The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-05-02
AMERICAN PRINCIPLES.
FROM THE BOSTON PATRIOT.
"A REVIEW
OF WORRS CF FISHER .aafES.
NUMBER-II.

~rN!' 'n@h mat wnich GeVoives upon tbe trends
o. an eminent literary man, relating to the
disposal ot the papers which he leaves be-
ms'e him. Thistrust has SO often been be-
trayed, that every man who has acquired a
reputaiien In the literary worid, ought him.
sell much more studiously to dispose, before
Els decease, OF those productions Of his mind
than OF his worldly estate. Men of genius
are treated like Kings. They who pretend to
be their friends, are often nothing more than
sycopbants, who attach themselves to their
lame, tor sordd purposes of their own, and
who from the moment that he superiour
SPrit has left its tenement of clay, instead of
Yerishing and protecting that fame, think of
Nothing but turning 1t to the account of some
wretched passion or interest Of their own
TO spunge money from the purse of the pub
lek, or TO pass disgracefu sentiments into
circulation, for the wicked purposes of fac
ton. The examples of Chesterfield and
Sferne are familiar to those conversant with
the recent literary history OF England, of
men whose reputation has been blasted after
their decease, by the publication of papers,
which they would have buried in eternal obli-
Won, but which the rapacity of " a number Of
hsir friends, surrendered to the indignation
at posterily for the sake of paltry tribute
levied upon the publick curiosity know
not who are the friends that published the
volume now be!Dre me, but trust it has been
shewn In former paper, that both its selec-
ion and Its omissssa, were governed by mo-
tives very different from that of regard for
the lasting reputation Of the author.--The
writer OF this PAPER respected Mr.. ANEs,and
laments, that others who by their particular
| intimacy with him, were specially charg-
ed with the guardianship of his fame,
instead of adhering faithfully to that duty,
have, for the poor purpose of promoting The
views OF a party, I" drawn his fraiiiies from
s4sir dread a6sde," and exposed him to the
imputation of doctrines, which the sound
Judgment of his better days would have re-
jccted with horronr, and for which they a.
lone ought to be responsible to distant ma
tions and to future ages.
II a former paper it was observed, that the
private letters contained in this compilation
were certainly not intended by the writer for
the publick eye ;--and that they contained
sentiments which he himself was sensible
were not fit for publick inspection. The evi-
dence of these assertions is contained in one
of those very letters and in these words
sit is misfortune for man to differ from the
political religious creed Of his countrymcn You
will not fail to perceive, that than ling
in my faith in the conclusveness of the reasoning
Of Mn. MADISON, Co. 1hs ho7perer, I keen 10
myself and less than haT adosen friends" 3. SOY
Is it not strange--passing strange, that
| with this direct, and explicit admonition star
| ing him in the face, one OF the less than half
dozen friends TO whom the secret was COM
mittcd, should divulge not only to the coun-
/ try, but to the enemies Of the country those
opinions, which their author was ashamed or
afraid to avow when alive
Strange indeed it is but the motive is OBJ
vious enough. The subjcct specially alluded
to in this letter, upon which it was Mr. rAmcss
misfortune to differ from the creed OF his
countrymen, and upon which he was worse
than lingerer in his faith in the concIu.
siveness of the reasoning Of Mr.. Madison &
Co.-was the great question of our neu-
tral rights to the colonial trade with the enc
mics of Great Britain. The date Of the let
ter is l4h Feb. l8o6--just after the time,
when MIR. Ma6ison's unanswcrable yidication
of the neutral cause appcared--several excel
lent memorials, written some of them by
men who have since deserted that honoura-
ble standard and joined the banners of the
enemy, were also then before the Congress
and it is TO them that Mr.. Amcs refers, b,
the description Of Mr.. Madison, and Co.
The letter was written TO q member OF
Congress, who, as appears from subsequent
passage in it, was then on the side Of his
country upon this great question. He has
since changed his side, and the publication oil
this letter was doubtless intended 10 answer
the double purpose OF giving countcnance 10
him and other apostates from the American
principle, and Of propagating ameng the pco-
PIE Of this country, the opinion that the Bri-
tish doctrine on that controversy was the
correct one, and that our claim had not the
solid foundation Of justice.
The question Of our right to the colonial
trade Is next to that respecting improvements
the most important Of any which has ever
been agitated between Great Britain and US,
since the peace of our Independence. II
would ever take the lead of that, If the se-