L E T T E 11.
The RIGHT GOVERNMENT of a COMMON
WEALTH EXAMINED.
Dt a r Si R,
THE Engliih nation, for their improvements
in the theory of government, lias, at least, more
merit with the human race than any other among
the moderns. The late molt beautiful and liber
al (peculations of many writers, in various parts
of (Europe, are manifeilly derived from Eligliih
sources. Americans too ought for ever to ac
knowledge their obligations to English ws itei s,
or rather hive as good a right to indulge a pride
in the recollection of them as the inhabitants of
the three kingdoms. The original plantation of
our country tvas occasioned, her continual growth
has been promoted, and her present liberties have
been eltablifhed by these generous theories.—
There have been three periods in the liiftory of
England, in which the principles of government
have been anxiously studied, and very valuable
productions published, which at this day, if they
are not wholly forgotten in their native country,
are perhaps more frequently read abroad than at
home.— Jhe firft of these periods was that of the
Reformation, as early as thp writings of Ma
chiavcl himfelf, who is called the great restorer
of the true politics. ■ " The Sliorte Treatise of
" Politicke Power, and of the true Obedience
" which Subjetfts owe to Kyngs and otlie- civil
" Governors, with an Exhortation to all true
" natural Englifhemen, compyled by John Pon
" net, D. D." was printed in Ijj6, and contains
all th«e eflential piinci les of liberty, which were
afterwards dilated on by Sidney and Locke.
This writer is clearly for a mixed government,
in three equiponderant branches, as appears by
these words, p. 7. "In some countreyes tliey
" were content to be governed, and have the
" laws executed, by one king or judge ; in some
" places by many of the best forte ; 111 some places
" by people of the lowest forte; and in some
" places also by the king, nobilitie, andthe,peo
" pie altogether. And these diverse kyndesof
" states, or policies, had their diltin<fte names ;
" as where one ruled, a monarchic ; where many
" of the best, ariftocratie ; and where the mul
" titude, democratic ; and where all together,
" that is a king, the nobilitie, and commons, a
\ ( mixte state; and which men by long contijiu
" ancC have judged to be the best fort of all:
" for where that inixte state was exercised, there
" did the commonwealthe longest continue."—
The second period was the Interregnum, a:id in
deed the whole interval between 1640 and 1660.
In the course of those twenty years, not only
iPonnet and others were reprinted, but Harring
ton, Milton, the Vindicix contra Tyrannas, and
a multitude of others, came upon the stage.—
The third period was the Revolution in 16S8,
which produced Sidney, Locke, Hoadley, Tren
chard Gordon, Plato Redivivus, who is also clear
for three equipollent branches in the mixture,
and others without number. The discourses ol
Sidney were indeed written before, but the fame
causes produced his writings and the Revolution.
Americans should make collections of all these
speculations, to be preserved as the most pre
cious relics of antiquity, both for curiosity and use.
There is one indifpeniible rule to be oblervcd in
the perusal of all of them ; and that is, to con
sider the peiiod in which they were written, the
circumstances 'of the times, and the personal
character as well as the political situation of the
writer. Such a precaution as this deserves par
ticular attention in examining a work, printed
firft in the Mercurius Politicus, a periodical pa
per published in defence of the commonwealth,
and re printed in 1656, by Marchaniont Ned
ham, under the title of " The Excellency of a
" free State, or the right Constitution of a
" Commonwealth." The nation had not only a
numerous nobility and clergy at that time dis
gusted, and a valt body of the other gentlemen,
as well as of the common people, desirous of the
redowtion of the exileu royal family; but many
writers explicitly espoused the cause of simple
monarchy and absolute power: among whom
was Ilobbes, a man, however unhappy in his
temper, or detestable for his principles, equal
in genius and learning to any of his contempo
raries. Cthei s were employed in ridiculing the
doctrine, that laws, and not men, iliould govern.
