ 21
vafi Vv’ii._Cif3'1"1if‘3fS,;Viti".VCd,'by n‘1:my,ias ufsicfs at lcziii, if not
A A I “ A A    A A   pcsmicious
ThepE1‘YITI1€1’1iZS\in‘iZO»thCt7£‘€‘E1f1.1'1"y' on th€“bi11t(3I‘11i11 taxes in {$3301 is.
fiat:-rd to have been 2'i.1CI7‘ci.4L5iiiO1”1 more ti1211'1 1,000,000 d01i'cL,1‘S.. In 123502
the following fizms were received. i
i ‘ h i ]_7‘oii.r. (M.

 

A‘ Upon zwrears of tho i~ntema1 taxes 6:: I ,i3m/iii? 89

Upon the tromnins of the di1'<—2& tau: :a<;:»¢:‘;'fi,_r;fl5 i1,;.4..

For trim iiale of i.".321?."li~Z {lock I,2EIj,v,,("'ic:o O0

Fo1*the iitlo of arrzied iiixips 1:1g;,.;w<) 53

' T'ot:'il 2, :2 1; 5,5‘ 5'4. W3

l‘vTr. G-2Ti'I11tiI1’S rcéport, at the 1211i; 3f7~.&3:iiim1 of Cfcvn 

is, iL'.;I;:‘.?.s; t3.°m.!,
on the goth Scpt. 15303, the o1i1t»i.z111cii11g ::.m;:;iu.'s c>:1"L.i1i: ¢Ii1"<:a2'l roam

 

amounted to % Z)::[.r. 2 5o,c>oo
i Ditto of the i1'lt(;‘.1“11J.1 chi-ties .~.g.oo,ooo
The public debt*oftI1e United States is iizitod on 3:111. 1, 1803, 
follows. . o  Do/.s-. i
F oreign debt in An1fl;e1*dan1 and A11t'We3rp 8,730,000 %
% Domeflcic debt ofi?fevc::-ml «:iefcrip:ions 70,2 5 3,8o1E3 o 88
‘ Ternporziry‘ loans from the bani; in :;mtici- “
patioxis of the mvenue I,4}._§Q,OOO

 

Nominal amount ofdebt J:-m. 1', I803, EiCJ,.»;.33.i‘3'1!.' E3 88

DeciL1c”t i11ii:‘di1”I1E.‘I1tS roi1'z1im1'fc2d 6,176,074. 94.

o U1'i1'edeemed.pri11cipz11Jan. I, Itiiog, 74,257,743 94.
"What proportion the mztional property ‘more in 3:803 to its z-miimtnt
when 21 ciiaiigo in the 21Ci,YI1i1"1i.ii'1'2LtiOI1 took place, I czmnot ihzto ox-
aétly. Tile z-zmount of cafli init}1e4tre:1fury was fame wlmt g'rr:nto1~.
Our navy’ dwindled to aimoii notii1i11g, and bz«:mi«: pmpcrty loiibned
2220 ihzires, 1,207,000 dollars, adn'1itting; the Eld(."iiti(';)T1211 c:~1ii1i11t11o
treafury to nmke ‘up the deficiency, the real debt was 1€‘H‘C':11€3£ii)(?tW¢3C?11
five and fix millions. But confide2'i11g the addition of I5 mii1ic_in:;-

 

for the pu1*ci1a’fe of Louiiiaxm, our public debt is now ggjreatorotlizxxom i

at any former period.

I nzean not to infinuate timt the prefent adminiiiimtion Ims not :11.
difpoiition to pay the public debt. It is but o'1"1it't1c: corxfoquoiico
by what nanle, whether Federa1iii;s or Ropui;>1ic:;ms, thofc who mi»
zminifier the govem-rriozit are difiinguiflicd, if our imtimirxi zxfiixirs am:
well managed, and the natiom-L1 honour p:*o1;eéteci. ‘vV11cm the p1*c;r1'-4
em admiiiiihxation came to the helm,‘ the a:lv2L1*1t2igos of ti"1oii" iitun.-.
tion were peculiar, compared with their preciccciiors. ’I‘h<:.*y land :1

A o Well

[I33

pemicious to *theiUxiitet;i ffiilttzgtteiis, and "after itheii eftabliflia
metit of government in  territory,whic11 bears a very
ii1"i1«:i11g refembiatnce to  ttyftyem tofdefpotifm,yiffitit iise7t1ot
the thing itffillf ; E1 fyitem exhibiting {caret-2 any more char»-

ttc‘.‘te1"i{tie features of 2-. 1~epubIicth2.11 are to be found in 21-»

my ofthe kingly govemmentse of the eaitern contitientyandt
utter mveI’tmg the Preiiitient, in that territory, \Viti1_pOWt€rS
t1t1co11t.empi21teti by, If not incompatible with the cot1ftitu-
mm of the Umteci States, rer.t1arlts 2-tbou-t A the extenfion of
exectitxve pat1*o11:1ge§ £tW8.I'1ttOf economy, and 3. derefitftiotl
of 1't;tptti7>izc:a.t1 1’.)1"i}1Cipi€S, otigght to be more fpa1*i11giy* ;:tppii-
ed to the Iztit 2tdI1”1i11ifi‘."21EiiOI1o. A indeed it would not betun-=
hecommg 17itt1"1_Ci' cheeks of thofe4? who are {till difpofed to
keep up the cry, were crimt"onc::dt o’er with a few mod»-
eft bittihes, upon every repetitition. \ '1
B13;SIDESti1C divifion of the States into two gre2.tpo-
ilticztl p211‘tie$, who Inwe feen fit to diiizitiguifll themteives by
the names of A FCCiE?I‘};1iiii:S zmd Republicans, 1’1‘1t1Ci1 is to be
£1p}31”C3i1tiI1Ci€Ci from mutu:-2.1 encroztchments, or jeztloufy of
eucroachtnents, :etmo11g the feverzti States. Thefe jeaioufies
lnzty eit1‘1<-:1" tzlisiti place b("31ZW€.‘€:11 l:t1*ge and ftmtll fizates, or be»-
tween {tattes— C()I11p0i111g the no1*t11ern,tmci thofe forming the
A 4 A » ~ A   fou~thert1
we'll 01'g£l11iEt3Ci-fiihtti fyitein, mid the ntivzttitage of efcztping fuch
m,iPm.kesi as I‘.1'1‘L1ii: tttmvcjidably ::1.i2i2€?'t1(.'i ztbttfineiis of experiment. The
'Foc)11etitéi1e p'tti;>1ie tiebt can be tiititittttrgoti, cottfiitettt with1:he p1"o.tec:-
tion oftrittr mttiotmti honour tmd ixidepettcience, tI‘.i1t’:tiT)£iftT2£Z*1‘. ‘National
(?C("T21‘1<f)1’{1’y", (':(7>I‘1l;1£~‘7Lfi‘€&3d Witi11'1$.iti£)I1:<t1hfirltfitwifitlld independence ot1g1*1t
evezr to be 0111* motto. But the truth tittigitit to be told. ‘A y
iM1‘fLCi1 it; if':1it‘i- upon our g:1‘0VVi11g‘ profpe1~ity and inCI‘C2£t‘fl1'1g fiC)L11‘-
i:x'it1it1g;i eo1'm'n.eree, pt.trtieu1z:1r1y fmce the commencement _of't1":o p1‘fi.‘i'-
exit tttfitttiitiiiimtion. A The following ()£fi4;‘.i:~”t1 fttttetnetit oftizc:z- {mm to-
tal of out e:1:~'pot~ts, for feven fueceflive years, may ii:-1*ve to give ;{‘c:»n"1e
iL'i.(.“1xtSt"01’1 this; t"ttbje£t; V A 1 y to ti 1
y tam. t DM. i ‘DM.
1797, y51,eg;4t,7to I800, 7o,971,78o 1:302, y'S7y1,g;);§;;~,:ty.i;g;.
I798, 6I,,327,4.II V 1801, 93,o;zo,5:t3 Iuog, t5f5,t~,oo,o33
5‘79;‘)1 7896659532‘ ‘ “ t V ’ i ii ’ 
From this ttetternent it appears that dttring two years, i.  from
1801 to :tt$o3,_ot1r exports iiiffered ta. diminution. of 37,32o,;;;8o Ci(}iS.
zstfum ;;;3:-e:.4;tz:e1' aim the average iiicreztfe in ttny two gyiyenyyen.1~s.y I 11
no yettr Iince 1797, wereitheyi Io finall as the 12117:, z-mdy:t<.; the retumé
12;: ti‘11‘t3t.’: cluarters of tliattyear were tttanting in tlfxe furn‘ ‘ttotai, had
theft returns been duly made, it is probable it would h:-we eqtmiled
if not exceeded the {um total of the 121?: yew". i T1'1i.é; is no W31‘ y_flt1tt~
te1‘ing- fymptom of at flouriihingand increafingf eo1't2n'1etcc.

