Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-10

to give good ADVICE tnan 10 presaIl ou M" ~.
follow it.
Such, and so obvious is the force OF the pre-.
ceding considerations, as to render doubts Oh
the Presidents ability to give the advice con-
1ained in,the address too absurd to have many
serious advocates But it would not surprise
me, if certain classical gentlemen, assoclallng
the facts you mention with the style and fashion
of the Address, should intimate that his ability
TO compose it substantially in his mind does
not prove that he was also capable OF commu-
nicating his advice in paper so well written.
] LET these gentlemen recolect the classical max
i'm which they learned al school:
'scribend recte, sapere est, ct prncpium ct TONS.
They NAV also be referred to another classical
maxim, which teaches us that they who well
understand their subject, will be at no loss Tor
words:
.sverbaque provisam rem non invita- seqnentur.
But his ability to write well need not be proved
by the application of maxims, it is established
by facts
We are told to Judge Of the tree by its fruit;
let us in like manner Judge of his pen by It's
performances Few men who had so little lei
sure have written so much. His public letters
alone are voluminous, and public opinion has
done Justice TO their merits. Many OF them
have been published, and they who read them
will be convinced that at the period OF the adj
dress he had not to learn how to write well.-
But it may be remarked that the address IS
more highly finished than the letters, and so 1t
ought 10 be; that address was to be presented
10 the whole nation, and on no common occa-
ln<l c>, ., ont and I'm nj rf
generations; il was 10 be read in this country
and in foreign countries; and to be criticised not
only by affectionate friends and impartial Judg
es, bu, also by envious and malignant enemies.
1t was an address which, according as 1t should
or should not correspond with his exalted cha
racter and fame, would either Justify or impeach
the prevailing opinion OF his talents or wisdom
Who, therefore, can wonde: that he should be-
stow more thought and time, and pains, on that
address, than on letter?
Although in the habit ofdepending ultimate
ly on his own Judgment, yet no man was more
solicitous to obtain and collect light on every
question and measure on which he had to de-
eide. He knew that authors, like parents, are
not among the first to discover impertections in
their offspring, and that the consideration would
naturally induce him to initiate the example OF
those ancient and modern writers, (among
whom were statesmen, generals, and even men
of consular and royal dignity,) who submitted
their compositions to the judgments OF their
friends before they put the last hand TO them.
Those friends would make notes OF whatever de-
fects they observed in the draft, and the cor
respondent amendments which they deemed
proper If they found that the arrangement
,1u in
transpositions-if the connection between any
of the relative parts was obscure, they would
make ii more apparent-lfa conclusion had bet
ter be left to implication than expressed, they
would strike it out, and so vice versa, ii an adj
di,ional remark or allusion would give force or
light to a sentiment or proposition, they would
propose it-where sentence was too long they
would divide it-they would correct redundan-
cies, change words less aptfor words more apt,
SEC. sc. &c. To correct a composition in this
wav is 10 do friendly Office, but to prepare a
new one, and offer it to the author as substi-
tute for his own, would deserve different ap-
pellation
Among those to whose Judgment and can
dour, President ashington would commit such
an interesting and delicate task, where is the
man TO be found, who would have the hardi
hood to say to him in substance, though in
terms ever so nice and courtly.-Sir, | have eX
amined and considered your draft Of an address
lit will not dot is really good for nothing
but sir. have taken the trouble to write prop
err one for you, and now make you present
fir. advise you to adopt it, and to pass 1t
on the world as your own; the cheat will never
be discovered, for you may depend on my Sc
crecy-Sir, | have inserted in it paragraph
that will give the public good opinion of your
modesty l will read it to you, it is In these
Words
SIN the discharge of this trust | will only
say, that have with good intentions contrlbut-
ed towards the organization and administration
ofthe government, the best extrtions OF which,
a verv falHble JUDGMENT was capable Not un-
conscious in the outset Of the inferio,Hy of my
qualifications, experience in my own eyes, per-
hans stHmore, in the eyes of Others, has strength
ened the motives to diffdence Of myself"
If it be possible to find a man among those
whom he esteemed, capable of offering to him
such present, it is impossible to believe that
President Washington was the man to whom
such a present would have been acceptable
They Who knew President Washington, and
his various endowments, qualifications and vir-
tues, know that, (aggregately considered,) they
formed tout ensemble which has rarely been e.
ouaed, and perhaps never excelled.
Thus much for presumptive evidence will