It was contended, that to fay " that laws do or
" can govern, is to amuse ourselves with a form
" of speech, as when we fay time, or age, 01
" death, does such a thing. That the govern
" ment is not in the law, but in the person whose
" will gives a being to that law. That the per
" fed-ion of monarchy confilts in governing by a
"nobility, weighty enough to keep the people
" under, yet not tall enough, in any particulai
" person, to measure with the Prince, and by a
" moderate army, kept up under the notion of
" guards and garrisons, which may bs fufHcient
" to ftrangleail feditionsiu the cradlc ; by coun
" cils, not such as are co ordinate with the
" Prince, but purely of advice and difpatcli, with
" power only to persuade, not limit the prince's
" will In such a situation, writers on the
lide of liberty thought themfelvcs. obliged to
cor.hder what was then practicable, not stbfhact
edly what was the btiL: they felt the necessity of
leasing the monarchical and arilto.czatical orders
out of their fcliemes of government, because all
the friends of those orders were their tnemies',
and of addrelling themselves' wholly to the de
mon atical party, because they alone were their
friends; at lealt there appears no other hypo
thecs on which to account for the crude concep
tions of Milton and N eel ham. The latter, in his
preface, discovers his apprehensions and feelings
too clearly to be iniftaken, in these woids : " I
" believe none will be offended with this follow
" ing discourse, but those that are enemies to
" public welfare : let such be offended flill ; it
" is not for their fakes that I pnblifh this enfu
" inn treatise; but for your fakes that have been
" noble patriots, fellow foldici s and Jufferers for
" the liberties and si eedoms of your country."
As Mr. Tuj-got's idea of a commonwealth, in
which all authority is to be collected into one
centre, and that centre the nation, is supposed
to be precisely the projpifl of Marchamont Ned
ham, and probably derived from liis book, and
as " The Excellency of a free State" is a valu
able morsel of antiquity, well known in America,
where it has many paitifans, it may be worth
while to examiie it, especially as it contains
every semblance of argument which can po' bly
be u'-ged in favour of the system, as it is not on
ly the popular idea of a republic both in France
and England, but is generally intended by the
words republic, common-wealth and popular slate,
when used bv Etiglifh writers, even those of the
liioft sense, tafle, and learning.
(To be contiuued.)
* See the political pamphlets of that day, written on the fide of
monarchy.
NATIONAL MONITOR No. V7~
" Temporary expedients do but prolong the pub
lick distress."
THE imperfection of human nature is such, that
its inherent resources are inefficient to retrieve the
misfortunes of hfift :—The public dijtreffes brought
upon America by the late war, have been conpdered as
evils necessarily resulting from the derangement oj
our Governments, our habits and pnrfuits—and that
time and experience -will, in the natural course oj
events re ft ore us again to tranquility and happiness.—
It may be prejumed, that this sentiment has had too
much influence upon the public mind; for we have
been supinely waiting fir natural or forne other
caufs, extraneous from our own exertions, to do
that for us, which we Jhould have done for tur
felves.—The woes cf private life are obliterated by
the Lnient hand of 'Time ; but the evils of a Commu
nity, like a flood which deluges a country, tnuft have
the fpeetfy united exertions of a People, to form fame
medium by which tiey may be carried off.
Time, which affords a sovereign Cure for private
adds to the weight of public Calamities ; for while
the difsaji exijts, like a contagion, it spreads from
one part of the community to the other, with encreaf
ing and aggravated force, till it becomes fa un'tver
fal, and acquires such strength, that a new creation
is as practicable, as bringing back a debauched, licen
tious, unprincipled people to the paths of virtue, or
der and government.
It has often been observed, that the hand of Hea
ven was as confpicuotis, in difpoftng the People oj
America to adopt the New System of Government, as
it was in supporting and carrying us through the late
war.—This illumination of mind plainly indi ates,
that those principles which had beer, early imbibed by
our ancejiors—which had been transmitted from fire
to fun, and which led us to Empire and Independence,
though injured and weakened, had not entirely lofi
their force —they have broken out in a blaze of lujlre
highly honorary to our character, leading the States
in Union to adopt the only solid expedient commensu
rate to their exigencies, the New Conftitution —the
righteous administration of this free Government will
pruve a cathclicon for the dlfeafes of the nation. C.
ABORIGINES OTAMERTCA.