if 14 

fouthern feétion of the union. A0111‘ confederatecl reptib...
lie is formed of great and {mall ltates, flares very unequal,
both in their dimenlions and population. In forming our
eftimate of itates as great or fmall, we are not to refer,
merely to .theamount of their ptefent population. The
extent of their territory, and the quantity of valuable lands
adapted to the purpofes of agriculture contained within
their limits connected with the polleflion of fuch eatenfive
i*comrnercial‘advantages as, utnitteclly, promife a future and
greatly incteafecl population, are rather to be the criteria
on. A flare which has been but lately explored and fer-
tlecl, and is, at prefent, very thinly peopled, eltimatecl
merely by the number of its inhabitants, may be a {mall
ltate, yet, asit refpeéts its fttture relation to, and l1"flp0i"-~
tance in the union, it may be a large fiate.   On the other
hand, another llate, ellitnaltedt by its prefent fuperabundant
population, may be confidere<:l as alarge Ptate, but on ao-
eonnt of the nat1*oxvnefs of its limits, it may, in it’s future
relation to the union, be, comparatively, a {mall fl2llI€'.*-H-
Tlte only lreprefeutation, under the old confederation was

>that of ‘fiates, {late fovereignty was, therein, entire, and

all the tflates,twhetl1Tertgreatstor» fmall, exercifed  equally.
By the principles of our prefent national conltitntion, part
of that fovereignty, to far as it tefpeéts the pt11*pol'es and
ends of the general government, is given up, and our na-
tional legifiature is cotnpofed, partly of the reprefentatives
of the people, and partly of the reprefentatives of the Ptate

‘feverelignties. In the houfe of reprefentatives in Congrefs,

the people of the feveral ftates, and not the Rates are rep-
refented, which adds coniiderably to the influence of the
large ftates. In the "choice of the eleétors of Proficient and
Vice-Prefident, the popular and federative principles are

blended. In the fenate flatefovereignty only, is reprefented. ‘‘

By the late alteration in our federal conftituttion, refpeéting
the clefignation of the perfonsl voted for as Prefident and
5Vice-Prefident, the fetflerative principle, Io fatas refpeéts
tlteyelecftilon of thefe ofiicers, is greatly weakened, if i not
nearly annihilated 5 as the probability of an ele&io11com-

jinglinto the houfe of reptel"entat~ives, the only place where
lhzttiprincipleltast its full force, is greatly tylteflened. Tliis
tends tfarther to abridge the relative importance of thejfmall

fliiat-es 5,

E is I

lllatcs ; andffome in the large ftates, at prefcntll" viéw tho

oquztlity oftltc fmall flzttos in tl“1C‘: fcnatt.-,t with a jeal-
ouslcye. t'I‘lms st fottttdzttion is laid for nmutoall jealoufies.
Time mull unfold how far they may prove to be well found»
ed, on ttthcpatt of the final! flares. l-lappy will‘itbc fhoulfi
no fc1:ious confczqttetlcos follow. A
BETWEIEN lllC'llO1‘l.ll€;’1”'I1t andfootltern feftiom oftho
union tlmro is alfo, {onto founcltttion for jmloufy, the «caufes
of vvhicltl fhould with t1oitl1t:1~lto*exetggo1*att: nor cntir<~::1y'
conceal. It is an opinion fOL111'd‘Cd upon fome ‘£tpp€£l.1'aI1C(?
ofmctfon tlm=.ttho1'olativo ixtfltutrmce and mxportanco of tht-;
fave:-211 {latest in our nationttl goverzatncnt, fl101.«llCl', tintfomc:

final! tneafute at Ieztll, be proportioned to the filpplies A -fur?

nillited to the nationztl treafury. loll‘:-:-ad of reafot1i'ng on this
fubjoét, I fltall barely {late a few fztéts, as they appear from
ofllcial documonts, furnifltod by the depa1't1nent of the troaf-
ury. From the official annual fiatetnettt of receipts and
expenditures it a,p,pe21rs that for the year ending with Den
cember 3 1 , 1 802, the neat amount of reveouo derived from
impofl: and tonnage, from pztflports and cleatmttes, and front
fines and forfeiturc-:s, was wig/at 772;"/!z'om, toree /l7zmdredfy’tz‘y»~
rtirze r/Jmzg/Zxnd, two ézzwzdrccz’ twezzty-/oven do!/am‘, azizzczjtrflxt
wmw” Of this futnflx mi!/iam,fl2’*t2t'2z /awzdred cztzdflrtrtyt thou»
flzm1,_fiw lztmdred ezgbiy do/Jars, t7.om2‘y~:rz~z'me c.:z’zo';r,, were col»
 g __ ‘ ; ‘  A ttleétcd

