Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-07-15
M. VI.

! Of nd /, and the sel6shness Of most, that
| an ;,Iortal republic would be as great
m;r|e, as an immortal man. As IN ma
turl so in all political bodies, there are
| set of inevitable dissolution which, IN
| sde, operate slower, in others, more ra-
| ply. An absolute despotism, as it en-
ANTS the human faculties and spreads a
| hdIy torpor throughout the whole po-
(tical frame, sometimes lasts and CONT
Vues uniform for many ages mixed
monarchy balances between the preroga-
rive Of the crown and the privileges of the
people, and SO long as this balance is main
tanned in nearly an even poise, the con-
stitutlon is preserved; while a republic
originating from and guided by the will
of the people, at the same time that it
seems to be the only legitimate form, has,
Of all kinds of government, been the most
finconstant and the least durable. The
humours of the people have changed per
petually from one extreme to another:
they have been driven hitler and thither
by violent gusts and currents ; SO that
governments depending entirely on the
popular will, after series of fluctuations
ard wild disorders, have suddenly expired
in horrible convulsions.
By the force of attraction, innumerable
PARTICLES of matter are united, and remain
closely compaded together: obedient to
the laws of gravitation, the planets, each
one keeping its proper place, revolve round
their common centre, the sun, in regular
and uniform tracks: hence there is order
in the system. So men, were they pc
morally we'll informed and well disposed
each one bending bis efforts to the promo
ton Of The public interests, might be east
ly held together by a government that
should impose no other bands, but sllken
cords. But from blindness still more
from the conflict Of various pervetse pas
sions; and most of ali from the constant
and violent influence of the selfish afe6ti-
ons men, like particles Of matter loosen
ed from the laws Of attraction, are driven
wide from the general interest, which
should be their common centre; or more
properly speaking, they place their indivi-
dual interests in hostile competitioa with
it: factions and confusions, in free Co.
vernment ensure; horrid despotism closes
the drama.
Republican principles are undoubtedly
true in theory. Allkgaimate civil power
is derived from the people it is given in
trust, to be exercised for their general in
terests and at their will and pleasure it
is revocable. HAPPY would it be for the
world, were there wisdom and virtue e.
nough among mankind to vlndicate and
support these principles and to build upon
them permanent systems of government
but alas all the experiments, heretofore
made, have sadly failed. The age Of man
three score years and ten, is short bur
the durationof free republics have usual
ly been much shorter. After very few
years OF existence, under violent spasms
aggravated by the poisonous drugs both
of ignorant empires and artful imp9stors,
they have gone down to the tomb. On
strict principles, " All men are born tree
and equal" as to natural rights. Hence,
exclusive privileges, hereditary titles ard
authority, and the usual powers and ap-
pendages of royalty, are intrenchments on
the natural rights of the people: yet were
all the blood royal destroyed, the nations
of the earth would quickly find masters
Who'll would seize and exercise the PRAYER
Of kings, whether invested with royal IT,
ties, or called by the names OF Shadthol-
ders, Protectors, Consuls.
A century and halfago, II"
Of king was so odious =
gland, that Some
at the