Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-12-03


! I row come to your garbIed extracts. II
cannot : xamine Them m detail without writing
more columns than yoa have, nor is it necessa-
ry hiatt should, to COMPUTE you. They are, as
YOU use them an utter. peryersion Of the whole
I.4oo pagesRoc.ayo from which you have se-
Iected them Mr.. adams object in writing
them was 10 produce what he did produce, Just
such aeoyegnmept as We now havexand he IS
in reality the EATHER notsthe ENEMY Of our
present constitution. The FRIEND ola rePat-
he no2 u a monarchy or dristocroey. Mr. Adj
ans in his great work Audience OF our state
Constitutions as they existed previous to the
federal constitution, and on Other oc caslons
uses many words particularly monarch, mon
sarchy, aris:ocrscy,S e. not in their common or
popular sense, but in more correct and tech
meal sense. Ithas been base peryersion OF
Ills Obvious meaning which has led to all the
charges against him, ofmainlaining monarch
ical, and aris,ecra,ical opinions. Thus ne
/ says @by kings and 1ingly power, is. meant
both by our author and me, the:erecufiUe polo-
e1 inaa single person" as in the government OF
hiIis state and of the United States. He also
speaks of the two classes into which socletles
are naturally divided. Those who possess
tgreat swealtii, talents and superior education
formone class, those who pursue mere iabo-
rious avocations the other, fhe first as dis
Itinguishedfrom the common people" he calls
t"gentlemen." He says "by the aristocratical
lpart Of the community We will understand The
gentlemen" ! sir have ever been democrat
and every quotation you have made from Mr.
Adams in. the sense in which he used them,
and in sthe connection. are unquestionahle
truths, shough cropped oftheir seusesand iso-
lated they present formidable array. but
sir, shaltsnot examine these extracts In de-
tail, but show what MIR. Adams has done to
establish constitutions in this country and
what was the occasion of his writing the book
! Of which you are not seven the lhousandth
slanderer and perverer. You, sir, have al
| lowd4 Mr. Adams, zeal in the revolution and
establishing independence; We will Chew i,
Was equal in founding our present system Of
government. On the 9th Of May l7z6y MIR
Adams moved the resolution 1.-THE rralSDecia'
ration OF INDEPENDENCE for establishing 60
vsrnments over the sta'es independent OF the
crown Of Great Britain. Previous thereto his
compatriots in other states had called on him
10 devise for them models Of government, as
| his treatise on tie Cannon and Feudal law and
! Noyangus had evinced such profound learning
on lie subject The first model of any. of our
| constitutions is one which contains the sub
| letter:
Philadelphia, Nov, 18th l775.
| Dear Sir-The course of events naturally
turns the thoughts Of gentlemen 10 the sub
jccts Of Legislation and jurisprudence;and it is
cruious problem, what fern of government
is most readily and easily adopted By colony
upon sudden emergency. Nature andefxpe
rience have already pointed out the solution OF
-,
committees of safety. Nothing is wanting in
ment, but the appointment, Of magistrates for
the due administration OF justice.
Taking nature and experience for my guide
have made the following sketch, which may
BE varied in any one par ticular an infinite num-
Der fways SD as to accommodate ii to the diff
ferent geniuses, temper, principles and even
prejudices Of different people.
legislative, an executive and judicial
power comprehend the whole Of what is mean,
and understood by government. 1t is by bal
ancing each Of these powers against The Other
two, tina, the effort in human nature +swards
tyranny can alone be checked restrained
and any degree Of freedom preserved in the
constitution.
Let full and free representation be chosen
for house ofcommons. Let the house choose
by ballot twelve, sixteen, twenty four or twenty
eight persons, either members Of the house or
from the people at large as the electors please,
for council. Let the house and council by
joint ballot, choose governor annually, trieni-
ally or septenially, as you will. let the COVER
nor. council and house, be each distinct and
independent branch Of the Legislature and have
negative on all laws.
Let the Lieut.. Governor, secretary, treasur-
er, commissary, attorney general, and solicitor
general be chosen annually, by join, ballot Of
both houses. Let the governor with seven
counsellors be quorum Let all officers and
magistrates, civil and military be nominated and
appointed by the governor by and with he adj
vice and consent his council. Let no officers
be appointed but at a general council, and let
notice be given TO all the counsellors, seven
days, al least, before a general council. Let
the Judges al least Of the Supreme Courl, be
apacilaled, by law, from holding any share
Of Legislative power; let their commissions be
during good behaviour, and their salaries as
ccr,aincd and established by law. lie, the So
nf H.,