"it" This £l‘:.ttemont% it taken f1“Om'ttI1 ttotlicial. actcoutnrt _thc recoipto:
ttnd expenditures of tho Unilttxcl Stzttras for ox8‘oz,, tp%ubtliiltcdt agreeably
I101’). llztndlxmg order ofthtz l"IO1.‘lll3 of R.e:-prefemttatives of Dec. 1 3, 1791,.
lwtwtzen» tl'1lS and Mr. Gtt1lettin’s report of O«E’r.. 13, I.';r9It, publifltecl
by o1*dt:rtof1:ho Settato, there is forno variation. ’lf‘l:1t: latter fttatesa.

tlim n?etreve11ue to be Dolr. xo,t 17,o4,4. 57,, viz.-A»-» 
l  ' V % % A [)9/org % CAI. % o
Goods paying an advalorem duty zt,I93,%4t72 ‘ 72% 
% Articles paying :1‘ fpecific duty 5,‘8t%t3,27I 7 5 l  "A t

Extra duty of IO per or. on goods imported in lbtu l % t V t
t eigrt vefllals, and 3%,; per ct. retained on drawbacks . 3353631‘  t
Duties on tonmtge, patlports and clearancest ,tt7.».;..,z8td§g 70
Accounts not yet received elliznated at 3o,ooo%‘  
l lGrlofs amounttofxrevenuo l lto,6%xzt;394. 62
“fDedmE’c for duties returned 8c expencos Aofoolleétion  “49t7,;3‘5Q % 05 t

‘Net amount of révelnute l W t;xV%o,~I17l,o4.4t 57

Whlclh is nearly two millions lhotflt‘ of the oelljimate of receipts for

at 801%, btttlteztceeldts that contaimaid in the ar111t19.l‘1latemet'tt,1 1,7 57,‘8”tl :5

I" I6 ]

lofted in the {fates north of‘ the Potomac, and am 7;zilz’ia7z,t
fix bzzizdreci teig/amen Map:/Eztizd, /Jzzzzdredjfiriy of5’4v.:.-vtz oh!»
lz2r.v,flm‘y-/Z2=~‘:3.rz cams, ztfum confidombly ihort of one fifth.
of the whole, were raffed in thctftatos zmd to1*1~ito1~ies to the
fouth and weft. Five mz‘lz.’z’0;12.s',f0zzr Z7um2’rm’ /fr*_.7/"z‘y;-'  2fv’Jazz~1
_/Ema’, 1’/J7"13’é;” /3zmcfrcdfzm‘y—i-2410 do!/¢1m,fbrzjv-7t2i}z5' ccmzflt, 21 {um
exceczding three fifths ofthe twt11o1te,t..byj’rmr‘ r5z.£72drc?d 2‘/Gz'rz‘_;y—
i/.7I"e3’¢‘ 2‘/Jazyéaizd, ezgbz‘ /?7za2zc[7*e*cz’trLe2e72z'5/7912:? d0!fa7*.5*,fl:vvc?zziy-rtwa
cents, twore furniflled by the fiates of Maflhclztifetts, New.-
.York5 and Penn fylvamia, leaving only fwo fizz"/films, 222726 /fzzmn
aired z‘/fiirmezvz 2‘/5201115/tarzyacz’, z‘/greet /yzmdred eighty-ozze a’aZ[m~.r,,_flxty-
fivvwz a:=;=zz‘.s*, as the quota 1*aifi2c1 by the other fourteen flutes.
T116 {hates fouth of the Potomac, i11'ch1ciing thofe on the
*wo1‘te1'n waters, and the ter1'ito1*ia1 govch-:1'nmc=:nts, contrf:bt1t~
ed to tI121tfun1jz'm‘)!:fi*v£ 2‘/Jozgflzizd, fiazar /.t’9.m2cz’m:2’ jo”7U£’}21*_f}’-25/;)i‘“¢:”'(5’

dolzlczrs, 2‘vzuwzty-;zi22c= cw2z‘: more than Mztflltchttfetts was,‘

A two /Bzmawd enzgbz‘ 2‘/Jouflzizcl, om’ /5zz;~2a’;'*m’ eig/323/jbzzi" (z]0.Ut:'?}".$‘:,
gig/Jtyt cam, more than 1°t:nnfy1v.:mia, zmd ejg-[tr Z7mF2c:27r*z?’(L'
j2‘tvavz!y—z‘~wo i‘/302;/222251’, 2‘/.J.?"£’€ Zvzzzzdreci fig/.22";/—72z'r2:s' ‘c!L9.f..~’,t‘.:r,»*at5 :,;f<g‘Z;;‘
ce2zz‘.r, Iefs than the fingltz {tats of Nczw-York. 'i"h«3~fia.tcs
to the north and cal’: of the Potomac, fond c:ig~11ty~iht: Rc~:p~
refentatives and twtmty S’enuto1**stot Congrefs, -and the {totes
to the fouth and weft fiftynfix Reprofentativos and Wfourteen
Senators. The flmll {hate of Delaware,‘ which fonds but
one Re-p1'o'fentativo, contributes from thefc fources, more to

A the expcncc-as of the union, by z‘~'z,c2c;»z;!y-022:2’ 2‘r50zgfl:z72cl,%ez};-/52f
Zrzz72drccifi2rz‘y~7zi72e ([0!/r.’Z7".3‘, eigbfcerz m22‘.r, them the flzttes of

V Kent11cky,Ten11ofl1ee, and Ohio, toget11cr with the territo-
1'ia1 governments, who fend ten lleprefentzttives and fix
Sc:n::ttors,{ bczfidc-': the delegate from the Miflifippi T orritory,
and the {fate of Rhotde-lfland which fonds‘ but two, con-

A Vtrihu as, within 21 f1*a.£tion of three ti1nc:s"thc: fttzntcohlltzétod
'inthc: whole nvcitern fr;-.=<€tio11 of the union. E.x«::I1'1fivc of
the fupplties derived from the pofluofhco depztrttnmlt, and
from the false of public '1a11ds,t ‘t11<:fe ‘fOL11‘C("3S'fL11‘I1ifl1)WHCHTIY

‘V t ‘ t " ‘tlac:

