THE RIGHT CONSTITUTION OF A COMMONWEALTH
EXAMINED.
(CON TIU AjTJJ.p N\)
XEDHAM talks of •' senate. and people's feeling the burthens
•' of the fury of the kings but as we cannot accufethis writer
of ignorance, this mult have been either artifice or inadvertence.
There li not in the whole Roman hillory so happy a period as this
under their, kings. The wiiole line were excellent cliara&ers, and
fathers of their people, notwit'.i/hnding the continual cabals of
the nobles agaiuft them. The nation was formed, their morali
ty, their religion, the maxims of their government, were all eita
bhfhed under these kings : The nation was defended againil innu
merable and warlike nations of enemies ; in iftort, Home was
never so well governed or so happy. As soon as the monarchy
was abolished, and an ambitious republic of haughty afpiriug ari
ilocratirs wa* eretted, they were seized with the ambition of
conquest, and became a torment to themselves and the world.
Our author confeifes, that 44 being freed from the kingly yoke,
4i and having fecuredall Dower within the hands of themiejves and
*• their posterity, they fell into the fame absurdities that had been
44 before committed by their kings, lo that this new yoke became
" more intolerable than thetormer." It would be move conform
able to the truth of hillory to fay, that they continued to behave
exactly as they had done ; but having no kings to murder, they
had onlv people to destroy. The .sovereign power was in
them under the kings, and tliei r grealeft animolity againlt their
kings, next to the ambitious defiic of getting into their places, was
their too frequent patronage or the people. The only change
made bv the revolution was to takeoff a little awe which the
name of king ifrifpired. The office, with all its dignities, authori
ties, and powers, was in fa6l continued under the title of consul ;
ic was marie apnuallv elective it is true, and became accordingly
a of the senate, wholly destitute of any power or will
to protect plebeians, a difpoQticjn which the hereditary kings al
ways discovered more or less, thereby became odious to the
senate ; for thi-re is no fin or'crime lo heinous in the judgment of
patricians, as for any one of their own rank to court plebeians,or
become their patron, prritc&or, Or Iriend.
It is very true 44 the nevy yoke was more intQlqrqblf than
44 the old, nor could the people find any remedy until they pro
-44 cured that necellarv office of t"he tribunes." This was form
remrdy,but a very "feeble and ineffectual oiie : Nor, if the people
had inllitnted an annual affeinbly of 500 representatives, would
that have been an effectual remedy, without a plenary executive
power in the consul ; the senate and alfembly wpuld have Ljetii
soon at wir, and the leader of the victorious army mailer of tin
ilate. If 44 the tribunes, by being veiled with a temporary au
44 thority.by the people's election, remained the more fetffible of
i: their condition," the American governors and senators, veiled
as they are with a temporary authority by the people's election.
wHI reniain sensible of their condition too. If they do not be
corhe too sensible of it, and discover that flattery, and bribery,
and partiality, better calculated to procure renovations of their
authority, than honesty, liberty, and equality, happy indeed ihall
we all be !
4i What more excellent patriot could there be th in Mnnlius, till he
44 became corrupted bvtinie and power?" Is it a clear cafe thatMan
iius was cprruptcd ? T«j me he appears the belt patriot in Roman
h'ftory : The m«ft humane,the moll equitable ; .the gjeatdl friend
of liberty, and the mofldefirous oj a conllitution truly free ; the
real friend ps the peonle, an<J the enemy of tyranny in every (hapc ,
as weir as the greatelt hero and warriourof his age—a much greater
chara&er than Camiljus. Our author's cxpreflion implies, that
44 there was no greater patriot," until he fawthe neccflity of new
modelling thp cpnftitytion, anil was concerting measures upon the
true principles of liberty, the authority of the people, to
checks upon the fmate. But Manlius is an unfortunate ipltance
for our author It was not time and power that inspired him
wi.t,h his deligns ; the jealou-fv and envy of the senate had removed
him from power : he was neither consul, di&ator, nor general.
Ariftoc/atical envy had let up Camillus, and continued him in
power, both as consul and dictator, on purpose to rival and mortify
Manlius. Ic was difcontinnance of power then that corrupted
him. if he corrupted ; and this generally happens, disappoint
ed candidates for popular elections arc as often corrupted b/ their
fall from power, as heiediiary anftocratics by their continuance
in it.
