PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 69, HIGH-STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA [No. 80, of Vol. ll.] Wednesday, February 2, 1791. The Tablet No. 155. (general subject continued and concluded) " The people of this country are employed in such a -way cis forrnt a charafler jjtojl compatible vj:tn tn: enjoyment of civil liberty." THAT a person fliould think favorably ofhim felf and his lunation, conduces very much to his acting with propriety and spirit. lhe fame remark may be applied to his political, no less than to liis personal tranfac'tions. It is of importance that a man, in order to be a Iteadj patriot, and a valuable citizen, fiiouM view the government under which he lives, with as much confidence and refpedl as it deserves. It his sentiments be strongly tinged with prejudices and suspicions, for which there is 110 real foun dation, all his e(Forts to pi eferve the government will be cold or petulant ; and he can never de rive pleasure by anticipating the prosperity of his country, so long as he does not believe it is in a jair way to pro/per. To have opinions well ef tabliihed, and feelings well disposed with regard to public affairs, one should not listen too much to the insinuations of men who are prone to pre- dict evil, and itnpofe censure, whenever they make public measures the theme ot their con verfition. There is ahappinefs as well as a util ity in having our opinions and feelings so justly accommodated to the state of things, that we may cherish no filly or ncedlefs anxieties about future contingencies. With this idea in view, I have employed the fix preceding eflays in a series of remarks upon the causes that operate te (ecure the freedom, and promote the prosperity of our happy country. It has been my intention to il lustrate, that these desirable objeifts retted on fucli a basis, as could not be deltroyed or shaken by casualties similar to those, which had over thrown the ancient republics. As the remarks and reasonings have not been reduced to any re "■ular fvflern, but have been communicated in a desultory manner, there is a propriety in my bringing them into a summary view, before 1 close the fubjetft. First of all, however, ft is incumbent on me to remark, that when 1 am speaking of the govern ment of this country, I have no fpecific reference either to the national or Stale authorities I view them altogether as forming one complete Government, ihe duty as vvell as the heft m terefts of the citizens are concerned, in having each legislature confining its attention to the objevS, for which they are now severally inftitu- But to proceed.—lt has been a leading idea in . thf difcullion of the present fnbjedt ; that, as , the character and ci.rcumftances of the people ot the United States do not relemble those ot any othe- nation, either ancient or modern, we can not fiirly make their cafe a precedent for our own. The occupations of men have such a pow erful .influence upon their moral character, that we havt only to know how the people ot any country ire employed, to ascertain the probabi lity, whether they will be molt inclined to a so ber and virtuous, or to a vicious and difordeily conduift. We must always look to the character of individuals, as anefleniial point to be regard ed in eftimatiag the chances that may afFetfi the welfare of the community. It cannot, indeed, too often be repeated, that the state of society, more than the form of government, fliould be contemplated, in ?.ll our hopes and fears, with refpeA to that propitious combination of law and liberty which qualifies the excefles of both. And, as theinliabitants ofthe United States have those employments and consequently those cha raifteriltics which form a good ftatij of society, may we not fafely infer, that we may escape those dilafters, to which the antient republics were | exposed, only because they had those employ ments and consequently those charadleriltics which form a bad itate of society ? Other remarks also have been made, to ex plain away the fears (ome people may entertain, left our encreafing wealth and luxury should prove <reftrucftive to our morals and freedom. The dillblute manners of antient times, though prefetrted to our imagination under their worfl afpecl, should not inspire us with terror, or check our avarice and industry. We gain our property, as a people, by flow and imper ceptible degrees, and form such habits in the course of the acquifitioii, as will guard us against a desire for those abftird and barbarous recrea tions, and that capricious extravagance, into which those nations unavoidably plunged, who ama lied wealth with rapidity and rapine. The ancient, warlike lepublics gained excenfive con quells, and pollelled immense stores of riches, before they had learned toeftimate their value, or control their application. It could not but be expedtec: therefore, that degeneracy and ru in would be their fate. That kind of luxury which attends the gradual prosperity of an in dustrious people operat.es as a forcible spring to industry, and creates that elasticity in society, which gives motion to the inoft ufeful, and vir tuous operations. Refinement does not neceflari ly imply vice, nor deflroy liberty. Upon the whole, as we do not acquire property in such modes as the antients did ; and as their wealth became pernicious only by the modes in which it was acquired, our apprehensions may be at reft on this point. But I have further suggested, that probably few individuals in this country, can ever ac- | cumulate enormous riches. The reason affigti ed for this conjeiflure is, that the bufinel's of this country is distributed among so many hands, that immense gains will not fall to the share of any great portion ot adventurers. The talk of legislation mull: lose much of its irkfomenefs when it is employed (upon citizens who are so occupied, that they may be fafely left to their own difcretjon in the management of their own affairs. There is nothing to be feared on the part of the government, from the prof perity of individuals, thus situated. The peo ple of this country can discern too well what promotes the public inte.reft, and are too willing to embrace wife measures, to reft long fatisfied with frivolous, defective initiations, or to (hew a temper of refinance to those that are judicious, liberal and efficient. The flight Iketches that have been offered in this and some preceding es says, upon the character and situation of this country, may lead the speculative mind into a train of reflections, and draw from him new and important light upon a fubjecl which cannot be too much contemplated. FOR THE GAZETTE Of THE UNITED STATES. Extract oj a letter to a Mtmier of Congrejs, datei January 14, I 79 1 - " E of the effects