Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-07-23
For the PAenix Gazetfe.

MESSRS EDlToRS:- hose Po"' =,
profess 10 be great advocates tor state r'sn's'
and who are continually eXclaiming against INC
power and influence Of the general government,
sn,s.r 70 forge, what were the sentiments OF
the distinguished men who framed our constr
,n,;on. An examination of the writings oil
those who were most instrumental in settling
our present plan Of government, will SO Tar to
convince US, That the policy now pursued oy 'he
United States, is the policy which they thought
would be most conducive to the honor and IN
terest of the people. They seem to have been
rnorr fearful Of The weakness, and "clashlng IN
terests" Of the separate states, than they were
Of the mower which they conhded to the gene
r,, Governments Reflection will convince US
,ha, this opinion is correct / was so much
rle,sed with some remarks made in the Ameri-
can Quarterly Review upon this subject, that
must request you 10 publish them, win the eA-
tract which the reviewer has made from the
works OF the celebrated Francis Hopk!nson.-
Public opinion is fast driving the opponents OF
domestic improvements from their strong holds,
and perhaps il would not be an unw:se predic-
ton to say, that before many years have passed
there will be none 10 deny that Congress has
the oower to make road, dig canal, or lay
duties upon imports, and tais too, without any
danger of swallowing up the state governments:
"Nothing, as it appears 10 US, can be WORSE
either as matter of policy or taste,~-nolhing
can be more pernicious for the present or the
fu,ure.-,han the perpetual hostility waged IN
some of the states, Of which we wish 10 speak
with all possible respect against the exercise OF
almost every power confded to the general gov
eminent. 1t might be thought that this cen
trail power" which originates from the BOSOM
of the people, and is constantly under their In,
sDection and control, was some mighty and
fearful creation, with the capacity ana condi'ioh
TO do all manner Of evil, and requiring per-
ne,ual watch and ward against its encroach-
men,,. Such at least was not the image that
presented itself to the minds of the venerable
men who formed our present constitution, and
Srigsts, as any Or me present day. fhefr thro.
~, and we humbly conceive the true theory OF
our political system, supPoses, that it is neces-
sary to the safety Of the individual states, that
the general government should not only possess
extensive powers, but be paramount in the ex-
ercise Of those powers: "Made by sad expert
ence WISE" they labored necessarily to effect
the happy exchange OF the slight and shadowy
confederation, for the existing national govern
ment, whose rays emanae directly from the
people, and whose blessings and benefits ought
to be exercised Immediately upon them, with
out the intervention of any other medium
"Those who are acquainted with the political
writings OF lGoo-S, WuSt the new
Roof" written by Francis Hopkinson, in which,
under the guise Of am allegory, he successfully
ridiculed the 'a2pre tensions OF consolidated
government, which the opponents Of the const-
tuition protested 10 entertain. This witty pa
per is so applicable TO the present time, that we
are induced TO extract part of it, Among the
objections to the "new roof" he euumerates the
following
5th. 1t was urged that the thirteen rafters
would be so strongly braced together, that the
iRdividual and separate strength Of each raitcr
would be lost in the compounded and united
strength OF the whole; and SO this roof might
be considered as one solid mass Of timber, and
not as composed Of distinct rafters like the old
roof
9th That according to the proposed plan,
the several parts Of the roof were so framed, as
to mutually strengthen and support each other,
and therefore there was reason TO fear that the
whole might stard independent Of the wall; and
that in time, the walls might moulder away,
and the roof remain suspended in the air, threat
ming destruction to all who should come under
il.
To which the Architect replied.
5th TO the fifth objection, he answered; that
the intention really was, TO make firm and
substantial roof, by uniting the strength Of the
thirteen rafters; but this was so far from ami
hilatins the several rafters, * rendering them of
no use individually. that it was manifest, from
a bare inspection ofthe plan, that the strength |
OF each contributed to the strength of the whole,
and that the existence of each and all was essen.
tial to The existence of the fabric as roof
9th, And lastly, he said, that the roof was in |
truth so framed that the parts should mutually |
support and check each other. But it was alb
solutely absurd, and contrary to the known laws
Of nature, to infer from thence that the whole
frame could stand self supported in the air. For
however its component parts might be combined
with each other, the whole must necessarily
rest upon and be supported by the wall; that
he walls might indeed stand for fsw years In
!, ruinous aud uninhabitable condition, without
my roof; but the roof could not for moment
',and without the support ofthe walls; and a.
tally that Of all dangers and apprehensions, this
II the roofs remaining after the walls are gone,
vas the most absurd and impossible" A.