Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-04-09

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
lation Of political hvpocondriacs y; rni thcso ~
The second are commonly d.apn,nated polit icnl
enthusiasts The road from hypocondria and on
ta""i';n - itn1.ocisn, is short and direct, and
% easy ascent and when feelings of unrenson-
noe "eSpond"ncy. or ex:ravayant elevation, nre
'Tau'sed without con,rol,. by persors who ara
s'''.l;ct t. 'hcm they only require favorable cir
cunstances To ag.ravate them into passions
which mhv ju.:iy he considered as uiiordinu in
st,nccs "f individual fanaticism
Anongs, persons Of these descriptions wo
frequently find men of more than ordinary tail
eats and qualifications for usefulness. And
when such ncn unfortunately imb;be the spirit
of iana;icisn:, the influence and effect Of their
precept and example upon the public opinion
and interest arc Justly to be drcadcd. And
should any material portion of this passion DO
in;crn'inged in the administration of goverH-
men' or the stiie of political parties, it will be-
VAN to expect an ordinary portion of Justice
aud wisdom in our policy and legislation. wo
think, tho history and progress of our own 90
vcru'nen,s, both state and federal, afford MANY
evident and important instances in support of
the :rnth of these reflections. 1t is not our in.
'cn'ion to write a critical, philosophical, and po-
litical history of the appearance and in ucneo
, of this passion in the administration of our pub
lie afIiirs, from the origin of our independent
governments to the present time. Curious and
interesting to the impartial patriotic reader as
such history well executed might DO, the wri
ter of this article will scarcely find leisure and
n ~ In, e r.
instances.
The consideration and discussion of The feder-
al Constitution, previous TO its adoption, was an
occasion on which we might reasonably expect
the most unsquivoca! display of if there be any
such thing as, politcs.i fanaticism and no doubt,
those who were conversant with the persons
and transactions of that time, might point out
many positive and conspicuous examples But
the particular situation in which the people Of
the United States then found themselves, serv-
cd mos, fortunately and powerfully to counter
| act and prevent the mschevous influence Of
this spirit. Many of the disasters, and much Of
the suffering, which had attended our revolu-
tionary struggle for liberty, were so evidently
produced &sprotracted, by the defective form of
our Confederation, and the consequent want of
consentaneous movement and energy in action,
that the people saw and agreed with general
nnanimity, that some important alteration in the
| form and character of the terms and articles of
our Union was indispensably necessary I'M
der this impression, the present Constitution of
the United States was pencaby adopted, and
carried into successful operation, in spite of ths
zeal and efforts of fanaticism in opposition to
il.
inf tha r.
French Revolution soon aroused aud animated
this frghtful spirit, and opened, for its action
and display, wide ahd crowded theatres, in eve-
ry nation of the civilised world. And in this
dangerous and fearful display, it must be ac-
knowledged, that the actors in our country wera
| not the hindmost On this extraordinary and
| eventim occasion, nothing but the unparalleled
| rectitude and stability Of ono man. and his total
| exemption from all liability to the contagion of
| fanatici SIN, saved country fiom plunging
| headong into all the horrors of the furious wars
which, for quarter of century, scourged and
afflicted all Europe with devastation and blood
shed. But WAsHINGToN-WAsHM m-made
and preserved 10 be more than once the saviour
OF his country, was at the head of the admins
tration OF our government. Others, indeed,
saw, as he did, the deplorable rashness and i'm.
prudence of which we should be guilty in r.lin-
gushing, without absolute necessity, our favour
able and fortunate position of peace and MURAL
ity; but he and he only, held the esteem, and
gratitude, and affections, and opinions of all the
American people so ine4tricably bound by
gordIan knot of ligaments impossible to be Ell
Their cut or untied that be was able to stem the
wild torrent Of fanaticsm, and to breas- the
wave most swoln that met him." in n current
ihat was Fastening impetuously and eagerly to
mix its waters with the boundless ocean now
hcaved into mountains, and driven into storms,
by conieading elements rushing furiess -
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