Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1802-1803, 1803-03-14

Crcoit, ana 10 lie ufe the lound aJmtn
iitras.sn Of Juice. The fnecef, OF the
cneafures then jeviied. and fince purtu
ed, has been complete the nation ad I
vaneed with gigantic aeps from power
~, diftreis, weakneis and degFa illioa,
20 wealth, chart9er and gre4tasls. In
the mean time a war broke on IN Es.
rope. unprecedented in rs IA ure, ex
tent and efe ds. II was the n,erst OF
the American nation, and the dury Of
It's government, to avoid b-'ne drawn
into the war. and to enjoy the advanra
ges of its neutral petition. france de
fired, and Crea, Britain apprehendsd
thatthe United States would become a
party in the war and no ,ntrigues
were fpared by the former TO f-d1ce or
TO force them into, il. Indeed, both
the belligerents abule! their rights and
their power. and the enormous fpolia
tons committed by both on the Amer.
can commerce, made it difficult 10 pro-
nounce which Of them was mott inini
cal 10 America, or with which fhe fhouId
be fra compelled TO wage war: The
chief difference between. them coniilted
in this, that the Preach fuper added IN.
fult to injury.
This Gate of things demanded the
exerciie of the greatea caution, mixed
with f mnefs, by the American gov
erbment. The difficulties and the va
ried hottie appearances which threaten
ed our peace the aruggles and the al
innate fuccefs which crowned the labors
of the administrations of Preidents
WASHINGTON and ADAMS, are
Known and feltby US all. Gu, nation
alone, Of al civilized nations, connected
with France and Great Britain BY com.
mercial ties, efcaped the dorm and
by the wifdom Of the government en-
joyed, in troubled times, the mmeuf,
advantage Of a great neutral commerce,
which enriched on people, and exten,
ded. the rational refources.
During the whole courfe of thing
thus iummarily brought to your recol.
lection, there exiIted marked oppofi.
ton to every important meaiure which
las been Rated. The adoption of the
federal contribution was reIilfed with q
violence and 10. a degree which endan.
gered it. Many vilionary men, who
acknowledged the imbecility of the old
confederation, were yet afraid to truli
any government with the powers dele
gated by the new contribution. In gen
eral, however, the fmall Gates had the
diicernment 10 perceive that it was deep
ly their interelt to adopt the conftitu
ton; they.were weak without it (: they
would be frong with it. Of this they
were fenible, and accepted the in(tru.
ment BY great majorities in their State
conventions. The cafe was far differ.
ent in the great States: the pride of
State fovereignty would be humbled by
a experimenting and controlling gener-
al government. Nor could they brook
the equal representation in the Senate OF
the United States, which made Della
ware as important as Virginia, New
jsriey as Penhfylvania, Connecticut as
Network. Many of the eminent men
who guided the councils of the grea,
States were CALLED at the reduction OF
their authority, and excited Gerce op
petition to the. adoption of the inltru.
ment which was to produce shele ef
faes nor was it adopted in Virginia,
Newyork and Pennfylvania without
mighty itruggles, and by very fmall
majorities in the two former. The
good which has been obtainec by the
adoption, is on record. The evils Z.
yoIded are incalculable.
lrritated by defeat, thofc who had
oPpofed the acceptance of the coneitu-
ton, aided by fome others, who, friend
" in the hra iuaance to that inlfrument,
had been cifaPpoiutsd in their perional
expectations, formed fyaematic oppo-
fi'ion to the adminiltration of it. The
ahumpiion of the debts OF the States
incurred in the general defence, which
favej feverai of them from bankruptcy
the funding the national debt, which
revived public credit; The efablGlmen,
OF a national bank, which gave facilities
TO government and to commerce, be
fore inexperienced, wsre all rsGaei.
When the French revolution broke
our, and general war in Europe com
PEELED the American government to de-
eide what condud il would purfue,
Prefdent WafhiegtoH, whole penetra
ing judgment quicklydifcernei the true
path of found policy, iGued bis proela