THE charatfle: iftical features of the Indians of
America, are, a very final! forehead covered with
• hair from the extremities to the middle of the
eyebrows. They have little black eyes, a thin
nose, small and bending towards the uppei lip.
The countenance broad ; the features coarse ; the
ears large and far from the face ; their hair very
black, lank and coarse. Their limbs small, but
well turned ; the body tali, strait, of a copper co
lor, and well proportioned ; strong and acftive,
but not fitted for much labor. Their faces smooth
and free from beard, owing to a custom among
t hem of pulling it out by the roots. Their coun
tenances, at firit view, appear mild and innocent,
but upon a critical infpetftion, they discover some
thing wild, diftruftful and sullen. They are
iferrous with tlieir bows and arrows ; fond of
adorning themselves with firings of beads and
: shells about their necks, and plates in their ears
i and nolfcs. In summer they go aluioft naked ;
j but in winter they cover themselves with the
;fkins of beasts taken in hunting, which is their
principal employment. They many times torture
their pril'oners in the most fhockitig and cruel
manner ; generally scalp them, and fometiines
'broil and eat them' Marfe's Geography.
MISCELLANEOUS.
EAST-INDIA INTELLIGENCE.
" New-York, MAY, 23, j-fc*
ThefliipChefapeake, from Bengal] John O'Donnel, Esq. owr,-
cr and commander, arrived in Amboy, has brought*a valuable car«o
fcftnfifting of almost every piodu£tion and manufatture of Aha
He has had a very quick paflage, being only tour months, includ
ing five or fix days ft ay at the islands of St. Helena and Afcctu;o>,
from Bengal. By Mr. O'Donnel's arrival, we are favored w><h
the following intelligence :
Th£ Chesapeake was the firft American vefTel allowed to hoiffc
tlie colors of the United States in the celebrated river Gangt> and
to trade there. When Lord Cornwallis the Govcrnoi-Gtrier.!
then at a great distance up the country, was applied to bv iateV
from Calcutta, to know in what manner the Americans were to
be received, hisanfwer was—On the fame footvng with the othtr
nations. This answer being probably conformable to his infrac
tions from Great-Britain, Qvincc the friendly disposition of that
nation in that quarter, for the American ships pay no more atar.y
of the English fettiements of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, which
Mr. O'Donnel visited, than other fore'gneis. It is to be noticed
#lfo, that the fuprcme council of Bengal, have taken off a huvy
duty, called governmental customs, which included cxpor.g
well as imports : This duty all other nations, except the Enoiift
were liable to. This on Madeira Wine was so high as 18 rupas
the calk—and one rupee, or 2[6. fterl. on ali Wines in bottles.
All forts of European Goods—Wines, Spirits, &c. were fellinr
at the different European fettiements in Inuia, considerably under
prime cost, in consequence of the markets being overflo&ed. The
best Madeira wine M ould not net twenty pounds fterl. the pipe.
Capt. Kerby, in the Betsey from Philadelphia, arrived fafe at
Bengal, but in a very leaky condition ; her e-.rgo of Wine, &c,
was unloading. The vessel was to be fold, and not to retur;..
Capt. Randall, in the Jay, was fafe arrived at Batavia, from
Madras. It was supposed flie would winter there, and procttd
early next season to China.
Capt. Metcalfe, in the brig Eleanor, belonging to New-Yo-k,
lying in the river Tigris, was boarded weuuderftand by a number
of Chinese banditti; but by the fpinted conduct of the crew, who
brought a gun, loaded with grape, to bear on them, they werere
pulfed with the loss of some 01 then gang. The Capt. was up at
Canton.
All was profound peace between the country and European
powers in India, when Mr. O'Donnel failed. TheJiitherto reiilefs
and ambitious Tippo, son of the famous Hyder,Ally, andtheKng
lifti, appear heartily sick of wa , and are now fully employed m
reftoringloft credit, and their almost ruined finances, by fvflems
of reform and economy. *
The French at Pondicherrv were preparing a strong armament
to accompany the dethroned Prince of Cochin China, who late
ly v.sited France, and to aflift him in the recovery of his legal and
hereditary kingdom.
