Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-27
Mr.. MADISON.

We acknowledge ourselves no little indebted
to the highly respectable gentleman. from whose
letter to US dated 18th instantly we have permits.
sion to extract the foIIowing:-Nat. Int.
sit will give you pleasure to hear that Mr..
MAprsoN, though still confined to his room by
rheumatism and general debility, has improved
lately IN health, and that both his spirits and
mental yigour are still unimpaired by age or dis.
ease.
81 lately made him visit in company with
Mr. r., our late -, and We both agreed
that we have scarcely ever before seen his intel
ectso bright and clear, and had never found
him 80 interesting He was in talking vein,
and fully verified what Mr.. JEFFERSON used to
say Of bin, that his Conversational powers were
unrivalled. He amused US with anecdotes of his
early mporarIes-answered our inquiries
about the olden time-cleared up doubts in our
domestic his,ory-and occasionally intermingled
reflections on the principles OF our government,
which were conceived in the spirit OF true philoso.
ply. and were expressed with d precision and
propriety Of language for which, on such SUB
iects. he has no equal. He seldom desceDds to
speak of party politics. and when he does, it is
never in tone Of asperity. The sneers Of the
political pigmies who have discharged their pury
shafts at him because he would not sanction their
false versions Of his own text, are OF course uu.
needed BY him. His thoughts seem to run ra.
Their on principles than individuals-on the great
national interests, present and future, rather
than on this or that measure of policy. Some OF
these general remarks appeared tome to be as
original as they were just. Thus he said that 80
far as the love of power and distinction inau.
enced the feelings Of our politicians towards the
gene al government, It had produced contrary
effects in the North and the South. In the North
the leading men felt a jealousy or apprehension
Of that levelllns, disorganizng spirit. which is
impatient of all control, aud in its excess thres-
tens the sacredness Of property; and that there
fore they view the general government with favor
& gratitude and were disposed to enlarge its pow.
ers which defended them against the spirit OF in
subordinaiion at home. But in The South, where
there is no ground for such. apprehensions-the
class Of persons without property being here nj.
led By slaves-the leading men regarded the
general government as diminishing their relative
Importance. and consequently we're inclined to
circumscribe lis power within as narrow limits
as possible
:. He also remarked that there were three cir.
cumstances which contributed to make the value
Of the Union less sensibly felt now than formerly.
One was, the greater strength Of the several
States, arising from their great increase in popu-
Iation and wealth. Another was, the diminished
danger from abroad; and the third was the in.
crease Of men of talented ambition-though he
left it to US to trace the operation Of these three
changes In our situation, aud to make their applI-
cation. Nor did he venture to predict the fu-
ture effects Of the same circumstances, al, of
which will obviously continue to increase. His
conversation was throughout high intellectual
treat, and know not when have passed two
days more delightfully."-. Ii is indeed most sra.
tifyins spectacle to see that the luminous mind ut
this venerable sage and patriot sheds as clear and
almost as brilliant light as it ever did in its me-
ridlan. and that the envious clouds which would
obscure its mild radiance serve but to make it
more beautiful and interesting.
"Mr. MADISON will leave, when he shall De
inter astra relatus. an invaluable legacy to poste
rity in his Debates of the Convention which form.
ed the Federal Constitution; for. according to
Mr.. JEFFERSON, the only person perhaps to whom
the author has ever shewn them, never were the
proceedings of deliberative body reported with
equal fidelity. But as nothing could induce him
to publish them in his life time, hope it will be
many years before the Public has this gratifica.
ton
sit is to be hoped that we shall find in the
growing intelligence Of the people, sufficient
counteraction.