A" htc‘1oU.;i1fs,'~ 61: cents, Ih:fW€: not }md1eifu1'e to pay fufhcient attetnion

p't.oVthe documents fully to expl-.1in»the reufon of this variation. l’roh-

:;1bA1y%%Vitoa1_.“ofe,i21 pzlrt, from the cieficiency of fame .retur1‘1s in the one %
fiatemetxtg whic11%wex*e included in izhehother, or trox'r1~thctone includa t

to‘ing;h"fOme bmnclm of t11e‘trovc:11ue not Contaitled inhtlme %hot1*1hert.ott_,But
this‘ hprobably 1122:1193 no pe1*cciva.h1e V2:11”i21tiOI1 in the p:'(;>}_,N:5rI:101’J.
flawed. 7 t h ‘A ‘ t h

ti‘ 1:7 3
the whole permanent {apply of the public trcafury {lace the
repeal of the internal taxes. The emoluments drawn from
the pc,3ll~oiliCe, are lI1COI1llClt1’1'£1l3lt":, but, more or leis, , thev
are wholly clerived from the northern and middle fecftions of
the union. The revenue ariling from that department,
in the foutheru and welteru llates, is not fufiicient to den
fray the eirpeuce of the traittfportatiou of the mail. Tile
deficiency is to be fupplied from the furplus derived from
that fourcc, in the more northern fetflious. Such is the Vail:
extenliou of territory, and rapid iucreafe of population, par.-
ticularly in the welltem llates, that, as foon as a diilerent
apportionment olirepreletttatives {hall take place, in confe-
quetice of another ceulhs, it is probable that this part of
the union will furnilll a majority of theiwliotle. Upon this
ftatemeut I add no rernarlts. It istrue, it del'erves to be
conliczlered, that {everal {lattes import much more than they
coufurue, others apgain continue more than they import ;.
8.; the tax, tho’ in the full iullauce levied upon the importer,

is eventually paid by the coulmrzer. t But whether, even in 4

this way, l3u1'tl1CnS are equalized with advantages, I pre-l
tend not to lay. A

'1"t:trtru: are fome dutied articles, the revenue ariling
from which contributes large fupplies to the public treafu-
ry, upon which the impoli: is tiltought by many‘, to operate
partially, and throw too great a proportion of the public
hrtrtheus on particular feftious of the union. 1 {hall only
notice the duties upon yfirlt and cliltilled fpirits. The article
offalt -yields a revenue to a couliderable amout1t.”“ I would
not be tl1oug;l‘it to iuliuuate in this place, that Iview it an

improper ful:»je€t for taxation, altho’ it is poflible that, ac-.

cording to the value of the article the duty may be too-_
ltiglm. A If my recolleétiou is correft, it is twenty cents per
bufhel. It is levied upon one of the fimple I1€C€ll‘3.1'l€itSf of
life,’ upon one nearly, if not abfolutely the next in imporm
tauce to bread and water. The ftates, or parts of flares
which border on the Atlantic, arid in fume placesasfaras
two hundred miles and upwards inland are dependent for
this article upon foreign fupply. It is cottfumed the grgatw
l ‘ A l l  i l e...

A

it The amount of thefait duty t8lo2,‘walsl 648,861 dollars 80 pants,
the confurrtption of that article isprerty 'u1'tiform‘,epr0l3ablY: 113,15 351”

their much incurred norldiminilhed. ,

E13]

eit quantities, not in the families of the rich and lttxnrions,
but in thofe of the economical, indnlitrious inland farmers,
both on account of the inland parts, particularly in the
northern itates, being the greateit grazing country, and on
account of cattle requiring the largeit quantity offalt in
places at a clitftance from the tea board. But the weight
of the article renders a lengthy tranfportation by land, both

difficult and expenfive, which greatly enhances the price to

the confutner. From this tax thofe parts of the union
which afiiord this article, and where it can be, and aétually
is ,0l3ltI:1l11E:_Ci at a much lower rate than it could be in many
-other parts of the country, even if the duty was repealed,

are wholly exempted. In addition to this, the duty upon A

faltoperatesfin the northern ltates in particular, as a tax up-«

on expo1‘ts _:, alrnoft their whole iftaple for exportation, be- ,

ing fuch as to require the eonfumption of that article. One:
important branch of northern exports, it is true, viz. the
fifheries, are exempted from the duty by the drawbacl<: alu-
Iowed upon {alt Coillfilmtid in preferving and curing‘ fifl1.----
But the produce of our farms, our beef, pork, butter and
cheefe, wltieh are exported in large quantities, and which
are almofl: the only articles fnrnifhed for market by their»-
iand farmers, are all, more or lefs aiiieéted by the {alt dum
ty. Diiitilled fpirits may be confidered as an articieof luX—-
nry. Perliaps there is no more proper fubjeél of taxation.
Li“"erhaps no article ought to be fnbjeéted to a heavier duty,
But to fome it appears neither reafonable nor itricftly im-
partial, to lay a heavy duty upon foreign fpirits, or fuch as
are diftilled from foreign materials, while thofe tdiiltilied
from domeftic are entirely exempted. By the repeal of

this branelu of the internal duties, thofe parts of the union to

where only domeitie cliftilled fpirits are confirmed, are al-
rmolt whollyvertempted from any charge towards the fnpng
port of our national government, while equally A with
other parts of the United States, they ihare its proterftion.

Itis thought alfo that domeftie diilitlled fpirits are as much it

yaniartiele ofluxury, and produce nearly the fame eifeéts,
whether good or bad, witlft thofe that are imported. I

merely fnggeil: thefe things as matters of enquiry,Without , A

eaprefling any opinion on the fubjeét.

MY <WainiI1B' this ,r6fPC&ahle audience fo lenig with 1 A

it 19 I to

inch ‘a dry detail, may perhaps require an apology. ‘ But i
thought that, to tome itwonld be at leafl equally interefiing
with a more florid and highly ornamented decla1nati»on.

I MUST crave your patience while I call your attention to
me fubjecft more, which appears to the calculated to pro.-
tnote divifion and difuttion, to the hazard, if not deftrnétion
of our republican inllitutions. Atleeli it is an event which
makes‘ animportant alteration inthe relative politicalfitnation
of thefe. United States ; Irnean the late enlztrgemettt of our
territory, by the pnrchafe and acc:ellion of Louifiana. This;
event is celebrated as a nail t:tCq;L1lfiElOD,‘ both to our future
wealth and celebritzy as a nation, as one of the moli brilliant
-eras in ottr political hillory, femetlting of nearly equal int.
portztnce with our inclependenee itielf. liainfnl as it may

he to me to entertain cliflierent fentimenits upon that meafm t

C

*m‘C, frotn, perhaps, a large ntaJo1"ity of the citizens of thefe
United States, yet, having deliberately formed and opinion
on the lhbjecl, I lhall, with the honeil franltnefs of a repub-«i.
lican arid a freeman, fiate fome of the cottfecitrences to om:
union, which I think will be probably produced by this pnr...

tchafe and ceilion. I {hell not {pend time to enquire into

the cement of the acquiiition nnade by the expettditttre of
«on2*tifteet1 millionis ; or whether we have made a real bona

fida purchale of the rigltt of foil in this extenfive 1‘€§§lO1};,,i
-tO1”*l71'£lVt;': only ohtztined the mere _tn:r1ldtr€tzo11 olfla Vail: wilder.»

nets, in which areincluded fome fettlements, one of them
confiderahle, inhahiteicl by a people who are itr'angers to

