The Portland gazette., 1819-03-09
might be more benefcially en-.

ton, who might be more benefciaily EN-.
ployed
Wha: have the people OF Massachusetts
10 complain OF, or amend 1t they had
leisure and inclination 10 compare them
selves with any other people on earth, they
would fnd abundant cause for contentmeu
and gratitude they would tnd thai they
have as much 70 enjoy and 10 preserve as
any people have ever had
Their climate is, at least, as good as
that Of their northern or s0uthuIn neigh
bors, and as coDgenial 10 health and Ion
gevity
Ii they have not the great productions o.
more southern counties, neither have they
the casualties, not uncommon therein, WhIl
sprrad desolaion over the most hauein'a
prospects. 1t they have not great gain
from Dor, they arc not subjected 70 sudde
and afl c i've losses. The p,oduct OF >ho
labor is certain, and does not tIll lo yield
surplus above domestic consumption ; .,r
tniS surplus neve, fails 10 command a Il
sonaDe value in exchange.
Their soil may not be, on the whole, 5
fertile as that at some more favored Iebloi
but better than the average OF soil
aud best Of ali for them, because ieQul
that labor which IS best adapted 10 lce.
bodily strength 70 quicken the ln'en.
faculties, and TO btinH men TO that $
whicn IS most tavoutoOc ID The CultlsatOt
0t the moral sense.
The tenor Of our laws, and pubic op
ion, are opposed to the aCcumuiauoa,
great wealth III particular families, ana
tue transmission ol il TO successive gems
atlons. Whatever may bc the accuEu
la.ion, it falls, III short lapse OF years, Int,
divisions and is found in process
change, best suited to & ne al prospe.lt!
and to the reward OF honorable eXcrlon.
he distinctions founded on birth, ant,
family connrxion, are here hardly known.
the son Ot tht Magistrate, the LaWgIVt ,
or the Judge, cannot pretend 10 llNe dis
tinctions from the circumstance ot his DE-
scent; while the son OF the Mechanic a. d
the Farmer, OF Of The tumblest CItizen, Ma
enttIe himself 10 lhe confidence OI me pub
lie, and 10 the highest offices, il his talents
and virtues have opened the way 10 him.
here IS no people among whom lea fhlr &
i mole aeneralIy altfused, nor anl who hay
made more ptUh,ablc use Of ii. III Ine bue.
ness OF life, ID undefst standing lnelr Ponucai
nights aud duties, Of IN ne pleasures which
arlse from cultivation oi mind
here is no peopll whose petitions iC.
Legislative ana are more readily md Jusn
attended 10 no government III WhlCu Jus
tice IS more promptly and ,npalGvliI ,o
minsered nor any Communny, u HhC
extent il population and wealth, where tH>
expenses vi 8oyelnment are 50 lnconeldcr-
able.
There has never been community in
which the ben f.a OF religious mau U lIoL
have been mole iOelally enJvyed, oI mo-.
gratefully valued,
Ii is in such community that we ma!
expect TO see the practical use OF the pIln-
cipie that " GoUernmen. IS the EFFECI, HOt
the CAUSE, Of the condition oj q fecI1e.'
he most tar slghted cauno pretend t.
loresrt The changes that are 70 aIlsc III oui
polilicsl Communities, Whlch are unlike
any that Lave goue before them. But the
past furnishes lessons which the zvlst will
not neglect; and the experience, even Vi
our own time, is sufficient excitement tO
the exercise OF polllc4l nights, and 70 tbs
performances OF public du,les.
Considerations ike these come Of thti
own accord into the minds OF oil ,hinhinb
men who are abou TO select those VINO ae
TO make laws, Or Judge oi them, or execute
them. his duty agoln reculs 10 th1 peO
pie of this otate. It has never beiuie &c
-urled when IL mIght be exercised wi,h
more freedom from animosIAcs and p~Iy
ItuGs he causes which nave enbeHdcr-
ed excitement have ceased 10 be and .uelt
tficts ale rapidly disappearing. But We
nall never Sc the utnc when the ambitious
and the office seeking viii dlsappeas iot
will such lnrn, Il successful, cease 20 use
whatever means tucy may nave, 70 huE do7yn,
and 10 keep do7on, all whose pnnCipes shd
practices are III opposition thelr own.
1t is for the people 20 Judge whether they
will elect men, when nominated, with suCh
views and hopes, or whetner they will eject
those VINO have been long lried, and ever
louud fuIthiul.
II there ale men who are capable and
hOnesl, and who do hot desire Office for
themselves ,Nut who ., { moved by other mo
tlves than those OF emOiumt IL yhd short llv-
ed dis mCtion who,whl!c il Off Z consider
themselves me Trustees Of me Peohle, and
who cannot descend to the mean consider
oIonA OF JeaIousy, rivalry, and tuvotltiom
It would certainly seem Mat such men arc