Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1804-09-27
For the RHoDs-IsLASD RrrusL,cAS.

.
MIR. EDiroR, -. %, -
+ FIND pubIihed 10 the Providence Gazette
j Of the 9Th inf. mort account OF the pro-
ceedings Of the Federal Adelph Society at their
laft anniveriary meeting. In thar account
find Tome .hings recorded, which are highly hon-
orable 10 the Society, and eminently deicrvine
of appreciation and praiirs aid l'kewiic find
in il other things which merit unisefisl abhor.
renee and deteifaiion. now sllude 70 The toatts
which were drank by the Society at MIR. Fof-
ter's hotel, Immediately after their anniv>sfary
dinner. The toaR 20 which have particular
reference is in the following words: HAM
Iron--execra,ed be that beasr which tampefs
with life fO dear" s... \
Now let me AK what Is the import Of this
toaft, and of what principles is it introductory
Its obvious meaning 10 this; that the infamy asd
difgrace which msp's vices never fail to heap,
upon his character and memory, ought not in
jsaiee to attach 70 his eba,d6eS and vensoyy, but
20 fuch Of HE vices as had produced that infamy
and difgrace; or IN other words, that it Is not
the wicked eondua OF ! man which demands our
detchation and adherence. but thoie vicious
principles and irregular pailions from which bis
fcntiacnu were derived. and by which HE
actions were regulated. That this 10 the true i'm
port Of this tosf. 10 my opinion there Can be no
doubt an6 yet perhaps the author of il will not
acknow ledge that that wss his real meaning. But
ifihat was not In fatt his meaning. pray what
meaning could he have hsd-i He cannot
deny that it was bis intention 20 execrate that
falle and fooliih notion Of honor which has late.
" become 70 prevalent in our county |; neither
can he deay ihs, Hamilton in an eminent de-
gree poGefIed that falfe and toolifh notion of
Il G,va hA he uonid
aIIedee with any pfopiiety or coniitency, thar
il was his intention to ceniuse and esecratc Ham,
iifon, fos having fnffrred his condod TO be in.
huenced and regulated by that unfounded and
wicked principle on which he paaed fc fcvese .
ccniure': bccaufe the epithet which he affixed 20
thcliie Of Hamilton was Sc dear - and certsin.
3ly that life can never be caeemed very dear
which 10 pofIeaed by perfon whole vices enti-
tie him to public execration and hatred. II
then ], be admitted that the author of this toaR
did not intend to cenfure the condnd or con-
demn the character of Hamilton, and 6nce il
cannot be denied bot that he deiigned to vent
all the feverity of cenfure OF which he was NAL
ter, upon certain vice prominent 10 Hsmil-
toms chsfatter; the conclulon 10 iaevifabht.
that his meaning could have been no other than
the one above &ated. Indeed the language of this
toaa is too plain TO DC miionderifood by the
mott fnperfcial obfefver. Whoever examines il
with the fmalIcff degree OF attention cannot but
difcover the bold and undiigoiied attempt of iis
author. to load a certain vice with the mott bit.
ter exectations of which his mind was capable of
concciving. and al the fame infant TO heap upon
the memory of man who had perifhcd Under
the influence and through the agency Of that
very fame vice. al thoic difingufhcd honors,
snd that unbounded praifc, which nothing but
the puref morals, and an uncommon fhafe Of
aaivy virtue, can ever merit.
Here cannot deny nv fcif the opportunity
of remsrking, that the author of this ioaa has
adopted very novel and GDeulsr method Of
pronouncing eulogies. never before knew
that il was cuitomary for eolcgihs frt 10 point
out, & then to execra,e, the vice, OF thofe whom
they intended to ,eulogize. Ii is indeed true
thar have before now heard Of the wofd's pro-
ducing here and there an amorcus youth, whole
quick fenGbility was 70 keenly touched by the
piercing rays of his fair ones eyes, and by thc
enchanting appearance Of her angelic countc-
nance, and the melting melody Of her fcrsphic
voice, that he could dcscR the vices which fhc
poneHed, and yet love her to difrsetion but
never before did ! hear Of a man or body OF
men, who undertook TO eulogize the memory Of
another. by cenfofing his vices. and execfating
his principles. And certainly this has been the
courfe which has been taken by tbe su,hor of
this toaR b.esufe as | before obfsrved. II muR
have been his intention 10 cenfare the vicious
paftice Of dueline, and 20 execrase that wicked
principle which led the fubjett of his toaR 20 an
untimsly grave, and thereby deprived an inoo-
cent family of their only means Of foppo't.
This abfurdisy, howeses, iosc which the author
Of this toaR has fallen. does not arife from HE
wsnr Of sbiIities, bot from that unavoidable in
coniiReney, which eser attends fophificai res-
foning, and uaioucd msxims. t ~
/ will nov enquire what kind Of uew. fang
led principles this tosA has introduced. The
principles Of ~hich Il b introdudory are thefe;
thar sse are rot fefponkbIe for our condud, bar
our teLssn and EfsfimesS; and conieqaessIy
that we oueht not ssytiv1 be poniihed for
our crimes, bot thofe particular operations Of
oar minds which indeed us to commit thole
csimcs. This beIieseisa true defcnpiion Of