The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-01

which, IN i.sconnecton will. the otter part. o!
he discourse. would hear different aspect, from
that which it bears i'm the Selection For these
wandcri.ys ofintellect, II is abunslantlv manifest,
upon tue face OF the volume, that Mr.. Ames ne
yer meant tn be responsible to the public. They
were intended for his select < exclusive friends.
They furnished food for that modest and gene
rous opinion which they delight to entertain t.
that all the yirse, and all the talents, as well AS
all the wealth of the American continent, Is a
monopoly Of their own and that the rest of the
people are mere herd Of Sodom, to be saved
from the FIRE Of Heaven only, by their transcen-
dent merits So long as these inaaggots only
crawled within the pale of the church, their mis-
chief was confined to the annoyance Of OCCASION
al visitors at the altar of the Idol but when thus
ushered abroad, they might have taken wing
and spread plague otlocusts over the land
1t was then. an examination of the political
system of these self styled saviors of Solorn.
which was proposed by the writer of the follow.
ing papers, Their doctrines had never bsen so
fully and explicitly avowed, by any man who had
a character to pledge. like the priests of Egypt
they had revelation for the multitude, and Sc
eret for the initiated. In its plenitute of perfec
ton, their creed was where to lie found in
tangible Shape. To make way for this mass of
illumination, the real wisdom and virtue of Mr.
Ames's best days, his public labors as states
man. at the organizatio.; of the federal govern
ment, his speeches openly made in the face of the
country, the great and solid foundation Of lis no.
norable fame, were excluded from the cumpilati-
on. Had the same principles beeh scrutpized as
appearing in newspaper paragraphs and anony.
nous pamphlets, the moment they were brought
to the test, they vs,uld have been universally dis
avowed. For the holders OF these tenets, like
the Dutch traders of Japan. whenever traffic is To
be obtained by denial of their Lord, will trample
upon his cross to disprove their religion. They
nave given at length, their confession of political
faith to the world, it was only under the sane
tion OF Mr. hmess name, that it could be properly
canvassed.
1t may perhaps be tlioiight that the conduct
OF these friends is here judged with too much
severity-That in publishing these opinions of
Mr.. Ames, they are not responsible for them as
| their own; and that even the errors of the vo
| iume ought to have been overlooked, III conside-
ration OF the general excellence of the author, &
the valuable matter with which they are blended
The writer of the Review is not insensibe to the
moral obligation incumbent upon a mar. III gene
rous feelings to " hide the fault he Sees" and to
veil, 1t possible, even the faings of fellow citi
zen. distinguished by talents, virtues and public
| services. 1t is that obligation which he thinks
the publishers of the volume have violated. As
free -born American citizen, he feels duty to
MAINTAIN the rights and liberties of his country
not less imperious than that Of respecting the re-
pose OF death; especially when he perceives
| that stroke is aimed at every thing which this
| nation ought to hold dear, under the shelter of
presumption, that the sanctuary of the grave
would shield the offence from the pursuit of JUS
tee and that 4 mamie entitled to public vcnera-
| ton would prove a passport for corruption, to-
winch no man living dared to pledge his own
For IT must be observed that the complers have
been as psnurlous of their own names, as they
nave been prodIg of that of their departed fre nj
The title page tells us that they are number
| but not who they are. The biography, per
| tocmance which in point of composition would
I'll ham
author & the very private letters, diytlgcd in the
face OF their own mjunctions of secrecy, are di.
rected to nothing but asterisks
| The writer is we'll aware that party spirit will
neither give him credit for his real motives in the
publication ct these papers, nor forbear from the
imputaton OF others. But IT is not to party spi-
rat, That lie meant to address himself, nor To
partizans that he holds himself amenable Be.
liering III the general sense and virtue of his
count'ymen, he asks of his reader that effort of
the mmd which M,lcbranche demands of every
inquirer after truth-'ro separate from the SUBJ
Ject every prepossesson, not belonging lit, and
To examine without any partial bias the senti.
meats advanced III the volume and contested i'm
these Papers II the trincipie,, to winch the
friends OF Mr.. Ames have seen lit to pledge his
reputation, are founded in eternal truth, to dis
p"te them Is nothing less than to war against
oniniPotence. II they are founded in error, no
apology viii be necessary, for AN attempt to ar
rest the progress of their influence at the thresh
old.
Should the reader be one Of those, whose acl-
mIration for the genius and character of Mr.
Ames lisa feeling in which he delights to in
dulge himself, and which lie is TN willing to sub
nit TO the cruciblc of stubborn reason, he is re.
qiested to lay aside the pamphlet, and continue
IN the enjoyment of his sensations. Should he
think it a more profitable course, to test his prin-
cpies before he carries them into action let him
examine the volume, and weigh the objections
against part of its contents, here advanced at
ter which he may still enjoy his admiration of the
man. This have no inclination to disturb-Let
the motives of the Reviewer But let him re.
nounce principles demonstrate to be false and
OF deadly import TO the independence and liber-
ties o'ths country.