The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-07-05
| The judgment and 'tahdor 81 the reader will

do the rest.
l had, very often. the good fortune to see
and observe the old Congress, while yet they
were tossing ON the unknown sea of the re-
I volution, surrecnded Oh every hand by rocks
! and shoals and whirlpools and never did
1 see them without being reminded OF the
remark which was made on the Roman Sc
nate; that they resembled more an as
| sembly OF Gods than Of men," 1t was
| by the great example OF our fathers. that
learned what the national legislature of re-
public should be. IT there belonged to their
| original characters any little or narrow ieel
ings. they all slept or expired OH this august
occasion. The traite which distinguished
that body, and in which they all agreed, the
master fasSion which Swallowed nh the
rest, was the LOVE OF COUNTRY.
They had this passion not on their lips
| only; but IN their hearts core. Each mem
Der lost sight OF himself and forgot the IN
dividual in the public cause. Hence, self,
with all its degrading re,inue OF pride and
vanity, notifications and disappOintments.
chagrin and resentments, dstrust. lima
ture. personality, rudeness and recrimina-
tion found no admission within their walls !;
but ia their stead ffourished the ingenious
and healthy offspring of virtue and pa.riot-
ism cando-. forbearance, confidence, good.
will. modesty, decency and dignity. Thus
conducted, debate possessed every advan-
| tage for which it was instituted. No man
opened his lips but to ask or give informant.
on for the public good; and no man who
was capable of throwing The faintest light
upon the subject, shrank from a debate in
which he was sure of being treated with
politenesS and respect.-Is this the case, at
present.! Here, again, leave the compa
rison TO the reader: 1t will be for him to say
whether our mo,inerS as well as our nlinde
have not most wofully degenerated And
whether, in all that respects public charac
ter do hot, like Pompey In my motto,
novo stand tie shadow, merely, Of q naele
| once great
How ar the old Congress surpassed us us in
energy OF intellect as we'll as grandeur of
soul may be seen uy their various reports,
resolu lions, memorials, remonsirances, peti.
=! lions, declarations and statutes; These evil
dences OF their character still live and will
forever live, while the name of liberty shall
be dear IN any Corner of the globe.
! IL is impossible to read those compositi-
ons without being struck with the dignity OF
action and Herculean strength with which
the whole subject is grasped; and the beau
tiful simplicity. and, at the same time, ire
sislble conviction with which the ar
gnmens is evolved. The magnan,nity OF
sentiment which breathes throughoui them,
corresponds, in every part, with The force
and greatness OF intellect which conducts
The argument; forming together toutc
ensemble, certainly not surpassed, il equal
led, by any productions OH earth No ia
mly ought to be without these statepa
pers; more especially those families in
which there are children growing up. A
great part OF those papers nave been collec-
I "a "A manual called The - en1en16raneer
Having been, myself. old enough 10 under.
stand and admire them as they came out,
have carefully preserved my original CO.
pies and had them ali bound together, in
one large and sacred volume. This book
forms an annual exercise in my family. NV
boys read it to me once year with religi.
Gus Punctuality and never without produ-
eng IN them the most sensible effects. In
the frs, place it is salutary recurrence &c
first principles 1t shews them at full
length a"d IN the colors of life, what GA
triot was. In the golden age of patriotism
1t gives them glorious model on which 10
form their own principles and characters
Ii anlmates their young bosoms with the
same great and noble spirit OF re pubican,sm
and the annual recurrence to this source
OF light aud warmth, keeps that spirit from
languIshiHg or being smothered under the
business OF lite; on the contrary it rekindles
Slreylves 1t S<teeds, with never-failing tue the
holy flame OF liberty. Besides this training Of
the heart 10 greatness, the practice, of
which speak, produces a correspondent
effect upon their:minds. Il teaches Them
the difference between solid substance and
fantastic shadow. 1t shews them the supe-
riority OF thought to words. 1t gives them a
perfect standard OF manly and nervous elo-
quenoe; and proves in the most striking
and convincing manner, how much more
power as well as dignity there is i'm plain
and simple period, loaded with sense, than
in all the pomp and pageantry, and sound
and fury of modern defamation. 1t raises
them above that trick of incidence or weak.
ness of taking short and partial view of
things: the common habit of Welding to
sudden impulses, OF solitary and erratic
considerations and the me an and pitifui
artifice OF appealing to existing preJudces
instead OF making an honorable and manly
appeal toreasoii. On the Contrary, it teach.
es them bow to look abroad over the whole
OF great subject, and to seize all its strong
points; how to arrange, connect and set
them forth TO advantage; and thus to com
I bine the comprehensive and profound, with
the beautifully distinct and luminous view.
1t is obvious that those men read more
and thought much more than their descen-
dants. Their preparation for public life
was on a tar greater scale. Their minds
were enlarged by the contemplation of sub
, iects. and invigorated by the pursuit of stu.
dies OF which we seem now to have lost sigh,
I. | entirely, And thew entered nno, b,s;nece