The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-07-15

I safely but honestly differed. Thus after the
constitution of the United States yent ;.....
operation, those who united in approving it's
distribution of the several powers to the fe-
dcrai and state governments, provided it
could be permanent, disagreed as to the Pc
cu!iar danger which threatened its dissolu-
ton. One party thought the power of the fc-
deral government prependerateti, and dread
ed consolidation OF the states. The other
feared that state jealousy would lead to dis
union. Hence the fedcralists, as they were
called, wished to see the powers Of the gen.
eral government enlarged and encreased,
and those OF the states restricted ard di-
unfinished while their opponents viewed with
jealousy and alarm every attempt to extend
the sphere Of federal legislation or execl-
tive patronage. They both considered the
complex government, which the states had
adopted, as suited to our circumstances, and
we'll calculated to give us strength AS to O.
theirs, and peace and freedom as TO ourselves:
and it was this equal attachment to the con
sttution, which oCCasioned that warmth of
party-zeal to the different means of preserv-
Ing the common object of affection
horc were, no doubt, men whose views
were widely different from those of the par
ty to which they were attached-men who
sought to strengthen the arm of the federal
government, not because they apprehended
disunion, but because they wished for con
soiidat,on, and who affected alarm for the
constitution, not because they loved it and
wished to keepit, but because they disliked
1t and wished to change it. And it is also
not unlikely that there were some who, UNI
der the influence of personal ambition, or To-
cal preiudices, would have brought about a
separation OF the states under fhe pretext
OF securing their constitutional sovereignty.
fortunately, events have neither favored the
Vaccinations Of the disloval, nor countcnan-
ced the fears Of the honest The powers of
| the federal and state governments are still
happily balanced. The remotest sections of
the United States, at liberty TO manage their
internal concerns In their own way, and SEN
sible of the protection afforded them by uni
on, become :. re aud more attached to the
federation, and in their confidence in the
general government evinec that there Is no
foundation for state jealousy on the one hand,
| nor reason to appreheIm disunion on the other
he friends OF union have ample cause for
consratulation in the late event, which agita-
ted hrSt the western hortiSn of our country,
& afterwards every other Under plausible
pretexts all enterprise was set Oil foot, whose
primary object was nothing less than the dis
mcmberment of these states. And although
Its leader was passes. &C a Poi ttioi, vi
talents as can ever fall to the lot of a consp-
rator; though he had found means to provide
large sums Of morey. and was not vet dis
robed OF the dignity which his official staff
| on had thrown around him, vet thus accom-
| piished and thus PREPARED for seduction. with
! the opportunity of addressing himself 70 All
| the disaffection in the country. he was able
| TO procure but a few kindred adherents and
| sven oi this pitifui number, part seems not
| TO have known the ultimate extent of his
views. The general eXccra,ion which this
plot Chat were SO contemptible. lift were less
odious) has drawn on its chief mover, and
i the sensibliity (perhaps little too Hvely)
| which was manifested at his breaking through
| the tolls OF the law. must afford sincere plea
\ sure to every friend of the union. and a proud
| triumph to those wfe have maintained, that
| trestcd upon the most solid of all bases, the
affection oftbe people.
The French revolution has been another
| fruitful source of POLITICAL disscnsion. TIE
behold one OF the hr$ nations Oh earth stvug
Cling to disengage Itself from the shacklcs
of civil and religion. thraidom, was Of itself
Wost grand and impressive spectacle: bat
| when it is considered, that this nation had ex-
pended twenty million of dollars in aiding to
establish our independence, that they were
supposed to be influenced by our example, and
I confessedly aiming tp form ne W government
similar to our own, it is not wonderful that
/
est i'll this country. The irregularities, the
violence. and the crimes Witch accompa-
MED that great event in its earliest stages,
! soon furnished arguments to those who had
sided with the privileged orders against the
| people, and in time alIenated those who had
been lukewarm well-syishers to the revolution
The more enthusiastic friends Of freedom,
| while they lamentedthe dircful excuses of
the French sl'on. we're willing to believe,
they were but the temporary errors of peo-
! pie unused to government, intoxicated
with their newly acquired privileges. and
warm with the recollection of the injuries
| and indignitics they lad previously sustain
| ed : and they indiged the fond hope,
that those, who possessed such ardent devoti-
on to liberty, would BY and by understand its
mild and temperate nature, and finally esta-
b'ish permanent system of rational free
dom. On this occasion it is probable, that
most men believed what they wished to be
true, for to use the words OF an eloquent sup
ported of the anti galEcan policy " even on
the most solemn subjects, we form our creed
more from inclination than evidence" But
however the parties may have differed in
their expectations Of tho event, it is bcicv-
cd that they have been equally Mistaken
They both considered themonarchy as COM
! pletely overthrown, and could its restora-
zion have been forscen, no small portion oil
both would have changed sides.
fricnic To- ,ic r,,