The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1827-05-10
M1sCELLAMY.
.1.iIERIC1

! W geneIU SHVty g Me p0itftc0t SitNd
ti0R oj the seperm Po,cerS Of UcSicri
Continent, iciih coneciurs on htir II,
tiTe prospects By a Cti,en oIhe Jaite.
States, author Of Europe, Sc
The foregoing Is the title page of a vol
ume published At Philadelphia Asthe ii
Tic itself denotes, II is from the pen of A
~. EvERErr, Esq. U. S. Minister ut th,
Court OF Spain. Like every other sworl
from the pen of this talented writer anC
profound politician the volume before lis is
remarkable for the force Of its language
The clearness oft style, and for as ludic
lo's arrangement. Its chapters treat of
the ipsiuon of America and of the United
Statesw the general political system of
The prnchal events Of the last five wears
the form an spirit Of our political mstitu
tons; our Internal situation and policy ;
The political condition Of the republics of
soma Amerc and the European colonies.
NE iofeiSn ant domestic policy 6fthe two
hSeFca' iand IN conclusion the prospects
" die iuIure situation of America and its
influence on on he fortunes of the world.
Ihe volume comprises 3Gi pages and for
bids an attempt atreviewing its merits IN
the space Of half tolumn. We shall an
mex however, an eXtact taken at random
As will co seen, rcfennce is had in the OK
tract tothe adoption q the federal ,onst,
1tIon, and the opposition manifested to lis
adoption IBos pa,
TO Madison and Hamilton, therefore.
il The country indebted, more than PERHAPS
10 my other two men, for the plan Of our
present FEDERAL government, and the first ar
'angement ofits details. persuade the
people To adopt it was new and still NOR,
aiihcuIt task, in which they also lahore
"l'h unweared zeal and signal talent. Nor
'ugh' IL 10 surprise us that the constitution.
"hen hrst submitted to the people. should
nave met with great opposition. The n
doptioh ONT accompll5he !, as have al
ready observed, complete revolution IT,
The government Of The country. Had tbi,
taken place without comInotion or rcsis
taDee, the fact would have proved the ina,
e''s' %. q .iie citIzeHs To their most impor.
'uit interests. and not their good sense q,
PuoiIc virtue. Nor are We to suppose, no
ever highly we may now think orthc con
StItutlon, that the anti.federalists acted
} rom VICIOUS motives, or were even i'm all
c"Sesl!I Informed or perveTse. They were
N TACT, on the contrary, the party, which
mad IN It's favor the presumption of right.
because they defended the existing state
81 things against innovation. This is al.
ways plausible argument; and they had
besides the popular pretence of asserting
me rights ofslates and individuals, against
the encroachments Of government, apothor
golden topic. Nor did they want au
thorlty TO back their reasoning. On the
contrary, the weight of names with one sin.
< le great exception, which probably turn.
ed the scale agains' them, was perhaps on
he whole on their side. Take for exam
pie Virginia and Massachusetts. which had
always been politically and intellectually
the leading, as they are the Oldest states
IN the Union. In mnssachusetts, setting
aside John Adams who was then in Eu
rope, the two most distinguished revolu.
tIonary worthless IN The statc--what do I
say the only two patriots in the country,
whose zeal had obtained for them the sin.
guiar honor Of prescription, Samuel Adams
and John Hancock-were against the con.
7ttution. The latter persisted in oppos
ng IT to the last and it was with great
iiiicuty that the former was ultimately
persuaded to give 1t reluctant support.
ID Tie niber hond, who were the Parson.
'es, the Kings, the Ameses, and others
is principal partisans Men Of yester-
iay-young lawyers, before unknown to
he country. They gave proofs no doubt
If eloquence, talents, and book learning
'ut were these qualities, however precious
q their way, TO counterbalauce the mature
wisdom, the rich experience, the tried pa.
riollsn OF the incorfupib fathers of our
ibcrty Look now at Virginia; a young
,arrlcter Of about thirty years Of age. pop.
ilarly He'd Jenny Madison, comes for. !
yard, aid proposes TO his fellow citizens to |
'bnndon a part Of their individual and !
tate rights and submit to general gCv- |
possessing large and because un. |
Tled, Of course unknown powers 10 ac. |
knowledge n single ruler under the name |
j q President, the extent Of whose eutho-
ity future experience alone could deter
Ipne. The proposition VAS, it must be
wned, not very palatah.c, and might well
lam people less sensitive on the sub
pet o. state prorogatlyes, than that Of tho
ncIent dominion. Under these circum.
tances, the oldest and most respected of
he revolutionary patriots, the man who
'as the first in all the country to raise the
ry Of independence. Patric, Henry him.
elf, then Governor ofthe State, tells them,
q tie same familiar voice, sweetcr than
,usic, that was never known 20 deceive,
sai never lisped n sound which was not as
ure and true as the word OF inspiration,
Iat J. Madison, though clever and h-n-