of our preterit govern v_/ merit is the forming connections and im proving social intercourse amougthofe who wer« before ltrangers to each other. Had it not beer "or our political union, I might never have had iny other relation to you, than what came b) he way of Adaip ; but now I have the honor tc ■all Mr. my repfefentative, and truly so jecalife the man of my choice. Viewing me it his relation, you will not deem it impertinent il drop a few words on a fubjetft which has much my thoughts ; though perhaps what nay fay cannot suggest to you one new idea. " I perceive that ihe£)uakers are again coming 'orward with th-ir. petitions and memorials. They profefs to be a peaceful, gentle, iiioftenfivs ;ind of people, enemies to all ltrifeand conten ion ; but whoever is acquainted with their trw, uftory, or has been intimately conversant among hem for 20 jtears, of which 7 were years of w;u md revolution in government, mult know thai hey have no tetter claims to the character which hey aflame, than any other equal number o! nankind, taken at large ; their peculiaritie; >ften render them troublesome to government ind they have more complaints to make aboul heir fufferingr than any other denomination ol leople. The reason of this cannot perhaps be riven in better words than tliofe of an honell Zhief Justice of the Delaware counties, and i jentleman of their own religions persuasion : < To admit the ufefulnefs of civil government o mankind, and yet to advance the polition that ill manner of force and felf defence is unlawful, sa fyftein full of inconfiltency and big with ab "urdity and - nonsense."* " A specimen r.f 1 think we iave in a memorial to Congress juil now pub irtied, by the yearly meeting at Philadelphia. In one part they tell you, that they are " more olicitous to promote the dominion of the prince * See the addresso f SAMUEL Chew, Chief Justice of Delaware, 'o a grand jurr, in the year 1741, reprinted 111 Aitken's Penn fyNania Magazine, for Auguil, i 775» P a g e 346, wherein the ar guments of Robert Barc lay aga.nft war, are examined and • efutcd. 725 HHso [Whole No. i 84.] of peace than to escape fufferings, Isecaufe ftrife ind contention are forbidden." In another, that they are conscientiously bound to refule pay ment of every sum required in lieu of personal service however laudable the purpose to which the money is applied." Now if they are bound to refufe paymeftt, is not this the fame as to fay that they are bound in conscience to escape fuf ferings, and to live in continual ftrife and con tention with government ? " That they should be indulged\n their notion which they fay they confcientioiilly hold, of the unlawfulnefs of war, aiul consequently exenip cd from personal service, is a dic'iate both of mo rality and of policy ; but that they should be ex cused from a cempenfation for personal service is not warranted by either ; not by morality be canfe it takes away from them the power of giv ing the only substantial proof of the sincerity of their religious fern pies ; nor by policy, becatife it (rives them an advantage over all other reli gious denominations, none of which are known in the constitution. Should they obtain the ex emption which they a: e feeking,the natural con sequence will be an increase of their party, for every cowardly or difafie<sted citizen, every one who from any principle whatever has an aver sion to serving in the militia, and contributing to the fuppoft of government, may plead, " 1 am a Ouaker," and if you admit of a certificate from their monthly meetings as an evidence of the validity of his plea, you will put it into their power to diminish your forces and y our refoui ces at theit plealure. Besides, will not this amount to a legal ellablifhinent quo ad hoc of the Q_uaker form of religion, when no other form is even ac- I knowledged by law to exist in the United States !" PROVIDENCE, January 20. F.xtrad 0} a letter from Philadelphia.. \ The militia system is befoi£!Lhj2_Houfe of Re presentatives—they have been employed ufpSß-ic fometiine. A New-England legiflatufe would have probably finifhed it in lef's time than has al ready been taken up—but let it be considered'; the people of New England have been accultom ed to militia regulations from the earljeft ieftlc rijent of the country —this has not been the-cafe in so extetifive a degree in the Southern slates. No object of legislation is of greater importance, or attended with greater difficulties. The ideas of rtie people in the Northern and Southern parts of the union differ 011 many matters.—but they are every dqy more and more assimilating in their manners, in their dispositions, and are con tinually flrengtbeuingin their attachment tb the common good of our country. —OurSNort'ficrn friends mud not therefore be too impatient, or think that we are spending our time and their money fruitlefsly.—Let them consider what great things have been done—what.a profperousfj.tua tion our country is in—how our credit is rising at home and abroad, and let them hope for still better things when the new government has its full operation in the execution of those great na tional Arrangements which cannot at once be e stablished, but which-Congrefs are induflrioufly employed in promoting. Senate are now employed in framing a bill for the eflablifhment of a National Bank.—lt' is probable that it will in general be conformed to the plan recommend ed by the Secretary of the Treasury, who has been very affiduousin this business, and who most deservedly has the confidence and efleem of the nation.—His indefatigablenefsin building up the national government is unparalleled in our coun try. From the time that he signed the constitu tion in 1 787 to this day he has not ceased on all oc casions to labourinceflantly in its support. The two volumes of the federalift written by liim, and the plan of Finance and national arrange ments which he has proposed, fliew liim to pos sess a great and comprehensive mind, capable of forefeeing consequences. " The eftabliflimetit of a national mint, and coinage feenis to be wiflied for by the legislature and the nation at large, and I cannot but hope that we (hall, before many months are elapsed, have an American coinage, of gold, silver and copper. A plan is now preparing for that pur j pose, and is in considerable forwardnefs." MASSACHUSETTS SLM-AXNUAL LOTTERY £ f Thf Managers of the STATE LOTTERY ;:ffurc tl • public, that the firft Class of the S?mi-anuual Lottery will pofnive- Iv commence drawing on the day appointed, viz. the :7 ; h ot March next. Arthe Managers have in their fevera! Monthly Lot 'e-rtes commenced drawing at the hour aligned, so they arc dct:r ---1 mined to be equally as puuftual io t : :
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