The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-30

On the Whoie, II appears that this congregational IN
itituton, notwithstanding It's folemn pretenions Of
collaborating the States of Greece, detri-
mental than beneficial the people. Whenever their
common country was invaded, whether by Pertains,
Maeedonians Romans about half rhe itates in
ry initanee joined the invading enemy. The power
OF the AmphiSyons effsStual only in directing,
on certain oecaons, the united vengeance Of feveraI
powerful tates agana weaker one for having flight
ed the authority of the prets, for having put int
cultivation certain lands which religion had devoted
to fertility. neglected fome frivolous barbarous
duty enjoned by an inidious oracle.
As to the Cornthian, the Peloponelian and the
AreaSanian leagues, they only alliances
htions againl an enemy, temporary in their nature,
and not ex,enhve in their effects The other exam
pies from Greece which are fome,imes cited con-
declarations, fuch the Arcadian, the Beotian the
Eolian and the primitive Achaian, prelent fomething
more regular and permanent in their contributions.
bus they were each of them too dininutve merit
the name OF an aHociation OF ffa,es. The primitive
Achaian, for infance, the union Of twelve mall
boroughs into one lnall republic. It. may be conf
dered rather model OF representative democracy
IN Jingle tate, than federal yRem; and in this
view perhaps 1t approaches modern republic
can repreentation than any other example left us by
| the aucents
The fubiequent, great Aehaian league was in
deed an aocation of fates, whole obie9 was lauda-
BILE and yell defined. 1t fnfered les from defect in
its federal principle than from the corruption of its
members. itretrieved in partial degree the liber-
ties OF Greece from the rapacty of Alexanders uc-
ceilors, preierved them with comfortable energy for
more than hundred years, and finally yielded them
with lone appearance Of dignity to the irreiiaabe
| fortunes of Rome.
The Lyeian league unlike the latter Achai-
an, either in its object its deny. 1t cauled itelf
to be refpe6ted by the Romans as long as the Romans
retained any refped for themfelves but no intu,on
haFo
and debiltated empire
The Etrcars, and fonle other early tribes in Italy
had kewiie their feveral considerations. Blu. their
contributions 70 little known, and they refer to
tate OF ociety 70 different from ours that for every
purpoie, except for Displaying empty erudition,
their nveaigaton would be ufeles as that of
lone OF the native tribes of North America the Six
Nations the Tafcallans. Examples of theie I'M
perfect aiiociations 1t is probable that
the hitory OF the human would preient them in
every corner of the EARTH if its affecting and monoto-
nous page could be completely laid open before us.
They thew the feeble efforts of inexperienced focetes
to defend themieves agant the effects of each others
inexperience.
The German Empire, the Swifs Canton., and the
United Netherlands prefent three great examples
OF the confederation Of ftates in modern Europe the
former Till fulfilling, the latter but lately over
turned 1t requires but little obfervatoE to difcern
the constitutional defects in the Germanic body: it i.
confederation of princes and not Of nations. With
this radical vice in its organization, is mpofble
that its objea hould be peace, or its policy iuice
and without purifying thefe, focety of men can be
to'erably happy union of Rates be ncere, no
portion OF the earth greatly ncrefe its populate
on, or Preent that progreve augmentation of bene-
fits which nature has placed within our REACH and
ieience is teaching us how to realize. National hap
Pneis is never the object of fate, where the inter
cit or thofe who govern is in any meafure different
rOr hat nj fhap
the Germanic Princes mutual encroachment in
tie I'd OF mutual atance the object of their union is
war; and not peace; their contribution is military and
not commercial. Hence all the compullory provifi-
ons that are made in it have reference to warike
preparations, contingencies of men and money, for
recruiting armies and dfcouraging indultry. There
IS no public provion made for the encouragement of
ueful arts and manufactures, no power lodged in the
federal Diet for eltabhing general fylem of canal
or river navigation, for equalizng the duties the
objects OF commerce, allowing free exchange of the
produce of labour in the mott neceary articles
of life
There is no inhibition which prevents any prince
or tate from beginning without the content of
the Diet, from building forts and rafting armies with
the manifet intention invade each others territory,
from entering into foreign alliances and other treaties
tor involving the empire in deitruGtive wars. But,
on the contrary, every facility and every temptation
are held out for nteine among the ffate as if
no FEDERAL tie 1ubhited between them; while their
interior commerce from fate fate is fackled with
all thoe rerions which hottie iealoufy has invent
ed among the mott independent and ferocious monar-
chies Of Europe.
Many other defsas might be eafily pointsd out in
the Germanc contribution. We may find fome of
them IN the books that treat on this fubiea but
where is the advantage of iearching them The
fundamental defect, which the ource of all the re
not noticed in any book but flares us in the face on
the irtt reflection: confederation of Princes Rands
no chance of being beneficial to the people. You
might as well expect render fervice to the eep by
confederating The wolves that oud be fet to watch
them.
The Swifs Cantons and the United Netherlands
have been more fortunate in their federal fyitems
Conliderng the feebenefs of the means with which
they began, the quantity of force againR which they
roe and the weight of effort that has been frequently
made to detroy them, they exhibit wonderful monu-
nents OF the efficacy of organized liberty in political
bodies. Though the Swifs Cantens had fcarcely the
appearance OF federal contribution their ats of uni
on being little more than treaties of alliance which
external danger generally kept them from violat-
ing; and though that of the United Netherlands was
very imperfect yet thee not the radical defects
which brought the decline and overthrow of either
of their celebrated lyRems. The original defea in
each cafe, lay in the contributions Of the particular
itates OF which the union was competed. The re.
preventative principle was originally unknown, and
never underltcod in either country. Without this
principle, the people cannot exercife Their rights un
leis it be in the form Of msbs: the neceIary conIe
quence of which is to throw the active power into the
hands of few, where IL loon becomes habituaI and