The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-08-18

vision OF the Western States, they circulated in
conversations and news. papers, the same excite.
ments among them to jealousy and envy against
their Atlantic sisters, as we find in these extracts
against the stragglers of the forests. They ur-
ged that the western people were oppressed by
the commercial states; that we had made them
our tributaries that they had paid heavy load
OF taxes tor our benefit that the produce ofther
lands WAS applied TO pay our debts; that the ma
tional government was spithsut energy, and that
from all this must follow within live, or even two
years, the dissolution Of the Union This language
was as plausible, and not more decisive than that
held forth to our selfish passions, in the &c Dam
gers OF American Liberty" BIZ partial and in.
sidious representation of things, nothing can be
more easy than to paint any one part OF the Uni
mon, as under oppression from the rest-A Just
representation, which draws a candid balance of
| advantages and inconveniencics. must prove a.
luxe to every part, that the anchor of their saliva
! ton is union that the last hopes of improve
| ment in the condition of man, would perish for
ever in our division.
Mr.. Ames, to the last hour of his life, appears
to have taken pride in considering himself as a
disciple OF the Washington school of American
politics. will not repeat here the words of that
great man, in which he cautions his Countrymen
against all such addresses to their local preiudi-
| ces and reciprocal jealousies They have been
| so recently and so often repeated in the public
prints. that they must be upon the memory, as
"p"p 'hSN WSrC III tUc ueartS Oh all my readers
Between these sentiments and those ofths Dan
| gers OF American Liberty the contrast is too
| striking not to be perceived by every person who
will compare them But in renouncing the poll.
tical principles Of Washington, Mr. Ames could
not help renouncing his own. These scornfuI s,
contemptuous structures upon the inhabitants of
| the Western States, how poor and unamiable do
| they appear, when compared with those beauti
fui passages in the speech upon the treaty of 1894
-where he urges the situation, and the interests
OF those very western people, arguments for
the appropriations required by that instrument
| ihese passages compose perhaps the finest sps-
c'men OF American eloquence that ever was pro-
| nounced. And i'll what does their superior ex-
| celence exist In what but that ardent fellow
feeling, that blaze of patriotism, that keen and
VIVID participation in their dangers, and that ear
nestness OF zeal tor their safety which the speak.
| er protested, and which at that time have no
| doubt he really felt
1t IS In the nature of confederated republics,
that every member of the association should en-
deayor to raise high as possible its own weight
| and influence over the whole. 1t would be abb
surd to complain of this disposition, because il is
inherent IN the nature OF men. All associations
OF such political character ought to he calcula-
ted upon 1t, and constituted in such manner as
to controui its operations-Ther mechanism
should be such to allow each member of the
society IFS due and proportional weight and at
the same time to check in every one, by The COM
mon interest and effort of the rest that sort of as
cendancy, which might tend TO make one part
subservient TO the other. The progress of party
mas perhaps contributed in some degree to in
crease tile preponderance of Virginia, in the cou-
sells OF our union; but man must have taken :,
very partial view of our late history not to per-
ceive that the concurrence of party politics with
Vrglni2n policy, is accidental and temporary :
that 1t cannot long continue, and that there is G.
very prospect that those engines, instead of ope
rating III concert, will be in opposition to
e'ch OTHER. 1t is not party, but the present Con-
SfifHfion, which has given solid and permanent
increase to the influence OF Virginia (; aad if this
was not toreseen when the constitution was adop
ted, 1t was because consequences which after the
event are found to have been inevitable, .and ex
tremeiy obvious, often not anti ipated, by the
foresight OF the profoundest statesmen Under
t'ie o'd confederation, every state had the same
power IN the administration of the national at.
FAIRS Under the presGn, constitution, a pouuIn,
representation was introduced, and the most pow.
eri.i branch of the Legislature was so compo
sed as TO give the greatest influence to the state
OF the largest population. / sec nothing i'm th;.
winch ought to affect or alarm an American nat
Lot; hor can subscribe at all to the opinion tina,
tne asceiFdancy OF Virginia has become uncontIoI.
able.
1t IS also great error to reason upon the bvpo
Thesis, that the State of Virginia, as such, has
steady, uniform, premeditated system of nolicv
hostile to the general government, which she
constantly Pursues under all the changes of her
own admins tratlon. Mr.. Amss gives as little
quarter to Virginia federaiiS,s, as to Virginia oil
Sarchy. He would have us believe that she adon.
ted the constitution, only from considerations of
policy, and IN the hope ofsuccess to her intrigues
Inns IS the very worm wood of local jealo,sy-
The federalism of Virginia, had, at that day. the
same obstacles to encounter as the federalism oi
Massachusetts. Its objects of pursuit were the
same, and 1t succeeded by a victory as hardly
contested, and by majority of about the same
proportion The first president of the United
states was native OF Virginia but it is not in
tlnated that during his administration of eight
Years, the state of Virginia had an undue ascen-
aancy IN tho government of the nation On the
contrary, Mr. Ames's great complaint is, that she
was constantly tiwa,ting and counteracting it.
AT length he says, she fatally succeeded IN redu-
eng II to the imhccility of the old confederation
shall not undertake the task of yindicatinp Or
the policy oil Virginia, While the government OF
tile state was IN opposition to the general gov
eminent. 1t resembled too much that of the
present rulers of Massachusetts, 10 harmonic
with my ideas of correct constitutional princi-
pies But reject upon the transactions of tho
Jefferson administration Reflect especially i'm
on the transactions of the two last years TIE
part OF pefpexing, Of obstructing, of counterfeit
ing the measures of the general government has
not been performed by Virginia. She has no o.
therwise interfered in the affairs of the nation
than to pledge herselfim the most solemn man
ner, to support the national authorities. at n mos,
perilous crisis of our affairs The =" select" and
=" exclusive friends of Mr.. Ames, have exchapg.
ed weapons with Virginia Bat Virginia in the
most virulent extreme of her opposition never
joined the banners ola foreign enemy to strike the
| standard of the union
| The state DoIcv of VIRGINIA lite d.. Sc AZ