44 Who more noble, courteous, and well affe&ed tothe common
44 good tban Appius Claudius at firfl ? Butafterwards, liaving
44 obtained a continuaiiQii ps government in his own hands,
44 he soon loft his primitive innocence and integrity, and deyoted
44 himfelf to all the pra&ices of an absolute tyrant." This is very
tr.ue, b.ut ic was not barely continuation of power, it was absolute
power, that did the mifchief. If the power had been properly
limited in degree, it might have heeu continued, without limitati
on of time, without corrupting him : though it might be better to
limit it, both in degree and in time ; and it mull never be foi
goiten that it was the people, not the senate, that continued him
i:x nower.
Tlie senate ?£led an arbitrarv and reprehcoftblepart, when they
thought to continue Lucius Quintius in the consul/hip longer than
the time limited by law : bv violating the law they became tyrants,
and their ads was void. That gallant man acted only the part of
a good cit-zen in refufing to set a precedent 10 prejudicial to the
Roman conllitution ; bis'inagnanimity merits praise : but perhaps
he was the only senator who woujd have refufed, and we cannot
fafely reckon upon fucb felT-dcii'ial in forrrfing any constitution of
government. But it may be depended on, that when the whole
power is in one afletnbjy, whether of patricians or plebeians, or
-•nv mixture of botl) ? a favourite will be continued in power when
ever the majority wifhrs it, and every conceivable lundamental
2Uw, or even oath, againlt it will be dispensed with.
From the Massachusetts Magazine.
OE NI LEMF. N,
T.ie depth of philological knowledge, j'iftnefs of fentimert, and
gLirity of ftylp, which .ire the characfefilhcs of Mr. WibsterV
Vi/jcrtatwiii on th( Englju Lfinguge, mutt recommend thrin to
the* attention of <v ry American. Perhaps no part of them is
more cftnnation, than those spirited p iges, where he
iras attacked the proud demiGodsof Briulh Literature, and
JjuijiMed their Qcttifs of Hiftoty, iu the dull of Criticism. As
H ivs.rim«n sis hjafuperior .ib'iitics, nice difccrnnient, and c,or
r.st taste," please to insert the iiiliowing. Your (Sic. Z. M.
IVEJISTER's CRITICISMS" UPON CIBBON's
HISTORY.
fW no particular is the falfetafteof the Englilh
more obvious, than in the promii'cuqus cncomiums
lhey have bellowed on Gibbqn, as a liiftorian.
Hii work is not properly a " Hijlory of the de
cline a:id fall of the Roman empive hut a
" poetical historical description of certain persons
and events, embellHhed with luitable imagery find
•episodes, designed to show the author's talent in
felcCtins; woYcls, as well as to delight the ears of
his readers." In his history Hiould be en
titled, " A difplayof words except fomechap
ters which are excellent commentaries on the
hiitory of the Roman empire.
The general fault of this author is, he takes
more pains to form his fcntejiccs, titan to colletft, i
arrange and e::p.ef> the facts in ancafv and per- J
fyicuous manner. In confcquepcc of attending
to ornament, he seems to forget chat lie is writing
for the information of his reader, anil when he
ought to irrjtruft the mind, he is only [> leafing the
ear. t\ully poliefied of his fubjecft, he describes
things and events in general terms or figurative
language, which leave upon the mind a faint
evanescent impreliionoffome.indeterminateidea ;
fp that the reader, not obtaining a clear precil'c
knowlege of the fa<fts, finds it diflicult to under
ltand, and iinpoflible to recollect the author's
meaning. Let a man read his volumes with the
molt laborious attention, and he will find at tin
close that he can give very little account of the
" Roman Empire but he will remember per
fectly that Gibbon is a molt eleg;nt writer.
Hiltory is capablc of very little embellilhinent;
tropes and figures are the proper inltruments 01
eloquence and declamation ; falls only are the sub
jeCts othJJtor, . Renditions of the author are ad
mitted ; but these should not be frequent ; for
the reader claims a right to his own opinions.
The justness ol the historian's remarks may be
called in queftion—facfts only are inconteftible.
