The gazette., 1799-02-11


what be fays, over which he himfelf is able 20
throw but tranfparent gauze. Great men
have great language, and are known by the
comprehenliveneis Of what they f4y. But If the
ait OF concealing art were carried 70 far that no
eye could penetrate the truth, yet when the fub-
ett is OF iuch nature as to be expl.ined BY CO.
exiting or tubtequent events, the extraneous
matter will forever deteet and expofe the he(t
concerted plan that lacks integrity for BATS.
! lhall proceed with The eGays.
ESSAY II.
N nothing, believe, have al parties inc a.
ged themielves 70 freely as in the ufe of the
word " republic ard republican," And truly
il is The belt word that could lie taken for the
puTpoie, for as it refpeas the form of govern
ments It has no meaning at all, either in theory
or practice. In fenfe it fgni6es tbe public ,gsod,
tbr tHthe bgI7sJ, ne fn5lic tatsrgf, or as we Fay
tie common Treal but as to the f0yw of govern
ment, whether it be democratic, ariRocratic,
mona-chical, or a combination Of thefe, the
word republic is in theory Indifferent. And,
if | remember, Montrlquieu, the great
theoria in thefe things, Eays that there are both
democratic and atiRocratic republics. Venice,
II
St. Msrino A democratic one and we may add
that the United Provinces and Poland were both
/ itiled republics tho both were mouavchies.* To
fpeak truly, till this cabaliRic word was ufed in
the late and Prelent contea twas plainword like
hcnefY, Probity, patrioifm and the like but
perhaps for that very reafon It has been afumed
| by all parties, till It has come to fignify fome
form Of government, or fome n de Of political
eIiGence, tho TO perfon living can tell what
mode It is, or whether it is fhadow or cloud
which they are trying to embrace.
] have long been trying to have this difficulty
folved, and lall be glad to derive advantage in
this refpef from the Vice Pre(ident's letter
He fpeaks Of " tbai republican government eybicb
carried qj tbr7 The 1vzr,' by which take The con-
federation 70 Be his fenft Of republic, and all
Can fay is, that if It qoa5 republic, il was the
frlt Of the kind which ever exiRed, and makes
new fpecies Of that Protean genus, republic
The G-ecian leagues were con!ederacies, but
nobody ever pretended that theie confederaces
were republics, being merely congrehes of fuch
governments, like ours. However, will not
dlpute this point-The Vice Preident is phit
lcfoPher, and ought perhaps to have the honor
Of adding Gar to the political armament
But when he f4ys :" TIE body Of our citizent re-
main firm TO republican princibies," am almolt
tempted TO exclaim who the ID doubts it, but
refraioing myfelf, becaufe an now upon en-
quiry, l can only fay that here is one Of thole
cabaii}ical, unntc,ligible and nonfenfcal aver
meats which convey nothing unlefs it be to
iome fcholar Of Mr.. Jeferfon, f7me French ma
rauder, or one Of THE PARTY.-Why mo-
nepolze this word Is it becauie it is a watch
word, a war wbop, or a death-fong The
clubs had it, the whi1ley boys had it, and the
French have had it, till it is, like ridiculous
fabion, laid aide, and yet, like te'ling gold that
~ill not waite in fire, it is none the worfe for
the ult Of honeG men, when they inall need II,
for fuch will explain it by their condud and
their intentions.
When Mr.. Jeferfon fays. We hare againa
Us (5eb4LLcdnJ) the Erecut We, Judiciary,
&c. one f.es at any rate that the republi-
cans Of Amcaca are oppofed BY the gov
crnment, ani how far this will 90 to cr-
plain the fenfe Of this word let us examine,
! fhould fuPPofe the Prefent government Of
the United States to be as republican (if that
means democratic) as Poland CT Holland
were, and perhaps (if you would not think
fneered) as France now IS. What natural ab-
ho-cnce then is there in our government a.
cainR republi anifn? And what is tie
.epublioani(m which republic abhors do
not fec that we can derive much light from
this quarcer-un'efs We ihould Preluu1e to infer
that thefe yrtnJEcanJ are fInatics of the per-
iuaGon that far them at leaR, no government
IS bef TO which may be added-HaigS fbJ
sc7.H.
TIE word is ufed no more than three times
81 The letcr; but its prononinal fubttitute
occ"rs pretty otter in the lat paragraph,
" Thcv would wrcR liberty from US (rfbajlieaH5J !
" bnt wc (rrtnHar5 ihall preferve il" "Our
'm4f, that is the MATS Of weight and riches
"of tke republican,, is powerful" 1t is futh
cient that we (rfbrJacan5) guard ourlelves--
that we (rftuBlican5) break the lilliPutIon ties
-. lo,,nd NC /rehnE.cnn1 ] IN