We understand, it is very unfafe for American vefTels to goon
thecoaftof Malabar, for fear of the Mahrattas fleets, who with
out diftin&ion capture the ships of all nations with whom they
have no treaty.
ONE SPIRIT ANIMATES THE WHOLE.
A late Boston paper contains the following paragraph. The
conduct of the Prelident of the United States, lays a correfponri
ent, places in so interfiling a point of view his truly illuttnous
chara&er as must endear him more than ever to hi« grawfuland
admiring countrymen —his disinterested refufal of all pecuniary
emoluments—his mild, conciliating language—his ftrongjy
implied opinion in favour of such alterations as shall improve*
and not injure the con ft i tut ion—his truly republican address to
the Senate and House of Repreftntatives—all'prove hira, beyond
controversy, the lame amiable, honcft, and GREAT MAN, the
fame real and unaffected friend to the PEOPLE, he always his
oeen. In being elevated to the firft place in the Union, he d®cs
not forget that he is still a citizen : And the manly style, and tru
ly democratic simplicity with which his firft official communica
tion is introduced, make us think that we heard the great Fabiis
addrefling the people of Rome, after having saved his country.
" Phi ladelphi a, May, 15.
The Speech of The President, upon his acceffidn to the go
vernment of the United States, deserves to be engraved in letter*
of gold. Antiquity h-s handed down to us nothingequal to it
J.he combination of juit and fublune principles, which appeal iu
every part of it, difcoverstne Christian, the patriot, and the Legi*
llator, in the highest degrees. Let vice and infidelity now hide
their heads. They can never, hereafter, beconfidered as faftnon
ab'e paris of a political character in the United States. Our il
luftrious y President, has taught us, from his present elevated
station, that to reverence the DEITY, and topraitife the duties ol
Morality, are the highest policy, as well as wisdom of a nation.
To render the present arduous station of our Prelident tafy to
him, it is the duty of eveiy citizen, to promote peace and order m
our count] y. To be the enemy of the Federal Government notv,
is to be the enemy of the great and good General Washi ngto>.
Arrived at Baltimore, for the purpofe'of the print
ing of cotton and linen cloats ar*d hangings, Mcilrs Col ay,
Chard on and Okinaro. It is uncertain in what place th;i
gentlemen will fix thcmfelves, but, wherever it ihall be, their fuc
ceis is moil eat neftly to be wifhcd, and amounts to a certainty.
I hey have been regularly bred and employed in that business in
the city of Nantz, 111 France, where the air of calico and papj- r
hanging printing is improved beyond any part of Europe. The
importation of printed i nens and cottons into the United States'"
estimated at fixty-five thousand pounds annually, besides which
are very large quantities of hangings made.
PRICE OF STOCKS.
BOSTON.
Loan-OfHce Certificates, 4/7.
Pierce's Final Settlements, 4J).
Indents, 3J 2 -
li.'post Orders, 15/u
Specie Orders, 10f.
(Rr SUBSCRIPTIONS for the « COURIER DE BOSTON," -
nezv weekly paper, publijhcd at Bojion in the 'French Language, are re
ceived at No. 9, Maiden Lane. [ The utility of 1 paper miais aim" l
universal language need n6t be hinted to thole, who wish to ac
quire the French tongue. J _
03* Completefetts from the beginning, oj the GAZETTE OF THE
UN II ED STA'I ES, may at any time be obtained by thoji who chvj( 0
fubjynte for that publication, at the Editors Office, No. 9, Maiden-L ant-
THE \PRESIDENT'S HOUSEHOLD.
WHEREAS, all Servants and others, employed to piocuff
provisions, or lupplies, for the Household of The
of the United S.tates, will be furniihed with monies lor thoK
purposes. Notice is therefore given, That no accounts, for
payment of which the Public might be cor.fidered as relpO"'
fible, are to be opened with any of them.
Samuel Fraunces, Steward of the Hovfcho'
Publifticd by JOIttTFENNO, No. 9, Maide^"
Lane, near the Os wkco-Mar ket, New-York.