The plain narrative of the lcripture historians,
and oi Herodotus, with their dialogues and di
grefiions, is as tar superior, considered as pure
liittory, to the affected glaring brilliancy of Aile
and manner, which runs through Gibbon's wri
tings, as truth is to fiction ; or the vermillion
blush of nature and innocence, to tlie artificial
daubings ot falhion. The firft never fails to
affec't the heart—the last can only dazzle the
senses. Another fault in Gibbon's manner of
writing, is, the use of epithets or titles instead of
names. " The Cafar, tjie conqueror of the ealt,
the protector of the church, the country of the
Citfars, the foil of Leda," and innumerable
linnlar appellations are employed, inltead of the
real names ot the persons and places ; and fre
quently at fucha diltance from any mention of
the name, that the reader is obliged to turn over
a leaf and look for an explanation. Many of the
epithets are new ; custom has not made .us fami
liar with them ; they have never been substituted,
by common consent, for the true names ; the
reader is therefore surprised with unexpected ap
pellations, and constantly interrupted to find the
persons or things to which they belong.
I am not about to write a lengthy criticism
on this author's hiltory ; a few paliages only will
be (elected as proofs of what I have advanced.
" Decline ana Fall of the Roman Empire," vol
3, oift. chap. 17: In explaining the motives of the
hmperors tor removing the feat of governmeni
from Rome to the East, the author fays,—Rom,
was insensibly confounded with the dependeni
kingdoms which had once acknowledged her su
premacy ; and the country of the Ctejars was view
ed with cold indifference by a martial prince
born in the neighbourhood of the P^nube,educa
ted in the courts and armies of Alia, and inverted
with the purple by the legions of Britain." Bj
our author's beginiug one part of the sentence
with Rome, and the otherwith the country of tht
C.rfars, the reader is led to think two different
places are intended, for he has not a suspicion ol
a tautology ; or at lcaft lie l'uppofes the authoi
uses the country of the Ccrfars in a more extensive
sense than Rome. He therefore looks back and
reads perhaps half a page with '.closer attention,
and finds that the writer is speaking of the feat
of empire, anj therefore can mean the city of Rome
only. After this trouble he is dil'pleafed that the
author lias employed five words to fwel] and adorn
bis period. This however is not the only diffi
culty in understanding the author. Who is the
martial prince ? In the preceding sentence, Dio
clefian is mentioned as withdrawing from Rome;
md in the sentence following, Conftantine is said
to \ iiit Rome but seldom. The reader then is
left to colled: the author's meaning, by the cir
cumltances ot the birth, education and election
of this martial prince. If he is pofleffed of these
facts already, he may go on without much trouble,
The author's affectation of using the purple foi
the crown of imperial dignity, is so obvious b}
numberless repetitions of the word, as to be per
fectly ridiculous.
" In the choice of an advantageous situation
he preferred the confines of Europe and Asia ; tc
curb, with a powerful arm, the barbarians whe
dwelt between the Danube and Tanais ; to watch
with an eye of jealousy, the conduct of the Persi
an monarch." Here the members of the sentence
in Italic, are altogether fuperfluous ; the authoi
wanted to inform his reader, that Diocletian de
fined to curb the barbarians and watch the Per
sian monarch ; for which purpose he chose a fa
vorable situation ; but it was wholly immaterial
to the fubjeift to relate in what manner or de-j-ree
the Emperor meant to exert his arm or his jealou-
Cv. Nay, more, thel'e are circumltances which
are not reduceableto any certainty, and of which
the writer and the reader can have no precise idea.
Withthele views, Diocletian had fele(tedand
embellished the rcjidence of Nicbmediau."—ls Ni
comedian a princess, whose residence the Empe
ror feledted and embellished ? This is the raoft
obvious meaning of the sentence. But Nicome
dian we learn from other paflages, was a citv
the residence ufelf of the Emperor. Yet the au
thor could not tell us tliii in a few - 1
without Ipoiliagtlie harmony of'
cliofe therefore to leave it obfeure ami m! ; e
matical. 1 UD S'am-
But the memory of Dioclofi-m
abhorred by the f,rot«hr of-the church - Jj? 1 *
jlantws was not insensible to the anlbi; ion off j
ing a city, which >„igft perpetuate tit, S "
his own name.' VVhoisth
By Conftantine's being
alter one would think he cannot be the W
intended ; yet on examination, this i s so
be the cafe. But why tins separate
it leenis the author meant by it to coiivev rV
idea ; That Dioclefian was a persecutor tfl
church, therefore his memory was abhored b
Conftantine who was its protector ; tit
Ceujlautinr x abhorrence implied, and
be unfolded to the reader in a finale eokW i
this history ! I mutt have the liberty to think th
inch terfetufs of ihle, notwithstanding the autho
rities of Tacitus and Gibbon is a ornfs com,!'
tion and a capital fault.
