defeat any fober purpose at which he ultimately might have aimed. But am I fo unreasonable as to see nothing at all that deferves commendation in the indefatigable labours of this affembly? I do not deny that among an infinite number of acts of violence and folly, fome good may have been done. They who deftroy every thing certainly will remove fome grievance. They who make every thing new, have a chance that they may establish fomething beneficial. To give them credit for what they have done in virtue of the authority they have ufurped, or which can excufe them in the crimes by which that authority has been acquired, it must appear, that the fame things could not have been accomplished without producing fuch a revolution. Moft affuredly they might; because almost every one of the regulations made by them, which is not very equivocal, was either in the ceffion of the king, voluntarily made at the meeting of the states, or in the concurrent inftructions to the orders. Some usages have been abolished on juft grounds; but they were fuch that if they had ftood as they were to all eternity, they would little detract from the happiness and profperity of any ftate. The improvements of the national affembly are fuperficial, their errors fundamental. Whatever they are, I wish my countrymen rather to recommend to our neighbours the example of the British conftitution, than to take models from them for the improvement of our own. In the former they have got an invaluable treasure. They are not, I think, without fome caufes of apprehenfion and complaint; but these they do not owe to their constitution, but to their own conduct. I think our happy fituation owing to our conftitution; but owing to the whole of it, and not to any part fingly; owing in a great measure to what we have left ftanding in our feveral X 2 reviews reviews and reformations, as well as to what we have altered or fuperadded. Our people will find employ ment enough for a truly patriotic, free, and independent spirit, in guarding what they poffefs, from violation. I would not exclude alteration neither; but even when I changed, it fhould be to preferve. I fhould be led to my remedy by a great grievance. In what I did, I fhould follow the example of our anceftors. I would make the reparation as nearly as poffible in the style of the building. A politic caution, a guarded circumfpection, a moral rather than a complexional timidity were among the ruling principles of our forefathers in their moft decided conduct. Not being illuminated with the light of which the gentlemen of France tell us they have got fo abundant a fhare, they acted under a ftrong impreffion of the ignorance and fallibility of mankind. He that had made them thus fallible, rewarded them for having in their conduct attended to their nature. Let us imitate their caution, if we wish to deferve their fortune, or to retain their bequefts. Let us add, if we please, but let us preferve what they have left; and, ftanding on the firm ground of the British conftitution, let us be fatis-` fied to admire rather than attempt to follow in their defperate flights the aeronauts of France. I have told you candidly my fentiments. I think they are not likely to alter yours. I do not know that they ought. You are young; you cannot guide, but muft follow the fortune of your country. But hereafter they may be of fome ufe to you, in fome future form which your commonwealth may take. In the prefent it can hardly remain; but before its final fettlement it may be obliged to pafs, as one of our poets fays, "through great varieties of untried being," and in all its tranfmigrations to be purified by fire and blood. I have little to recommend my opinions, but long obfervation and much impartiality. They come from one one who has been no tool of power, no flatterer of greatnefs; and who in his laft acts does not wish to belye the tenour of his life. They come from one, almost the whole of whofe public exertion has been a struggle for the liberty of others; from one in whose breaft no anger durable or vehement has ever been kindled, but by what he confidered as tyranny; and who fnatches from his fhare in the endeavours which are used by good men to difcredit opulent oppreffion, the hours he has employed on your affairs; and who in fo doing perfuades himself he has not departed from his usual office: they come from one who defires honours, diftinctions, and emoluments, but little; and who expects them not at all; who has no contempt for fame, and no fear of obloquy; who fhuns contention, though he will hazard an opinion: from one who wishes to preferve confiftency; but who would preferve confiftency by varying his means to fecure the unity of his end; and, when the equipoife of the veffel in which he fails, may be endangered by overloading it upon one fide, is defirous of carrying the fmall weight of his reasons to that which may preferve its equipoife. A LET |