The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-05-23

'" WI "Is very ihtereiting tubJect, as the grea
man who beaueathed the following legacy for th.
iDttructoa of his country /! This letter is re
pnbii'hed from the" Examiner :" whom, it is impof.
hbie to name without acknowledging the high
gratitude, which il merits from the republican
cauie. #
Although one Of my age* can have little to
hope, and lefs to fear, from forms of govern
ment, as rather belonging to the next world than
the prefent ; and politely may be charged with
'ntermeddling where he has no intereR, when
ever he utters opinions concerning focal repula.
tons ; yet feel impelled by an anxious de6re
TO promote the happinefs of my country, to
iuonit to the public confederation, fome refec-
tons on our prefent political fate
1t is far from my intention to Damp the pub.
lIcJ Joy, occafoned by the late changes of our
pubic agents, or to difurb the calm which al
ready preiages the mof beneficial confeouen-
ces on the contrary, confider this event as
having arretted train of meafiires which were
gradually conducting us towards ruin.
1heie changes will be matter oftenfold con-
graduation, five make the proper ufe of them
II inttead of negligently repofing upon that wifi.
dom and integrity, which have already foften-
ca even political malice, we feze the opportu-
nifty to erect new barriers agaipft folly. fraud
and ambition and to explain fiich parts of the
contribution, as have been already, or NAV be
interpreted contrary to the intention of thofe
who adopted it.
This propofition does not argue a want of
proper confidence in our prefent Chief Magif.
trase, but the contrary. 1t can be no cenfure
20 Believe that he has nobler deRiny to fulfill.
than that OF making his contemporary country
men happyfor few years; and that the rare
eVent OF iuch character at the head of natl
on impotes on us the facred duty of fixing the
prop'tIous opportunity, to do all in our power
to perpetuate that happiness as to that fpe
c'es or confidence, which would extinguih free
enquiry and popular watchfulneis, it is never
aenred by PatTetJ/in, nor ought to be Yielded
by ff-eenen.
In puriuit of our purpofe, we ought to keep
IN mind certain principles which are believed
10 he found; toenquire whether they have been
violated under the contribution! And then con-
iaer how repetition of thofe violations NAV
be prevented-As thus,
|. Government is initituted for the oood of
the community, and not to CRAFTY avarice or
ambition; therefore unnecefary increafe of
debt-appointment of ufelefs officers, fuch as
tatlonary miniters TO foreign courts, with which
we nave little connexion, and iiXteen additional
judges at time when the buiinefs of the FEEDER
al Courts had greatly dminifhed-and eneap
ing us in war abroad, for the fake of ADVANCING
party projects at home, are abufes in govern
ment.
III. The chief good derivable from govern.
ment, IS ei1W Hbertyj and if government is 70
contributed, as to enable it's administrators TO
ahall that liberty with the fevera weapons mott
fatal to it, The itru6ture is detective; Of this
tort, Standing Armies-Fleets--feve Penal
LAVISH ar---and multitude of Civil Officers.
are numerically admitted to be; and if our 90
vernment can, with cafe and impunity, array
thete forces againlt focal liberty, the confituti
on is detective
III Peace is undoubtedly that fate which
proPoies Il tociety the beii chlnce for the con-
tinuance OF freedom and happiness and the
mutation OF America IS fuch, as to expofe her
to fewer occaiions for war, than any other ma
ton ; whilt it alto difables her from gaining
any thing by war. But if, by indirect means,
the executive can involve us in war, not declar
ed by the legislature if a,treaty may be made.
which will incidentally produce war, and
the Legislature are bound to pats all laws necef
fairy to give it full effect; or if the judiciary NAV
determine war to exit, although the legifla
ture hath refuted to declare i. then the con-
ftItution is defective iince it admits conitrlc
tons winch pawn our freedom and happinefs
upon the fecurity ofexecutiye patriotifin. which
ls Inconfftent with republican principles.
Nv. Union is certainly the BATS of orr polit;-
ca PROPERTY, and this can only be preierved
by combining, with precifion, the federal 90.
'ernment to the exeroife OF powers clearly re-
CURED by the general interea, or refpecting fo:
reign nations, and the fate governments to OBJ
Jects OF local nature becaufe the ftates exhi
bit iuch varieties of character and interef, that
conioidated general government would be in
perpetual conflict with fate interelts. from
it's want of local knowledge, or from preva-
lence OF local prejudice or intereh, 70 as certain
ly to produce civil war and difunion. IF then
the ditinet provinces of the general and ftate
governments are not clearly defined ifthe for
mer may afai the latter by penalties, and by
Authorizing all iubjects of taxation-if fyftem
leading to conioidation, may be formed and
puriued,-and if, nitead of leaving it to the
respective ftates to encourage their agriculture
or manufactures. as their local interef may die
tate, the general government may by bounties
or protecting duties, tax the one to promote
the other; then the contribution has not fulfil
ciently'provlded for the continuance of the u
Mon, by fecurng the rights Of the Fate govern
ments and local interets.
V. 1t is necehary for le prefervation of re-
publican government, that the legislative, exc
tive, and judiciary powers ll1ouId be kept fepa-
rate and ditiu9 from each other, 70 that no
man, or body of men, fhalI be authorized to
exercife more than one of them at the fame time:
the contribution therefore, in configning to the
Federal Senate, participation in the powers
OF each department, violates this important
principle, and tends to create in that body,
dangerous aritocracy. And
VI an efiential principle of representative
:. 4