Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1801-06-29
THOUGHTS ON POLITICS.

AMONG every people, and ia every {2ecies
of republics, we and a fIG magiArate, head,
a chief, IN jer various Denominations, and With
different degrees Of authority il every nation
we inset with di(inguiihed officer; if there is
no example IN any free government, any more
than thof- which are not free. of fociety with.
out principal patronage. we may fairly con
ciude, thar the body polite csnnot fubfia with
out cne, any more th4a the animal body with
cur head.
The ruling part Of any nate NUT always
have conGde able property, chiefly Of lands
The reaion is, property has iuch an invariabl=
influence, thai whoever Pcdeaes property mutt
have power, Property in aate, is ALTO fome
fecuity for fidelity, beoauie inlersa then is
conferred in the public welfare
II will be an eternal role IA politic5 among
every free people, thar there is balarce Oh
power 70 he carefully held BY every Tate within
tielf, ~ well as among ieyeral Rates with each
other.
Elective partially Tor ore foreign narion,
and exc,Eive dilke OF another. cau!e thoie
whom they aauate 70 fe danger. OILY on one
Eje. AID iervc o veil and even feeonj The arts
and influence on the other. Rel patriots. NAV
ieGf the irtrigUes at the f4yoritc, are liable to
become fulpeaed and odious; willie rs toois
and dupes uinrp TIE 7prlsui- a65 Coas5sace
Of The Re pie, 10 furrender their intaTahz X
The maxim IS ~ lis apple Sic 10 5ublic
than 70 private Affairs. that honeay is always
the bet ohcv.
Republics have net bser lsfs aidia-d in
pTaeiee % wsr Tran rnonarch'es 4 and thete
has been As many Tars founded upon c6mnsr
cial ro'iv-s, Grce that has become the prev II
ing iyltsIp e nations, a. were -sefoHe oceaGona6
~ The eupiduy of territory or d0mnjonS VIZ.
nefs lie republos Of Sparta, Athsrs, Rome. aud
Carthage in former times, and thofe ofVerice
and Holland ii latter times.
They vl0 ar. pl2eed between the extremes
St want ant abundance. are generally the hef
members Of ioriety, uon happy IA rhemfelves.
anc contribote mott 10 the happiness " Others.
The barbarous Csi5ie cuRou IF dls,iag. which
prevails arnotg lorne OF ouF high fprft.d gerf.
tlemen i peenicious 20 civil focietv IN } 6ireaIv
oPpoh;e to the mild ipnit of the ChriH;An rel.
aion. Il i farpriGhg that men who puur
themielvss OF their humanity and politene6
neveEIetle6, thatthis p5a2ice is 10 reiinemenr
Of rnocefn times, but-was brought into EuroDe
by tho,e fierce northern Doors, who overran me
Roman smpire. The Civilized Heahens. III
polite Greeks. and Wlrlke Romahs. we,.
brargeFs TO this a5lurd, baibarnus cuhom.-
They reckoned i glorious to die tor their coun.
ny but never facriti-ed each other il cold
blood 'o The ht,le pufalios Of honor.
Thar forun e goverurte IT. appearsto be the
mot realc aablewhieh IL mot co fcrmabls "a IL
equality that We ind in human nature, provided
i be confaent with public peace e tranquility.
lhis.is what may properly Be called liberty.
which exeinpts one man from fubje9ion 10 IL
notherioflr IS the order and econonyof GOV
eminent vii permit. .4,.
If there Be bur one bo3Y Of lgeihltors, il Is
no better than tyranny !; If Their. Sc only two.
there Will want q eating voice, and one n them
mUlt at length be fvatlovet Up BIZ diiputes aud
contention that will nereE4rily arife betwesn
thtm. -Four would have ire Zane inconven.
Iehee as two, aud a greater number would
eaufs Two niue h foHfqion.7
POiyBius and Cicero, both great authors,
give the PIE eminenes to a mkt covercmsn,,
committing otthree branches, the regal. the noble,
and the popular.
TIE hillory Of z fnccefion of a5tolute pr:n.
ees, is an uuanfTerable argument againR der
Potic power. Since in tie common run Of
markind, for one that is wife and good yos
end tel Of 4 contrary ohaa6ter, Il IS very dao.
gerCuS for a nation to RAnd to lis chance, or u
have is public haPPinels or miftry depend On
che virtue Or vices Of a Jingle pelCn. Look
into anY,ieries of abf1lute princes, how MANY
tyrants mutt you read through, before Won
come to an Emperor Jkai IS fuPportabfe.
Thereare many things which an honea man
viii be o5lged to 90, froC conviction thai
they are for the geaeral good, which viii give
great diaAdstlaion 70 MS conaitueots.
There arr eerraia coojunaorss, when 4 may
Be netelIry and proper 20 ditregard the opin.
ions which the majority Of the people Save
formed bur n the geGeral eonrf- of things.
the popular views and even Prcjudiees viii Il.
rea the aaion Of TIE rulers.