New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-05

Interesting Letters.

ii ters lately appeared in your paper, the object
in which was the Illustration, in part, Of the opinio
" Of certain prominent men on the present Constlt
ii tion at the time Of its incipiency. Be pleased
d publish these herennto annexed:
EXTRACT OF LETTER FROM WASHINGTON TO
. MADISON.
v 3lst March, ST. am glad to find that Coz
- gress has recommended to the States to appear
convention. 1t is idle, in my opinion % sappos
that Congress can be insensible to the lnaueqnac
of the powers under which they at present act, an
Y that, seeing it, they should not recommend fev
sion of the federal system; especially WIEN A.
rs considered by many as the only consu.un .
\. mode by which defects can be remedled.
y am fully Of opinion that those who lean to
Is f,oa,,chscal form have either not consulted th
Of public mind Or that they live in region which th
"a leveling principles in which they were pred penn
A entirely eradcated) is more productive OF Mon
Vt archical ideas than is the case In the Southern
n States where from the hdbitstal distinctions whlc
], have always existed among the people, one WON.
have expected the first generation and most rape
y growth of them. am also clear that admi..lht
u the afility nay the necessity of the monarchca
IS form. the period is not yet arrived for adoptlhs
\ the change without shaking the peace @ Inl
7 country to its foundation. That thorough reform
of the present system is indispensable. no one o.
L any Judgment can deny and with hand and hear
hope the business will be essayed in full conyen
ton.
After this essay is made, if the system prove insult
+ it (the monarchicar be attempted without civil
Al discord. Iconfess, however, that my opinion Of
public virtue is so far changed, that have my
doubts whether any system will enforce obedience
to the sovereign without the means OF coercion,
etc.
&, The said Convention met in May. and adjourned
on the 18th September succeeding, having framed
"A the present Constitution.
i WASHINGTON TO LAFAYETTE.
September. 49, sT--In the midst of hurry, and in
the moment OF my departure from this city. phil
adephia) address this letter to you. The princi-
pallndeed, the only design OF it, is TO fulfill the
promise made, that would send you the proceed
ings of the Convention. soon as the business was
i closed. More than this, circnmstanced as am at
| present, it is not in my power to do; nor am IN
clined to attempt it, as the enclosure must speak
for itself It's the result OF four months deber.
ation and it is now child of fortune, to be fos-
| tered by some and bndeted by others. What will
be the general opinion the reception OF it. is not
for me to decide; nor shell say anything for or
against it, If it be good suppose it will work its
wishes, etc.
1 WASHINGTON TO PATRICK HENRY.
M. Re77son 24th September, SIN the first
moment after my return, / take the liberty of
sending you a copy Of the Constitution which has
just been submitted to the people Of these States.
/ accompany it with no observations. Your own
| Judgment will at once discover the good and the
exceptionable parts of it and your experience OF
the difficulties which have ever arisen when at
tempts have been made to reconcile such variety
of interests as pervade the several States will rem
der explanation unnecessary. l wish the Consti-
tuition which is offered had been perfect, but
sincerely believe it to be the best that could be
obtained at this time etc. If nothing had
been agreed on by the Convention, anarchy would
soon have ensued, the seeds being deeply sown in
every soil. / am, etc.
A copy Of the above letter was sent to Thomas
Nelson and BENZ. Harrison. From Nelson no
reply appears From Henry the following is the
reply:
have to lament that cannot bring my mind to
accord with the proposed Constitution. The con
Germ feel on this account is really greater than
can express. Perhaps mature reflection may
furnish me with reasons to change my present SEN
timents into conformity with the opinions of
those personages, for whom have the highest
reverence.
FROM HARRIsoN's REPLY.
feel myself deeply interested in everything that
you have hand in or that comes from you; and
am so Wellassured OF the solidity of your judg- |
ment and rectitude OF your Intentions that never
stick at traes to conform myself to your opinion.
In the present instance am so totally uniformed
as to the general situation Of America, that can
form no Judgment of the necessity the Conyen- |
ton was under to give us such Constitution as it
has done. If our condition is not Gerry desperate |
fear that the remedy may prove worse than the |
disease. Age makes men often over-cautious. / |
from whatever cause they spring, / cannot divest /
myself of an opinion that the seeds of civil discord
are plentifully sown in very many of the powers
given both to the President and the Congress, and
that, the Constitution is carried into effect the
States south Of the Potomac will be little more
than dppenddges to those northward of it, etc.
WASHINGTON TO LAFAYETTE.
HI. Fefnofs, 18th June, 'ss.-The Convention of I
this State, to which the new Constitution has been
submitted for ratification, has been sitting almost
three weeks; and so balanced il it, that each side
asserts it has preponderance of votes. | am in
1lined to believe it will be in favor of the adoption
New Hampshire, it is thought, will adopt it without
much hesitation. It is little strange that the men
# large property in the North should be more
Lfraid that the Constitution will produce an aris
or a monarchy, than the genuine demo-
ratical people Of the East. The accession of one
,tate more will complete the number sufficient, in
he first instance, to carry the government into
fleet. And then I expect many blessings to be
ttributed to our 7aeo government which are taking
heir rise from that industry and frugality into
ihich the people have been forced from necessity
really believe that there neuer was so much labor
nd economy 70 be found before in the country as
the present moment. If they persist in the good
abits they are acquiring, the good effects will soon
e distlnguishable. When the people shall find
lemselyes secure under an energetic government,
hen foreign nations shall be disposed to give Us
lliation, ETC., then all the blessings will be re-
,rred to the influence Of the ne,1 government
-hereas many causes viii have conspfred to pro.
uce them.
ROM HENRY LEE {oF THE LEGIoN) TO GEN WASH
INGToN.
September 70, l7s8-Much will depend on the
art which the Assembly of Virginia may adopt in
MS business, and from the complexion of that
ody little is to be hoped. They appear to he
enerally opposed to the new Constitution, and
L. Z. Henry, with many of the coadjutors of the
rattying) Convention, are members also, of the
resent Legislature. Madison will not be there !.
or IS there in the Assembly friend to the new |
government OF comparative ability. 1t would be
ortunate if that gentleman could be brought inte
he Assembly.
The next two letters are not political exactly
he first is predatory and the second is pleasant.
is solemn style and homely subject form an agree
lble contrast in the latter. Indeed. could one
imagine his Excellency descending to a iest. II
might be supposed almost he was quizzing the
1ount-yet, perhaps, to some idosyncracies the
bona fide sense may render more exquisite savor
than the bona Jtde theory.
WASHINGTON TO MADISON.
JUNE u, l78s.--Can nothing be done in orr Az.
sembly Tor poor Thomas Paine? Must the merits
Of common senseo continue unrewarded H;s
writings certainly have had powerful effect unon
the pubic mind. Ought they not then to meet an
adequate return? He is poor, and almostin despair.
= tbs views are moderate, and decent Independence
=, peneve, all that he aims at. Ought he to he
I Unsupported IN this! For me, it only remains to
feel for his situation, and to assure you, etc.
Nevertheless, Virginia gave MFR. Tom Paine the