Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-24
From The .qlbanu srgus.
ON OUR INTERIOR RELATIONS

yantases and Cisadvantages, It's effects on
| society, its ultimate tendency aud dura-
| ton, are topics of constant inquiry in
European cabinets {; and should they not
be among our own people The wise
| trainers of the constitution. foresecing the
uncertainty OF events, and the new modi-
iications TO which our society, as 1t cx.
tended. would necessarily be subjected,
provided that on certain conditions. al
ierslions should be made therein. This
circumstance is conclusive that in their
opinion the instrument was very liable to
imperfections and that essential chan
yes in the situation OF the republic might
render necessary material notifications
in its government.
The first question which arises then, Is
there any danger to be apprehended. and
If so, from what source If there be no
danger or material inconvenience any
further investigation becomes useless ;
if there be, let it be pointed out, that it
may be guarded against.
It is fact, which is singular from its
| net having attracted more general Obser-
walton, tiIat our ablest statesmen, not
only in the north, but in the south, have
recently spoken on the floor of congress,
with tn, greatest apprehension of the
alarming Increase of the confeJeracy.-
This increase is al 70 the south ard west ::
there is nothing in the north to balance
| il, and the equilibrium ID of course de-
stroyed. MIR. Calhoun, prominent
member from South Carolina, said last
session that it would be in vain to deny
that the immense and sudden extension
of our empire was alarming. When the
experienced mariner, who knows the state
of his vessel, the strength of the gale,
ind from former observations aud his
charts, has thoroughly acquainted him
sell with the coast. expresses alarm. dan
ger must exist. He is ever reserved on
this point, until the c.gency of the case
makes it necessary to unfold TO the crew
the real state Of things, either to stimu-
late them to fresh exertion, or in the last
resort to afford them chance to shift for
themselves The ship may escape being
dashed on the rocks, or engulphed in the
bllow-she may ride out the storm (;
but. at the time, there must have been
real cause of apprehension. So with re
yard to the extension Of the republic,
when our ablest statesmen are question.
ed OH the subject; some will express ar
dent hopes, but always mingled with
strong tears others vii! directly say,
there is point, beyond which the chord
of the arch cannot be stretched-that
you canuOt bridge the atlantic-that the
superstructure would tall from its own
weisht--that the empire cannot be eI-
tended to Ultima Thule and il is evil
dent in the minds of those best capable
of examining the subject, the greatest
doubt, perplexity and apprehension exist.
All agree that il is sublime experiment,
and if it fails, it will be truly said "mag-
mis- tamen excidit ausis." The rapidity
with which the couiederacy is enlarging
itself, is indeed astonishing. New states
are shooting, like the Aurora Borealis,
to the west, and almost with the same
velocity. Two aere admitted tho last
session of congress and it is said ap,
pIication will be made Tor the admission
OF four additional ones within the same
number of years. Itmay be asked. what
do We see 10 all this alarming? Are
they not brethren from the same stock.
Of the same principles, and with one
common interest! 1t may be remarked,
generally, that such is the nature of or
ganized bodies, that in any serious con-
i!ct, Of interest or passions, coDsidera-
tons Of lie above nature have but little
weight. To answer the question, how
ever, satisfactorily, it becomes necessa-
ry &c recur to the time T. manner in which
the constitution was formed-the princi-
pies 1t contains, and the new aspect which
The government presents since its adop-
ton. 1t is well known, that when The
question of a general government was
first agitated, the country had Just emery
ed from seven years. Wharf.-The finances
were di,apidatcd-commerce was ruined,
or what remained, subjected to the great
est embarrassment, and every branch Of
trade AID industry languished.. 1t was
under these circumstances, that thirteen
independent sOvereignties net in conven-
tiOn, TO adopt some general system which
should regulate the whole and the re-
suit OF their delite atios, alter long dis
cu:siOn, various propositions, and great
concessions, was the constitution. lis
acceptance by the people, from various
causes, was Tor long time rendered
doubtful bur the urgency of the times,
and the authority OF gen. Washington,