The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-05-09
,t.RsI.AN PRINCIPLES.
FROM THE BosroS PArRsor.
A REVIEW
0F H0RKS or FISNER ZINES.
EUMBER-Iu.

/ kuMbEk-iu.
a. THERE is akind of fatality in the affairs Of
RRrusLicas that elndes the foresight OF the wise RS
much ash trnstrofes the tolls and sacrifices of the
Parrot and the hero"
Arserse Of .sn,cniean LiSery."p $50 Of the sam
To!ime
2"h is pretty enough 20 say, the republick CON-
mands, and the love of the repubck dictates obed-
ence to the heart of every citizen. This is SYSTEM
but, isit ualure The rspst&ck il creature OF &C.
on is every boty in the fancy, put nobody in the
heert Love, to De any thing. must be select and
einsise. We msyAs we'll talk OF loving geometry
the commonwealth" p. S95.
s. 1t is said, tha, in repu5leks majorities invaria
bly, oppress mlnortes. C.m there be any real patri-
otism in state, which is thus filed with those who
eAercis. and those who suffer tyranny hut hols
much less reason has any to love that country, in
which the voice of the majority is counterfeted,
tie VICIOUS ignorant and needy are the instruments
and the wise and worthy are the victims Of oppres-
son' D. ana
4. I" Is there in human affairs an occasion Of pro-
f'gacy, more shameless or more contagious than
general election Every Spring gives birth and gives
wingsto this eisden,ak mischief Then begins sort
Of ls4ge, that turns up to the aud air the most
weeds in the kndliest soil, to speak still
more seriously, it is mortal pestilence, that begins
with fottenness in the narrow" A. AIS
$. |" Federalism was, therefore, m0nifssfy founded
on 'state, ON the supposed existence ct saitcieng
potIc, virtue, and on the permanently authority
ot the pubhck morals" 90 D. <l6
These strains OF panegyrick upon repub-
licks, and epubiican institutions, are extract.
ed word for word from dissertation upon
the Dangers Of American Liberty" written
By Mr.. Ames, and communicated in Februa-
ry, sos, to one of his friends, but never pub
lishcd until after his decease, in this compila-
ton.
Its little, " The Dangers of American Ii
bcrty," is misnomer.--The whole scope oil
rs argument is to prove the position, which
on the Thanksgiving evening OF the saine
wear he wrote in private letter 10 another
fricnd---tbat American liberty [" svas gone
neDcr 10 rcsurn."
An ingenious arnotator has seized uron
one short psra,rapn, as indicating the motive
isr which this g gioo my picture of the affairs
of our country" WAS delheAted. He says il
was 10 dejsr, or mitigate our. .tafc by alarming
the honest part Of our citizens.
If this was really the motive, (and as the
fairest in favour of the authors intentions, 10
which it can be as ribed, have tho s,ronsest
inclination TO believe i.) the performance was
i'll adapted to the dcsign---for the only posi-
bic application to be drawn from 1t by ration
al being, would be, not srcrtion but desfair.
Every principle, every illustration, every IN
ference leaps the mind irrcsistibly TO the con-,
clision, that the Iniscries OF our condition
were be ~ond the reach of council that the
virtue and wi isdo,n oil :hl. country were under
tic irretricvable dominion Of its vice and fol-
~ and that there was nothing left among
the good and great Of this nation, but to shew
with what profusion Of rhetorical nowers
they could strew the grave Of liberty, and 10
how many graceful varieties OF attitude they
could bite their chains. Its natural effect
was, not alarm, but c0nvuision.
1t was not intended by its author for publ
cation. In the letter to the fricod to whom
il had been communicated, he expressly says
that to be of value enough for the author TO
o4v,, 10, Inc must be allowed time, must bes-
tow ON il more thought, search for .Jdcfs and
a,incihies in pamphlets and larger works, and
in short, make it entirely over again"
[. agree entirely with him, that 1t was not
of value enough for the authorize ozon IL and
think that his friends would have proved their
affection for him, as we'll as their respect for
the pnt,iirk If they had sncsn more Difference
to bis opinion in this case, and less eagerness
10 SuECdu lrCli ta'NHhN 'ShSs"'
Whether tie pamphlets or larger works, to
which alone in his temper OF mind he would
have resorted for facts and principles, would
have improved the complexion of bis work,
is not necessary to inlune----if the only OBJ
lection against il were its want OF value,
should neither complain Of the editors, nor
present the above extracts TO the medifahons
Of the publick.-But il contains, upon sub
iect deeply interesting to this country, princi-
Piles at war with reason, and assertions ut war
with fact. Had these been merely the errors
Of Mr.. Ames, would have lsmented in ST.
lence the indiscretion Of his friends, in expo
sing them 10 the world, ana suffered them to
perish by the natural decays Of their own abb
surdity,-But they are not the wanderings oi
Mr.. Aines's imagination.-1hey are the prin-
ciples Of faction, which has succeeded in
obtaining the management Of this common