0-l;11"lt7tW‘S., lar1gt1::tf.2;e and cufitotne, and difcontented with our \
«elaixne of_in1~ifdi<’€‘rion, attdwltom, probably, we cannot gotta A

ern, nnlefs they ate overawed ,hy a military force ; while
the1*igl1t of foil is ttearlyt all veiled in Fret1clt,Spanifl:t,, and
iit‘1t‘.ll::1t1 proprietors,t or in perfons holding nndertheir titles,
No documents which have come to my lettotvledge, appear,
to me fitfliciently explicit%t~o determine this qneftion,and<,e--
ven the right tolijnrifdictiott itfelf, is qneilieonable, upon the
principles of our government. I know it is a cornnton prac-g
tiee iamong fovereigns of the eaftern. continent, to cede,
transferl and exchange provinces or countrieis, either by

pnrchafe, conqueli; or otlterwife, paying very little atten-.“ i

tion to eithertheconvenience or confent of the inhabitants
to transt'erred.. But whether this be agreeable to the prin«
citgles

E 20 3

ciples of a republican government, *whi«::h E1Clill0‘WlE‘Lig‘€S the
people as the fountain of power, ancl is foundecl upon the
right of felfgotrertnment by reprefentativeschofen bythe
people themfelvesgto transfer lat'g;e countries Wltll their in-.»»
habitants, from one jurifcliétion to another, lwitla as little
eereihony as tlancls and cattle change owners, the content of
the people fo transl’erred being neither I:1;ll{t‘?d not obtainetl,
is a fobjeft cleferving the attention of both the moralill and
the politician. Nay, tho’ we may have acquired the pow-
er, it is even queilionable WllC‘L'l1t’.1' France could l"ell,, or A-
merica pttrcliale the right, either to iezvttend our _iuril"tlicftion
over, or to colleét a revenue frora tl‘1einl.1al3ittants of Loui-
fiana, without their confent.

BUT, lhoulcl Ou1‘1'lgl1t ofjttriftiiélion be adtnittetl to

be ittcotttellible, and {hould we acquielhe in the ttt*;tt1sFer as‘

alefler evil a meafitre of neceflity to avoid the calamities of
'war,ft1ppofing; it to be the only mean, yet," even in that
cafeg inllead of viewingj it as an impo1*t;t1'1t and valuable ac»
aquilition in i tlelf, it would preient a fable gglootny pi*tfrlpe«fli
to my mind, threatening either thepdellruélion of our ggovrw

«eminent, or the cliiffolution of our union. '1'l.tat erroneolus o- a

pinion, that the happittefs or prolperity of a country, c;lepentls
z;tpon,or is promoted by the extent of its territory, 11:13.3, lire-4
q11ently,,u:tg'ed ambitious fpirits on to their own, anti their
country’s ruin. F1'(‘)I"11 this fource ltas arifen, that pernicious
rage forcouquefl, whichl1as,‘,fo oftet3,_bropugl1t defolation
‘upon kingdoms and nations, and incalculable tniferies upon
the human race, fuch overgrown empires have comtnonly
foon crumbled to pieces, even when held together by the
iron handof arbitrary power, The Afyrian, the Babylon
nian, the Median and Perfian, the ‘Grecian, the Roman, ttncl,
more lately, the Saracen Empires, notwithfianding the force

and energy of their refpetftivei governrnents, all fucceflively  
acrutnblecl to pieces by their own weiglttg Thefe examples i

apply to free republican flares with redoublecl force. The
larger the territory the more room for the operation offac-
tion and intrigue, and for the greater diverfity or manners

t and habits, as well as of feparate, and frequently jarring
local interells, to nourifl1rtl1eleeds of revolution. The
more remote particular places are fituatecl from the feat of l

govterntnentgrtlte more cliflicult it will be for the ftrong arm
7 A . r of

fl:   cat: 3

at the unionto controul {och tendencies to facftionlanclt rev;

olutioaas mayiariie in them, without a dereliétion of‘ the .

principles of a free government. B«e:Fot-e this acceflion the
territory of the United States was fufficiently large. W'ith

leis than fix millions  inhabitants, and pofleiling a terriito»  

rytfuihcientllyl large to fnmiili, with pgoper cultivation, i all
the necefiitries and conveniences oflife, to a population of
ten times that amount, it would feem as if we fiood in no
need of an aclciition of nearly equal dimenlions, at the ex-
pence oi? iiliteen millions of dollars increafe to our national
tlebt. That our population, confidering our numbers, is al-
ready, by far too much dilpetled, either for the convenu
ienee of fociety or government, or for the purpofesofyedu-‘
cation, and the conleqnent cliilfemination of that degree of
l<.noxyledge which is necellary, to far to cultivate the mind
as to renoler men good citizens of a republic, is a complaint
wlticlt is by no means unfounded. As Americans are fufli-

ciently prone to rambling", this acceflion will tend to a far». i

ther diliperiioxi ofour already too much feattered popula-
tion, and to promote, particnlzoly on our frontiers, an ap--
_{.?1‘O£lCl1t()tl1€lllV21gC modes of life. A l V
Tie-tn 11CCt;.‘:lllO11 of this tet'rito1'y p1*omil’es, moreover no
‘very ltopelhl tttlciitioti ' to the number of good republican
citiozens. . l11(‘2:t“Clt31“ to fupport a free gove1*11ment it is necefa
zlzury that manners and habits congenial toa republican fyll
l.'Ci‘II11,llf1OLtl<;l]§2‘C“Vl*l.ll tl;I‘t1OI“1g thelpeople.‘ But, that a people,
igtioz-ttttt in the eatretne, and born and educated in the hab-
its of a defpotic govet*ntnent, lhoulcl immediately, upon a
t1"2‘U£1Sl'€x'i of jurilidiflioti, become intelligent, orderly and
peaceahle citizens in  republic, is an event, however delir»
alule in itielti, hardly to be ex.pe€ted.I It may prove an eafy
tail: to fill the tninds, and heat the imaginations offuch a peo--
ple with highnotions, of lllDC:‘1”'_>ty' and ttqlitillllly 5 but, notbe-
ing accnllomed to the wliolefotne i1~elh*aint of equal laws,
they will, probably, be no fooner free from tlzielhacltlesof
tlefpotifzn, than they will run into the oppotlte extreme‘ of
llC’~$I1tlOl1il.1ti3l-S and infuborclination. Senlibleof l this prone»-

ness in mankincl to run from one extremetoanother,it has i,
heen thought necellary to eltablilh Zlil-j.’ll;ti‘.:"I1'Of‘ government ,

l'orL.oL1iliana, for theprefent, exliibiting; few or none of

the y

_v
I
1
W
‘”§.lw"

