Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1817-11-25

From the Albany Argus
On our Interior Relations.

-
on fociety, It's ultimate tendency and du-
ration, are topicks of conitans inquiry in
European cabinets and fhould they NOT
DC among our own people /? The wife
trainers of the Contribution, forefeeing
the uncertainty OF events, and the new
notifications TO which our focic,y. as it
extended, would neceii4rily be fuhjeeted,
provided thar, on certain conditions,
alterations ihould be made therein. -
This circumiance is conc!ulive thar in
their opinion the inifrument was very
liable impcrfections and thas efien-
tial ca nges in the 6tuation of the re-
publick might render neceaary material
notifications in lis government.
The firit quciiion which ariles then
is, Is there any danger to be apprehend-
ed ? and If 70, from what fource ? If
there be no danger or material inconve-
nience. any further inveltiga,ion be-
comes ulelefs if there be, LEI it be poin.
TED our, that il may be guarded
again&.
II is fact which is angular, from ia
not having attracted more general obler-
yation. that our albeit tia esmen, not on
ly in the north. but in the south, have
recently fpoken OIL the floor of Congress
with the greatelt apprehension of the
alarming ircreajs q the c5nfsleracy. This
increafc is all to rhe fouth and wen !:
ihcre is nothing in the north TO balance
il, and the equilibrium is of courle def
troyed. Mr. Calhoun, prominent
member from South Carolina. faid, Taft
ieilion, thar it would be in vain to deny
chat TIE insnrense and Eudden exfsnEm Of our
empire vas alarming. When the cxpe
rienced mariner, who knows the fate
of his veff |, the itrength of the gale,
and from former obfervations and his
charts, has thoroughly acquainted him
felf with the coat, exprenes alarm, dan
ger mutt exit. He is ever referved on
this point, until the urgency of the cafe
makes it necefary to unfold to The Crew
the real fate of things, either TO ftimus
la,e them to frefh exertion, or in the
iaft refort TO afford them a chance TO
Unfit for themfelves, The chip may ef-
cape being da!hed on the rocks. or en-
gulphed in the bilIow-ihe may ride out
the torn bur, at the time there mutt
have been real caufe of apprehension.
So with regard TO the extention of the re
public, when our albeit ltatefmen are
queifioned on the fubjeet, fome will ex-
prefs ardent hopes, but always mingl d
with frong fears others will directly
fay, there is point beyond which the
chord of the arch cannot be itretched.-
that you canno, bridge the Atlan:ick-
that the fuperftrusture would fall from
ITS own weight thar the empire cannot
De extended TO Ultima Thule and it is
evident that, in the minds of thofe belt
capable of examining the fubjed, the
greatef doubt, perplexity and apprehen
Gon exit. All agree that i; is Iubiime
experiment. and it it fails, il will be truly
faid, "magnis tdolen excidf asst" The
rspidiy with which the confederacy is
enlarging itiels, is indeed sftonifhing
New States are fhooting, like the Aurora
Borealis, to the welt, and almoft with
the fame velocity Two were admitted
the laft FELTON, of Congress and il is
said application will be made for the ad
mission of four additional ones within
the fame number of years. II may be
asked, What DO we fee in all this alar-
ming Are they not brethren from the
same flock, of the fame principles. and
with one common interea ? 1t may be
remarked, generally, that fuch is the
nature of organized bodies, that in any
ferrous conflict, of interelt or pafiions,
considerations of the above nature have
but little weight. 40 anlwer the euef
ton. however, satisfactorily, it becomes
neccfIary to recur to the time and man.
ner in which the Contribution was form.
ed. the principles il contains, and the
rev aspect which the government pre-
tents fince its adoption. 1t is we'll known,
that when the queItion Of general gov
eminent was hrf agitated, the country
had irf emerged from feven years.
war--the finances were dilapidated--
commerce was ruined. or wha. remained,
iubjeded to the greatetf embarrass,
ment-and every branch of trade and