PROGRESS OF \UmFA ~TIRE-.
A correspondent übferves, that there
was such a spirit of industry, and zeal top*
mote manufactures, in this town ami its viciuiu
as at preient prevail, rtlmoftever.y family ieeiK
more or less engaged in this way. There arc
now alio at work a carding machine, witha
three feet cylinder, two spinning Jennies of 6:
spindles each, and one of 58 spindles, and an!
after Arkwright Vconftruction, which carries
spindles by water ; fiom which machines, s
well as from large quantities ipun bv hand/cor
duroys, jeans, fuitians, denims, &. &c. arc
making.—There are fcvcral other jennies ertd
ing for the cotton, as well as carding and other
machines for the wool manufa&ory, amon"
which the wool picker and flying shuttle are m
provements every raifer of iheep and manufstS
uring family lhould poflefs. They are attended
with little expence, and greatly facilitate la
bour. As sheep are the molt profitable Itockthat
can be railed, and on their incrtafe depends tic
increase of our woolen manufactory,every fanner
who can raile flieep will lhew his love to his
country, as well as promote his own interest, by
increasing his flock. By this attention, as alio
an increased care in the raifer* of cotton in the
southern Rates to have it picked clean from tie
pod, kept free from dirt of every kind, proper
ly fepa rated, that which is fully ripe from that
which is not, aud having it cleaned in jennies
that will not inafli but separate the feed, we may
reft allured that there will be no occasion for
fending money out of the country for purchas
ing clothing. This care, adds our corres
pondent, must be highly interesting to the
southern states, in order to give their cotton its
proper value, as for want of this care it is leffep
ed atleaft 50 per cent, a great discouragement to
fall on the raifers, when by proper care they
might in time rival the Weft-India planters in
the production of that valuahle article, as iti
quality, when in perfection, needs not to tc
doubted.
NATIONAL MONITOR. No. XVI.
" O HAPPY, IF THEY KNEW THEIR HAPPY STATE."
LIKE mariners ejeap'dfromfkip wreck, weflandaj!flnifkcd.ittkiir.-
gen that awnted vs : li'/ien ice contemplate our situation and profftt:
under the auspices of the new Confiitution, u ire smile at the
enjoy thf flormV Haying piloted theJhip into a fcourt harbour, t'kt
remains, but that we enjoy the jruits of our labor, and make ththfi
prpvemeiit of the favours we have received from Heaven f Injf)'"j 1
country which abounds with all that nature can bejiow for convtiitin
enjoyment, and delight—biejjed with that firft of all earthly Nefifi 1
government of our own chufing, and which every day atp'reciitts tfi W
eflrem —and having the ad mini (Iration of it committed to the tirft
of our tried patriots and flqtrfmen y what can uie want to crown wj l '
hcity, but the accordance of our own wilts.
Happiness is evidently within our grasp : It invites andallunsif 1 "
its embrace.*, by every attraction, which wifdon can fi<rgejl,
iicy would desire: She fays to America, be wife, and know, and we
ttings which belong to your present and future peace: But her Jm'" "
t'lo attainable, are the result of exertion. No acfu/fitions are vim" l *
pr ice : Happiness for our country is offered upon the mojl
but terms} are annexed-THEY ARE PATRIOTISM, OBEV 1 *
ENCE AND SUPPORT TO THE LAWS, AND DILIGENT
AND ACTIVITY IN OUR RESPECTIVE
rhefe will traXKjuilize the public mind—givi energy,
dig;uty to the government, and enjure felicity to individuals,
communities, and States : And can We decline the purchase as a p vJ
pic ? HEAVEN FORhID > _
PRICE, CURRENT. •SEIV^YOKH
Jamaica Spirits, - &!•
Antigua Ram, - - - 4/8. <* 4JJ'
St. Croix, do. - - & ifi-
Country, do. - -
MaialTcs, - t/2. 2 /°-
Brandy, - 5/6. <* tfy
Geneva, - r - - sjh
Do. in cases, - - 2%f. & 2 9j-
Muscovado Sugar, - - 56/ a 7y*
Loaf, do. - - J/J'
Lump, do. - - V}*
Pepper, ... 2/0. a eyio.
Pimento, - y9- 1 5
Chocolate, - Vf
Cocoa, - - - 75/* a '
Coffee, - - «/&• " '/r
_ R^cf' (Caro -" a) " - "
Publiftied by JOHN FENNO, No
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