E :22 

the dillinguilhing features of a republic; a fyliem wl1icl1,tin,
zllead of ackntowledging them as a free people, poflefiing the
rights of felf.-governrnent, by extending to them all the
privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States,
does little more than favour them with a change of maf...
ters. Inltead of being in future fubjeft to a Vice Roy from
the king, of Spain, they are to be governed by a dependent
of the Prelident of the United States. Perhaps the inhab...
itants or the ceded territory are unqualified to enjoy the e...
leétive franchife; Perhaps this is a fyftetn the molt con.-
genial to their manners and habits of any which human will

dom could devife. But, lhould a territory, once incorpog

rated into the union, one which is, for ought I know, of
nearly equal extent Wltll our original bounds, be found in.-
capable of enjoying the bleflings of a free government, it
can have no very favorable afpeét upon the liberties of the

whole. This territory will probably, in a very COI1llCl€1‘2llT)l€". A

part at leaft, be peopled from Europe. As foon as the
prefent wars {hall ceafe, we may expeét entigrations to be
tnnltiplied... tl ‘With an enlarged population we may natural»
ly loolcfor an increafed diverfity of manners and habits.---~

The elo'ttfeqtrtenees naturallyflto be expleéted are, that eitlterf

{series of diforder, if not of A complete diforganization will
take place ; or that, for generations to come, government

in mail be fupported, and licentioufnefs controuled by a ntili.-3

tary force. This will yaiiord a precedent dangerous to the
liberties of the Atnerican people, l A

IN another point of view, it merits our attention iwhetlr- i

er this aceeflion will not trend fo materially to alter the rela-
atitre fitnation of the feverali flares, as cannot fail to increafe
tnutualjealoufies, and multiply jarring interefts to fuch a
degree, that they mull be injurious, and may prove fatal to

our profperity as a free people. The territory of the Unit» ,

ed States may be very naturally divided into four grand
~fe€tions.,, A northern feétion, cornprifing the New.-Engu
land Rates, with a large part ofthe {late of New-York, a
rnidclle feétion including theother flares north of thePoto-A
mac, a fouthern fetftion containing Virginia, the Carolinas,
:a.nd,Georgia, and a weltern feétion lying upon the weftern

'waters,the Mifiifippi and its feveral eallzern branches. Add, _
to.thisweftern feétion, the newly ceded territory of Louifiana,

and

ll‘ 23 ii  

ancl it will be more than fix times as large as the otherthrees

Between the three feétious which border on the Atlantic, A

the connection is natural and eafy, and the advantages re»-
ciprocal. If either mutual jealoufies and encroachments,
local attachments and prejudi.cies, or ciifiierent manners, hab-
its and cnfiorns, ariiing, in a great degree, from the bane.
ful fource of domelticrllavery, do not interrupt our harmo-«
ny, ‘ there appears to be no important natural‘ obfiacle in the

A way of its being mutually beneficial for time irtnrnerrtorial.---_.

The vvantsof the one may be eafily fupplied by the fur-»
plus of the other. But the weftern feftion, ciifconneftecl,
by its local fituatiou from the Atlantic fiates, mull have an;
interefl: feparate fromtheirs. And‘ pofliefling fuch an exteng
five,‘ and, a great part of it at lealt, fertile territory, as wtelii
as an opening, by a d‘il’fereut and much uighert rout,‘ to
{once of our belt rnarltets, the fiates in this quarter In'lillZ, at
a period not very remote, become the rivals,f if not the
mailers of the other feétions in the union. Such is * the
prevalence of {elf-intereft in all national tranfaétions, that
whenever the period’ arrives in which. the States on the
wellern waters, connecfted with the newly ceded territory of
Lonifiana, fh-all obtain fuch a preponderating influence as to
direcft, controul, and overawe the councils of the union,“

then the Atlantic ftates may” view their profperity to be far _

declined from its zenith. Tho’ this ‘declenfion: may be

A firftfelit by the northern and middle ilates, who, as they
contribute the largelt portion of the public revenue, imulitl 

pay the greateft part of the purchafe money, and whofet
population and wealth will probably be the molt feverely
taxed to fettle the country, yet it may, eventually, prove e-
qually, if not more injurious to the fouthern feetion of the
union. Poflefling irnmenfe quantities. of vacant, anclfertile
lands, yaydaptcd to the cultivation of the iame; fltaple for ex-
portation, viz. Cottton», Indigo, Rice and Tobaccoi, they

can produce thefe articles with fo great facility, and in fuch g ‘ A
large quantities, as to aifordlrthem at fut-ch rednceidy prtcesr last
to unclerfell the citizens‘oE_ the Atlantic fiatersy and, any that  

way,exclude them from fome of their mail beneficial branch»:

es of commerce.  , it A t   it ,   t l
UTE-IESE things, it will be faid, are nothingymore than

mere matters iofconjeéture. They are lb, “ and no man can

wiflx  1

T 24i';l

with more iincerely than myfell’, that thefe fuggefiions may
prove to be unfounded. The chain of caufoand eflieét appears,
however, to be for clofely conneé“ced,that Icannot but Vlt‘3‘W
them as making a great abatement of the fatisfaftion which
I might otherwife enjoy, in conternplating what is termed a
fplendid acquifition, forming a molt glorious era in the lilti-
tory of America. 4 o

Havma dwelt fo long upon our dangers, I troll; your
indulgence will permit me to add a. few words upon our du-

ties. In doing tais llhall barely draw‘ the attention of the

audience to the following plain inaxims, which cornprife our
duty, with the means of our fafety. y i i it
LET us hear in mind that our liberties, our independ-
ence itfelf, as well as all the national privileges and advantag-
ges, derived from thofe fources, are the gifts of l1€2.1.‘V€‘lT1..' In
all the variety of trials and dangers thro’ which we have
palled, we have been fignally and eminently It people. rm.
ed of the Lord. He has, from time to time, railed up from
among ourfelves, eminent cliarafters, both as Pt-atefmen and
heroes, men clothed with a large portion of thefpirit of
their ofices 3:, eminently qualified for the llations they have
refpeé‘tiv~ely filled. He hath condtiéled us thro‘ {cones of
blood and flayngliter, and ihielded us in the hour of danger,
againll; deep laid plots. and artful intrigues. He has been
a fpirit of judgment to thofe who fat in judgment, as well

as flrength to thofe who turned the battle to the

gates. The greatelt part of our revolutionary heroes and
patriots have already gone to the land of filence. i In pay-
ing a. tribute to their memory tho’ we cannot, at prefent,
be particular, no one in this afletnblyy will, I trull, forget
the name of VV.ASHING'1‘ON who {hone in his orbit as a liar
of the firll: magnitude. But, whoever was the inllrurnent,
the hand that railed it up was the Lord's; and his hand

is not lhortened that it cannot fave. He can now as eafily A

raife up Vvalhington, or future deliverers, by whatever
name they may be dillingnill1ed, as he did ‘him whorl‘ e name.
will beheld in grateful remembrance as long as we {hall ex...

l ill: a free and independent tiation. But when, as a peo- A
ple, we {hall forget that our liberties are the gift of God;
“and lighytly elteetn the rock of our political falvation, we

