Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-11-13
e HO M Il S p Il IN E S
l. e II r E K
TO
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Paris, Tuly sctb, II

for this letter. The eyentful criGs to
which your double politics have conduct.
ed the affairs OF our country, requires an.
inyefigation uncramped by ceremony.
There was time when the fame of A
merica, moral and political, food fair and
high in the world. The luftre of her re-
volut;on extended i,fslf to every individu.
al !; and TO be- citizen OF America gave a
title to refpea in Europe. The Wafh-
ington Of politics had not then appeared.
Attic time / left America April 1871
the continental convention thar formed the
federal contribution was on the point OF
meeting. Since that time new fchemes of
politics and new diitinetions of parties,
have ariEen. The term Aat;federaljf has
been applied to all thofe who combated
the defects of that contribution, or oppof-
ed the meaiures of your naturalization.
1t was only to the abfolute necefity of ef-
tablilhing Tome federal authority, extend
lag equally over all the ftates, that an in
Arumenr, 70 inconGlfent as the prefent fe-
deral contribution is, obtained outrage.
would have voted for it myfelf, had |
been in America, or even for worie ra-
Their than have none /; provided it contain,
ed the means of remedying its defects by
the fame appeal to the people by which II
was TO be eitablifhed. 1t is always bet
tel. policy to leave removable errors to
expofe themleIyes, than to hazard too
much in coatending againa them theoye-
tically.
] have introduced tloie observations,
nor only 10 mark the general difference
between antifederalif aud anti conitituti-
onaliR. but 10 preclude the effect, and
even the application, of the former of thofe
terms TO myisIf. l declare myfelf oppof-
ed to feyeral matters in the contribution,
particularly to the manner in which, what
is called the Executive, is formed, and
to the long duration of the Senate; and
If live to return to America / will ufe
all my endeayors TO have them altered. =
l ALTO declare mylelf oppofed to almof the
whole of your administration; for know
it to have been deceitful, if not even per-
fidious, as ! ihall thew in the courfe of
this letter. But as to the point of cenfo-
lidaring the aates into federal govern
nens, i. 70 happens, that the propoiition
for that purpofe came originally from my
ielf. Ipropoled it in letter to Chan
cellor L;vipgaon in the fpring OF the year
1852, Whit that gentleman was miniaer
for foreign affairs. The five per cent. du-
ty recommended by Congreis had then
fallen through, haying been adopted by
fome Of the aates, altered by others, re-
jesfed by Rhode Iiland, and repealed by
Virginia after it had been confensed TO.
The propofal in the letter allude to was
to get over the whole of the difficulty at
once, by annexiag a continental legila-
tive body to Congrefs; for, in order to
have any law of the Union uniform, the
cafe could only be, that either Congreis,
as it then food, mutt frame the law, and
the fates feverally adopt it without alter
alton, or, the aates mutt elect Cont
mental Legislature for the purpofe. Chan
cellor Livingston, Robert Morris, Co.
verneur Morris ADD myfelf had meeting
at the houle of Robert Morris On the fub.
jctf Of thar letter. There was no diver
fry of opinion on the propoftion for a
Continental Leg Failure. The only diff
hcnlty was on the manner of bringing the
propoGtion forward. For my own part,
as l con6dered it as remeoy in relesve,
thar could be applied at any time, suben
tbey Gates jaqv tkemltlUes 1ur0ag enough to6e
outright (which did not appear to me to
be the cafe at that ;nne) did not fee the
proprie,y Of urging it preoipitately, and
declined being the pnblither Of il myiclf.
After this account OF saa, the leaders of
your party will lcarcely have the hardi-
neis to apply tom the term of ars,itcdera-
~ Il