Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-01-19

men, may Be produced before a prev I
tatiye Can be adopted. IL
| confefs, Sir, am one of thoie Il
though differing in this particular III
fame gentlemen on this.ade Of the hod
whole opinions ] highh belid
that an encreaie Of I'm. a publ
body to a certain exl Ill increal
the confidence Of the muaity in ,thal
body do not mean, Sir, iuch an chi
create as would exceed the line that
have before marked out, and which would
expoie the body alternately to rideus|
and contempt, and to the dangerous opct
ration Of thole iiccn,ious and ungoveru-
able paiiions which frequertly rage IN f.
ciety; but moderate, resfonabIe aug
mentation, fuch an one u is calculated
and adapted to iecure disadvantages IL
cident to wholelome deiiberatlve ailsn-
bly, fay, Sir, in this cafe an encrsaie
OF members will generally encreaie COZ
hdence and that confidence will be at
tended with a rrefponden augmenn-
ton of powers, iince the representative
BODY will have greater influence over
the phyiical force OF the community
1t certainly, Cir, appears 20 me that We
ought to be extremely careful how We
encfeaie this power in the general govern
ment. l believe, iir, with many Others,
that the influence of that gc"ernnens
has been bearing very hard upon the ith.e
governments. l believe, fir, whatever
was the theory, that the practice for
fonlcfime has fen.AAd -n-shn c.Lh--ti-i
reduction of the fate governments. |
believe this, fir, has been the policy IND
perhaps confidently with their principts)
Of icme who have borne a conipicpus
part III the administration Of our COVE n.
ment; but, fir, | Hatter ny felt the dc.
trine is exploded. In this view, fir, hay
is with refpe to the itate governments,
| do not with to fee our own powers too
much encrssieI in the augmented fam.
oers of this hcuE..
! do not with to fee the fate g..
vernnents, which ] regard indeed as
the pillars On which the fabric of our j.
berty retts, drawn With: and iwal!sv-
ed up by the vortex Of federal power
aud influence. In another view, Sill
10 not with to fee the powers of this
HOMIE ir,prudently enlarged by too hpid
an encreaie Of members. The eGAlilh-
ell theory of our contribution admire
l adore it believe the arrangement
and diitribusicn of power among the te-
veral branches Of the government is in
the main falutary ard correct. The
equilibrium is wei! el;abiifhed, ard may
continue Whit we are careful NO, TO add
TOO great weight to either branch
But, Sir, give this houie too decided a
in-ponderance, by means Of its numbers,
encreaied public confidence, and its con-
fequent enc.saied ttr,ngth-and yoa ha-
zari all. We have l:sn melancholy in
tances, Sir, Of pubic evils refuldog
from ttruggles for power between differ
ent branches OF the fame political eltab-
lahmens. When by accident, intrigue,
or other circumstances, the phyic<l
power Of a people has been more psca''-
ariy and completely attached or devoted
to ore of thcfe branches, we have ire
quently beheld it, confcious of this ad-
vantage, and under the influence ofthe
mott dangerous pahions, fweep every
thing before it that oppofed the grat;h.
| cation of thofe palions. l need no, PAR
| 1iculariie The hifo,y Of every coun.
| try tina. has ever enjoyed even fem
| blance Of liberty where there has been
| even pretended diviiion or diisribut,on
| OF power, will furnish US with Cafes
l do therefore, fir, teeia &rong regard,
a arong folicitude for the preiervasicr
| and permanent ismnefs of the other
branches Of the preleM government,
| Whit l am augmen,iog the numbers,
| confidence and ps,wer of this hoate.-
| We are at prelent, and by moderate
prosreilion will continue, a fuHicien,
counterbalance to the other branches
| If we practice upon the pure principles
! of the con.ti,u,ion, am periaaacd ii
is 10.