{hall bein danger of lofing them. 
 A i _* A   t it A  t ‘ “ LET

[63:53

Eat‘ us enlitivate the principles of piety nnd Virtue, not
that unnntuml nlliiance between cl1L1rel12mcl {tate,fomucl1
tnlked of and p1'ofelTedly to much dreaded at the tprefent
day, but which, in our country, is probably rather an rim»-
nginntiionythan :1 reality ; but the genuine principles of pie».
ty towards God and benevolence to men, which tend to the
promotion of every civil and focinl virtue." A people Ira»-
hittually irreligious cannot be long’ free. Thofe who are
endeavouring to eradicate the ypritnciples of religion and vira
tue, by difcarding ehxfiflinnity, and flipping the foundation

Y ofnnturnl religion, however elxtenifive the benevolence may

be which they profefs, are our ‘W01'fi enen1iesf. Tho’ their
long may be bewitching as a Syren, to lillzen to itis equally
fatal, A i'1“l‘he; polifoin of afpsis. under their tongues. Tl1etno-i-
lion ofcnltlvating mornlity without religion is nothingihut
the yiraving of 21 diftemperecl fancy, if not rather the fruit of
n depraved heart. T his is abnnlduntl y verifiedby the bitter
experience of all ages. Reduced to generalprnélice it will
banilh benevolence out of the world, fet afide the obliga...
tions of an oath, and rend afunder every other tie which,
either binds man to man, or connects men in fotciety. Such
an event: would be fufilcient to people a continent with
‘thieves, pick-pockets, robbers, ndulterers, and midnight:
nflnfline. It would render every man every mnn’s foe.---

A Such are the confeqnences to he eepecftediin this life, from '

the iba»nifl1ment of religion out of fociety, but Futurity opens. i

n profpmft lfl‘fi11ltfll°}Nm0r&«aWfE1l. l i'l§‘11et notionii 12113.1: death is:
an eternal» fleep, can lnftl no longer then until the ;fonl’e
fepnration from the hotly.» No foonterdoes theunemhocli--
ed fpirit launch inter theinvifible world, than it awalces‘, ei-
ther to the profpeét of inconceivable hzippinefs; or of unnt-
tembley and xiever ending“ woe. When we refleét uponthe
height‘ to vvlttich depravity of manners, and irreligious prin-

oiples are arrived‘ in our country, we have reafon to trexn-« V
ble further confeqnences. But we would fondly hope? that V

the dlifeafe is not’ yet altogetltxer withonta remedy. l For
faith» the Lord by thietprophet Jererniahi, “At what inftant
I {hall {peak concerning av nation, a.nldt‘coeneerltiingt a. king-

‘d~otn, to "plucklnp, and toepnll down,nndtiitoideflroy t it. If

that": nyastinn againfl: whom I h21ve.pro11ou~xT1cecl, turn from

their evil, I will repeater of l‘.‘l716'; evil that It tl1onght:~to'do.xuntn  

thtmfif LET

[ 26  A
LET‘ us cleave to our conftitution. This has l1liil1CI‘lZC97
been, nnderprovidence, one of the principal pillars of our
fecurity, as well as an eminent fource of national profperity.
No doubtit would havebeen pleafingto many, had this in»
{tr-urnent remained unaltered; ‘When the door of ilnnova«
tion is once opened it is uncertain when it will be ihut. But,
as the greateft part of its eiientialprinciplea yet remain en«
tire, let us continue tocleave to them, and, as much as pofli»
ble, avoid future innovatioyns. : Like every thing human

\‘ this inihrument undoubtedly has its iemperfcfiions, but em»
bracirtrglla great variety of interefis, and beingformed by a
, fpirit of conciliation, itis hardly probable that we fllall ev-

er have another {o well adapted to all parts of the union.
Nay it is even problematical wl1etl1e1-wanother could ever
be efiablilhed by any other means than by the fworcl‘. Exu
travagant impracticable notions of liberty, -inflead of that
temperate rational fyfiem, which is adapted to the {late of
fociety among our American people, and confined within
conllitutional limits, may endanger, if not finally ruin our
republican i'nllitntions,‘and even our independence. T hat
loofe popular kind of democracy, for which many plead,
and which is thought to be, at prefent, gaining ground, will
ever be found inadequate to themanagement of the aifairr.

i ofa great nation, however well it may anfwer in a {mall

flare, where there are no jarring local interefl:s, and where
there is a nniforrnity of manners and habits. I never “exu-
peer to fee a more popular kind of government than that
founded upon our prefent excellent confiitution, either
peaceably eflahlifhed, or fuccefsfully adrniniftered in ii the U-
nitediStates. This, tho’ not a loofe democracy,» has an
the freedom ofqa,repnblic, tempered with a degree of
flrength and energy. Keep to this and we have all that
liberty which is conducive, either to political or focial hap-«
pinefs. a Break down thisybarrier, and while we grafp at
the fhadow, we fhallprobahlylofe the fubftance, and be
either crumbled into a great number of fmall, inconiidera-t
ble principalities, or finkbeneath the defpotic arm of formic:

fortunate military adventurer, who may chance to out ride

theftorm of anarchy, and be ableto crufh, by an irnpoling
military force, the faétions, which, in times of con-fufion,
may have mutually enfeeblcd, one another.
1 or W e ‘ Lair

‘E 5&7 ii

LET ns hennited. In union con-fills our ft:ren.gtla.---4

aUnited we lland, divided we fall. Our national {yltem in

* one great whole, which ought equally to embrace the in».

terelt of every part. Neither local interefts or attachments,
nor party names and diftinrftions, {hould deter as from at-
tending to the general good. As a united people, duly
improving our advantages, and vvifely managing our refourc-

es, we may bid defiance to any nation which may be hardy

enough to annoy us. But fplit into faftions, and weakened
by domeltic feuds and contentions, we may become as eafy
a prey to either a foreign invader or ldotnellic ufurper, as
the flares of Greece did to the growing power of Philip of
Macedon, which, had they been united, they might have
.eafily withfliood. As the northern feélion of the union
comes, more immediately, under our view, its relative litu-

ation as it refpeéls the general government, claims ourfirft, t

and united attention. T his is no party matter; it has not
even the molt rernotevconneétion with the modern di{«l:ine-
tion of our citizens into Fedteralt-ills, Republicans, Detnoa
erats, Ariltocrats, dzc. 8zc. names and diltinétions which,
it is devoutly to he wifhed, were buried in everlafting oh-
ilivion. It is the undivided concern of the whole. It is
high time for us to give over the child-ilh atnufetn ents about
the Salt Mountains, immenfe Ftairies, Marnmoths St Buifa-«
Lloes ofI...oniliana, and attend to the relative political fituation
of the various parts of thtleliunioni. ‘ If the prefent operation
of our national fyltem is partiallyinjurious tojthe northern

