Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-08-08
CITE Constitutional egrhia.
MIR. sEGAR's oRATIoN-coscDuprp

= 80 .ne termination of eventful STRUGGLE co
''eu1 was instituted without Embellishments,
upon the correct basis of conaljtr and nur,1 i'
uer us operationw we have advanced with Fiji
e. '"Piuty 10 national happiness and GLORY Its Of
co"oy ana Vigour have been atested nv Tho h;s,r
80 Tu improvements the ccnvulssns of a second war
"o our present prosperous con- ition And whom ,r
Se"iFia.e u'e peculiarly of its structure ,r, c,,
Justly indulge the pleasing hope that we sinai, bc $50
Gu VII" long continuance of national BLESSINGS W.
can proudly congratulate ourselves that the t1anv 90
'umnies reflected upon ouroyernrnent by the eneuo.
ec principles are susceptible of tire mos. triunnIan,
'c'ua'on we have been told that te doctrine nf tho
competency OF The people govern themselves ,yonLI
D'n provo ialacGas under our example Look AROUND
A" ny seow citizens, and behold this Prediction fall
ca oy the examples OF wcnty-tour SEPARATE rovern
"rents with wisdom regulating their own cnnce1ns snd
'uer ttat regulation enjoying prosperity and
ing Ia Improvement. Wehave been told thai p,e nav
'eau our destiny IN the fate of the Republics of ami,
qaity From dissnilar eases paritv of ,o.so,; -
cannot be sustained. Between our government .r5
''o Vi u.'4uF' many lines of demarcaiion DESTROY
every seinblance Of epalogy. Were we TO enun,.,ao
c iieS OF cemarcation, should point first to the
Inference OF circumstances prevailing at - ,,ril
to'ePorary WIN The Ancient Republics, the science
VI had made but little progress being nei
lher much studied nor undertood, Governments fro,
Tue absence OF experience, were mostly tho eG;cs r
cahce aad not on regular concert or esinD Hence
'osc o'SSehsto"s commolions and changes which tlen
occurred I'D rapid succession. But our government
was formed under better auspccs-vher tie sr;rc Of
government Trad made considerable progress Tie fn;t
:" pau anu ucsgn' OF 9isiom and foresight Il was not
! 9Th
''@hIs "i experience shining around them its trainers
cautiously avoided those rocks upon which other
'nents had split, and produced the rest form of nver
inent ever planned by the faculties Of man 'rIo,La,
'eaFheu political tTuth unknown and unpractisrJ in
lie egIslas'on Of former tines-tat strict DJenend
e"ce OF The several branches Of government the only
proper balance OF power and The only edecnai safe
guard OF luerty, tranquility and order The want of
proper balance, arising froE the ignorance of Tins
Tuh' was lie prominent source of those commotions
ana chahges which convn ed the Ancient REPUBLICS
IN rfTCVp a..
vefal orathes separate and distinct exercise their e
SuHlate functions III their allotted spheres exhibiting,
beauty aud promoting order.
Hgaini the governments of antiquity were not like
ours, icunucd IN true characterization the solid and
correct basis OF equality and equal rights Their re-
pnoiiean character was derived from rational love
OF treedom-irom the known and Acknowledged rirj
OF Han|ont from fortuitous crcumstanccs a sinoIe
act, calculated from lis cruelty To arouse fine fceincs
ana passions, mol unreqren7y led change of 90.
VeFnment The regal authority i'm Rome was ahdiIot
ed IN consequence of the bloody conduct of Yarouip
and that OF Tie Dcccnrirate, in consequences of si
niI@T act %" the part of Appius But our government
On ti'e contrary deriving lis origin principle is
buHt upon the sure foundation uf equality ard equal
rights-o the !mprcscripiibe rights of man W. =,
not trace lis origin tn casuav; we find # rather in o
H'S'd''C1 10 an arbitrary principle. which peaplc a hi
iva cd 10 freedom of spirit could not ar;r,yp And
such an origin cannot but create in he ciiizen of this
country confirmed attachment to liberty and an in
sion 10 yraEsy, which it-
part 80 our free Institutions a (ir,uu,-z ALL stabIi,,
| unknown To the republics. of old.
bH when with these cons'efa tons we associate te
freC'ioh i"af 'Te possess Federal Constitutions having
aH The energy aud none Of the weakness OF the Am
Phcionic 0unci OF old, assigning to the General and
The Stale Governments their respective pover.. and
when with these connect the additional rgnsilera
mons that neutral policy has become one q tle e,ta
bshri ieainTcs Of the character OF cur Government
ana t1a' Information from facility Of access general
" dfnsed; when We associate these reflections we are
presented with the must convincing disparity.
T. our present constitution tie annals Of Governn,ep
/ ga la
fear Of qicsiion dat il the ,yscsi frame of GOVERN
iHcht ever devised Unlike thc old confederation IL
presents symmetry IN It's Pariacncgy its Operation
-hcanty ana proportion III theory strength and order
IN practce-hy nice distribution of power Tenderince
each branch mutually check upon the other. Were
We 10 undertake. an analysis, SHOULD present TWENTY
i"ur c"nicdeTaed Republics, acting in their inaapen
dent c"Tacy, each for IFS respective individual good
with general government actin" for the GOOD Of the
WhUIc-the former possessing certain retained Mowers
guaranteeing TO them independent soycreirntv ami
checking eosoiiationthe latter certain defined
cTs bcb the states individually could not ,etan with
out 'he rqne OF ahatcy, and detraction from the eli
/ cheney Of the general government
" have examined The dspAritv in tIeorv P,rsr;,,r
II farther we find supported 10 the gnn, rsf t nv =
difference IN practice or policy While a ,varike cha
racer marked the governments Of antiquity an oppo-
site pacific character distinguished ours willie those in
spirit Of conquest and mistaken glory, were inccs
sanity wagDg ambitious wars, We on the contrary h,ve
recognised confirmed and sacred Trait of our no
yernmeut, ricidy neutral policy convinced that w
IS the greatest Of al rational caIatnatics-tha peace is
the surest guide To- the rcpo,e and prosperity Of
ADD while tie 9ncieul nations frequently involved
Il by this ambitious spirit IN al! the troubles Of ANARCHY
we are happily exempt from similar ofconmoou
willie the governments Of antiquity resembled the
"aF Is Of ocean troubled by the tempest ours NAV be
hltchcd to lis calm, unrut1ed bosom.
But other lines Of Gi,tSctoH got remain. Nou,ipo,
valuable endure unless its value be known and D.
prCcatcd Thus in tho Republics of former times tic
comparative freedom which their subjects enjoyed was
neither understood nor appreciated. they mere ccnpa
hUf n fdp of Ti.r.f-
institutions DID not derive strength and stability from this
attachment 20 tbern-cir affections not entwncd
around them. We on The other hand sensible uf our
rights know how to appreciate tbem-coDviuccd Of the
superior blessings and advantages Of political csta-
bsments attachment TO them has becornc viola
ble--cloeiy encmcIcd with (e vine Of our affections
living in our vcneration, they caunot hut acquire set
tlei stability which other source ifnpart. Nor
ncdd wonder this difference between the charac-
Ter Of the ancient nations and that Of the citizens Of
" this Couuryit IS readily attributable TIC different
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