Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-12-24

ds}eads on The ge.sral difyji0a # corrf65 mfr
slatian, and tas habits Of public and j,yivafe
gutue.
THE Deity hinfelf is Introduced by the
sacred penman, as altering the following path
xtical with concerning moA highly favored
oeople Of Old, sc, that they were wife i'-
AS if an angel iroke, we may hear this divine
ejaculation repeated and applied to ourGtIves.
Our own nation, to be bab3y needs bat 10 be
sr6 1t pohch-s a goodly land, and has extent
of territory fullicient for many generations to
come The fruit Of every cline may be made
to grow within its borders. On it's widely ex-
sended COATS, and iii its numerous and excel
lent harbors, by the tiiheric navigation and
commerce, the immene ttcalures of the iea are
poured into its hofom.
Such has been the wife and benevolent econ
omy of Providence, reipcCting this country, that
the people of the Atlantic and of the well and
alto of the eaitern and louthern States, NAV de
rive reciprocity OF benefits from each other,
and are drawn to union by the cords OF real in
teref. In the mean time freedom has fpread
its cheriihing mantle over Us Our Govern
ment is of our own making ami ohooGng, and
our rulers proceed from ourieves-" What
lack we yet "'-W hat divine favor has been
denied us 3" What could have been done TO
this Vineyard, that has not been done in it Pr
Heaven has given us profuhon Of bshngs !;
it's for US TO improve them Our future deifi-
MES will depend, materially upon our national
conduct. If the general conduit of our nation
ihould be marked with w;fdom, the fair tree of
liberty, that has been planted in this country by
the venerable hands oflages and heroes, and
as it were, watered with the richeit blood, will
grow and fourth, and over1hadow the whole
land and our childrens children, even MANY
generations to come, may eat OF its delicious
fruit.
But, on the other hand (which God forbid q
If the portrait of our national character fhoud
be ilamped with the hideous ftatufes of folly &
wickedDefs--the root of this venera,ed tree will
be corroded its bloom will be blatted- Its
fruit will wither ;-and being frippcd of its
beautiful foliage, it will pref-nt only huge
trunk, 70 undshtly, 10 dfguiting, that the pub
lie voice will be heard to proclaim, " Cut it
down !; why cnmbereth it the ground p
Ii has been told us by the hrit officer of the
nation, Zee The preGdcnt's inaugural fpeech !
That Republican Government il tie Ryo ref
government on eaytb that Is the oily one, qvbeye
every man. at the call oftbe ksqv, qooud fly 10 Ike
fandaya of tie ks1v, and qvouM meet ia0afont Of
The pubtie order, biz peyonai coacerus Truth
Hands upon its own BATS, and the authority Of
the grcatelt names can neither add TO it nor
take from it The fentments, which have been
quoted, could not confidently have been meant,
nor are to be received as general truths becaufe
hiltorical facts fpeak very different language.
In forming fcale that may determine the real
frength or weakness Of a republican govern
ment,it is necchary, that the following queitions
ihould be anfwered
Are the officers of government generally ca
pa5e Are they honeit Are the people
well uniformed Are they virtuous "a
Jealous attachment to law and TO public order
among free people, pretuppoles general knowl-
edge and virtue.
An ignorant people may be eaGly led to be
leiye, that even the freea government is tyranni-
CAL and that the bet administration is deipotic
and opprefhye. Anirnmoral, vicious people have
rooted averfon to the rettraints OF law and
public order. /" Overturn," is their mcttto ;
and confunon is the element IN which they de-
light 10 breathe 1t i hardly, therefore, TO be
expected, that they would fly TO fupport the de-
iested Randard of the law and order, which it is
The with of.their hearts to proarate and to tram
pie under feet.
When the people Oft the free fates of Greece
become generally corrupted in morals, and were
led bydsmagogues, diitinguilhed for their nolfy
declarations, but without patriotifn and with
out principle, they were not ieen " to fly to the
.sandard of the law and of public ORDER and
iiPiritedly to repel the invader of their rights
out faction and anarchy reigned anons their
divided bands, and in their dihra6ted councils.
he god of Philip pleaded more powerfully
Than the eloquence of n~nofhenes; and to the
ambition and cunning M, igues of the former
they fell an eaiv prev.