Qaud middle Rates, if their influence and importance in the

great confederacy is difproportionate to their quota of ‘ the

l public enpence, if one part of the union is relieved and an

nother bnrthened, weiouglrt to know it, and withfland the
.encroachment by a decent manly firninefs. But if finch
complaints are unfounded, every murmur lhould -be h~nfl1’d
to filence, and we ouglit unitedly to fupport a»fy=ftem vvhiclt
impartially einbraces the good of the whole. if the genera

al intereft of tlleiiunion is fupported, it is of but little coynfea-y

.iquence whether Virginia, or forne other {late gives aPrefi«-
dent to the United States. An attention to this fuhyeét ‘he-a

longs to us all. Letus difinifs our party names and dill

vtinétions that we may pnrfue the enquiry with impartialitya
Admitting the fuppofition that fuch a fyltem of encroac:h-
l A ~ A g l i A merit

rfolicitous to obtain correét information.

if 2 l 3”.

mei1t“d’oes aélualrly eaiilc, ifwerrleontinue divided, and the

flame of party fpirir is kept up among onrfelvea, nothing
can impede its progrefs.’ 

LET us attend to the purity of our eler?rions.r Noth-
ing can be of greater irnporrance in a republican govern.»
ment than that this fountain ihoulcl remain uneorrupted.«--
Nothing has had a more powerful tendency to create and
firengthen prejudices againit eleéiive gopvernmerrts, partrcu-»
larly in large liates, than the diforders which, but too fre-
quently attend popular elieéiions. . But, that pr a privilege
may be abufed, does not prove it to be, in itfelf improper;.
The proper end to be anlivered by popular elecfiions may
be fruflrat'ed., either by criminal negligence and inattention,
or by deceiving,‘ ove1~arving;, or corrupting the ele€tox's.--»-
Wberr elecftions, inftead of being the proper, nnbiaiied en»
preflion of the public will, are either ahnoil: wholly myanag-»

red by art and intrigue, corrupted by bribery, or oiverawed

by ‘violence, they may degenerate fo far as to become a
public curfe inilead of a privilege. In many parts of our

a country great cotnrplainta are made about the eaertion of

an undue influencein eleftions. I-llappyfor us were fuels;
complaints wholly urnfonnrded; Perhaps, there is‘ no part
of the union in which eleéicirons are more pure than in New-
England. But do not fuch fyrnptorns appear, as give us:
treafon to apprehend that, even among us, that privilege is
not beyond the reach of corruption 3’

LET‘ us attend to the difibliorr of knowledge, and be
p The great body
of our citizens, as they can have no intereii ieparate from
the good of theirconntry, will always acfi right if correéily
informed. ° But when public opinion becomes corrupted~,
nothing can be a more fruitful fouree of danger. To.
guard againfi Inch corruption, nothing is more effeéitral than
the general diifirfion of knowledge.
is much more neceffary in a republic, where {o much de-

pends upon public opinioruthan under any other form of A

government. Among an enligtened virtuous people this
fyfiem will flourifh in its perfeéiion and beauty, but where
the inhabitants of a territory are generally vicious and igno-
rant, licentioufnefs, it is probable, will be l2t‘!1:'lDtL'Cl,, only by
1113 Qppoiite, viz.‘ tyranny and oppreailion. A
~ A  A ’ l Frmonr

Corrcél inforrnation l

  it as ‘J ,

A l  4 Fnt,Low~Cl1Ti1zENs,I have endeavonrecl, A honellly T
hope, however feebly,to difcharge that part of the clntylofh

the day which your partiality has afligned me. Ihlaveen-
hibited myown impreflions, both of our duties and ‘dan-
gers as a people. As the patience of the audience mnfl:
be, by this time, exhaultecl, I lhall try it but a few moments
more. ‘Without melting any pret:enlionsA to a fpirit of

A prophecy, imagination may eaiily take an extenfive range

into the future profpecfts of America, by merely compar-
ing caufes with efi’e<€ls, and reafoningfrotn the one to the
other. If we fltonld on the one hztncl, dwell too clofely
upon one dnngiers; we lmny point 21 dark and difinnl piéture
of licentionfnefs, anarchy and diforganization, of tyranny,
opprefiiotr end blooclfhed, of foreign intrigues and domeftic
fznftions, fplitting us into parties, undermining and waiting
our ll1~eng'th, and, in the end, prolhntinig our liberties, by
rendering us an early prey to the hand of, either a foreign
invader, or doinellie nfurper, who may confign generations
as yet unborn to ilztvery without hope.

BUT, as it is painful, even for imagination to dwell
upon the gloomy profpeét, let us take 21 glitnpfe of the bright
iitle of the pi«E"ture. In this part of the profpeét our fond
hopes, nnzgl our benevolent wilhes will affilt our imaginaa
tions. This anticipation of fnturity prefents us ‘Wltl1E1VlCW of
 rztpiclly jnerenfing population, of cities and villages fud»
clenly fptingiiig up in the wildernefs, of n Valli country, at a
period not very remote, filled with inhnbitnnts, and eontin-«
tiitig to he the feat of lil'>erty and the arts, as well as an n»
fylnrn for tile oppreiicrd of every elime; of 2:: wife, jolt and
¢”:nt;‘31‘gt’.:t‘lC g'ove1*11r1ient, gitizrrclirig and proteéling both civil
anti religions ‘} iberty, and :1, fncceflion of’1i1g.;;;es, patriots, and
tlillixiggtxifltecl lhsttefinen clireéling our councils: ; of the uni»
vcnlnl prevalence of good morals, undefilecl religion, and
focial order, of our name refpeéled, and our alliance, court-ll
ed by foreign nnt:ions, and of our citizens at large free and
ltztppy, in the nninterrnptecl enjoyment oflpenee and plen-

ty, and of civil and religious liberty, exltirbitizrg to the world l

u

Z¢!.ll;2l1A'1Clll)g prnétieztl confutntion of the opinion that free
pgcivernznents are always Clellined to be but “ of llhort dura-
tion... A  A

the A

THIS, you will lay, is a pleafing prom, hot one which A

~    ‘r 3» t
‘W, ‘  ~ »

i   i‘ ithel‘experience of real life has never fully realized. It is

‘ 1'0, and in the end it may prove to be nothing more than 
pleating dream. But notwithftanding our expofednefs to
ruin by our vices, in the praétiee of the maxim‘. already
mentioned, aided by the virtues of temperance, fobriety,
frugality andinduflry, the Rate of profperity defcribed,
may be as fully realized as is ‘confiltent with the imperfecu
tions of the prefent life. Looking forward to agesyet un-
born, we might then hail our happy land, deftined by heav-
en to bethelwonder of an admiring world. We have
hitherto, as a people, been eminently faved of the Lord.
Let us truft in him, and he will {till he the rock of our fal-
‘&Z§3.t10Il.

FINI&