authority given to him, the effect will not be loft-he returns his objections, together with the bill, and unlefs two thirds of both branches of the legislature are now found to approve it, it does not become a law. But even if his objections do not prevent its paffing into a law, they will not be useless; they will be kept together with the law, and, in the archives of congrefs, will be valuable and practical materials, to form the minds of pofterity for legiflation-if it is found that the law operates inconveniently, or oppreffively, the people may discover in the president's objections, the fource of that inconvenience or oppreffion. Further, when objections shall have been made, it is provided, in order to secure the greatest degree of caution and refponfibility, that the votes of both houfes fhall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the perfons, voting for and against the bill, fhall be entered in the journal of each house respectively. Thus much, with regard to the Conftitution itself, the diftribution of the legislative authority, and the reftraints under which it is exercised. On the whole, though there are fome parts of the constitution which we cannot approve; and which no doubt, by the powers vefted in congrefs, and the legislatures of the different ftates, for that purpose, will in due time be altered or corrected, as prudence fhall dictate; yet there is much, that entitles it to the refpect of every friend to the freedom and happiness of mankind :- the people retain the fupreme power, and exercife it by reprefentation :-the legislative, executive and judicial powers, are kept independent and distinct from each other;-the executive power, is fo fettled as to secure VIGOUR and ENERGY with ACTUAL RESPONSIBILITY, in the perfon of the president, who fo far from being above the laws, is amenable to them, in his private character, of a citizen.-The line is drawn with accuracy between the powers of the general government, and the government of the particular states, fo that no distrust can arife to disturb the harmony of their union while the powers of both DERIVED BY REPRESENTATION FROM THE PEOPLE, must effectually prevent any difagreement or difcontent from taking place. Thus a principle of democracy being carried into every part of the conftitution, and reprefentation, and direct taxation, going hand in hand, the profperity of the country and the stability of its govern ment, will keep pace with each other. - We cannot take leave of this fubject, better than in the energetic and elegant language of Dr. Ramsey, with whofe fentiments we agree, and with whose wishes we unite. "Citizens of the United States! you have a well-balanced conftitution established by general confent, which is an improvement on all re publican forms of government heretofore established. It poffeffes the freedom and independence of a popular affembly, acquainted with the wants and wishes of the people, but without the capacity of doing thofe mischiefs which refult from uncontrouled power in one affembly. The end and object of it is public good. If you are not happy it will be your own fault. No knave or fool can plead an hereditary right to fport with your property or your liberties. Your laws and your lawgivers must all proceed from yourselves. You have the experience of nearly fix thousand years, to point out the rocks on which former republics have been dafhed to pieces. Learn wifdom from their misfortunes. Cultivate juftice both public and private. No government will or can endure, which does not protect the rights of its subjects. Unless fuch efficient regulations are adopted, as will fecure property as well as liberty, one revolution will follow another. Anarchy, monarchy, or defpotism, will be the confequence. By juft laws and the faithful execution of them, public and private credit will be reftored, and the restoration of credit will be a mine of wealth to this young country. It will make a fund for agriculture, commerce, and manufactures, which will foon enable the United States to claim an exalted rank among the nations of the earth. Such are the refources of your country, and fo trifling are your debts, compared with your refources, that proper fyftems, wifely planned and faithfully executed, will foon fill your extenfive territory with inhabitants, and give you the command of fuch ample capitals, as will enable you to run the career of national greatness, with advantages equal to the oldeft kingdoms of Europe. What they have been flowly growing to, in the course of near two thousand years, you may hope to equal within one century. If you continue under one government, built on the folid foundations of public juftice, and public virtue, there is no point of national greatness to which you may not aspire with a well-founded hope of fpeedily attaining it. Cherifh and fupport a reverence for government, and cultivate an union between the Eaft and South, the Atlantic and the Miffiffippi. Let the greatest good of the greateft number, be the pole-star of your public and private deliberations. Shun wars, they beget debt, add to the common vices of mankind, and produce others, which are almoft peculiar to themfelves. Agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, are your proper bufinefs. Seek not to enlarge your territory by conqueft; it is already fufficiently extenfive. You have ample scope for the employment of your moft active minds, in promoting your own domestic happiness. Maintain your own rights, and let all others remain in quiet poffeffion of theirs. Avoid difcord, faction, luxury, and the other vices which have been the bane of com monwealths. monwealths. Cherth and reward the philofophers, the ftatefmen, and " the patriots, who devote their talents and time, at the expence of their private interefts, to the toils of enlightening and directing their fellow citizens, and thereby rescue citizens and rulers of republics from the common, and too often merited, charge of ingratitude. Practife induftry, frugality, temperance, moderation, and the whole lovely train of republican virtues. Banish from your borders the liquid fire of the WeftIndies, which, while it entails poverty and difeafe, prevents induftry, and foments private quarrels. Venerate the plough, the hoe, and all the implements of agriculture. Honour the men, who with their own hands maintain their families, and raise up children who are inured to toil, and capable of defending their country. Reckon the neceffity of labour not among the curfes, but the bleffings of life. Your towns will probably ere long be engulphed in luxury and effeminacy. If liberties and future profpects depended on them, your career of liberty would probably be fhort; but a great majority of your country, must, and will be yeomanry, who have no other dependence than on Almighty God for his ufual bleffing on their daily labour. From the great excefs of the number of fuch independent farmers in these States, over and above all other claffes of inhabitants, the long continuance of your liberties may be reasonably prefumed." your "Let the hapless African fleep undisturbed on his native fhore, and give over wishing for the extermination of the ancient proprietors of this land. Univerfal juftice is univerfal intereft. The moft enlarged happinefs of one people, by no means requires the degradation or destruction of another. It would be more glorious to civilife one tribe of favages, than to exterminate or expel a fcore, There is territory enough for them and for you. Inftead of invading their rights, promote their happinefs, and give them no reafom to curfe the folly of their fathers, who fuffered your's to fit down on a foil which the common Parent of us both had previously affigned to them: but above all, be particularly careful that your own descendents do not degenerate into favages. Diffuse the means of education, and particularly of religious inftruction, through your remoteft fettlements. To this end, fupport and ftrengthen the hands of your public teachers. Let your voluntary contributions cónfute the dishonourable pofition, that religion cannot be fupported but by compulsory establishments. Remember that there can be no political happiness without liberty; that there can be no liberty without morality; and that there can be no morality without religion." "It is now your turn to figure on the face of the earth, and in the annals of the world. You poflefs a country which in less than a century will will probably contain fifty millions of inhabitants. You have, with a great expence of blood and treasure, rescued yourselves and your poste rity from the domination of Europe. Perfect the good work you have begun, by forming fuch arrangements and inftitutions, as bid fair for enfuring, to the prefent and future generations, the bleffings for which you have fuccefsfully contended." "May the Almighty Ruler of the Universe, who has raised you to independence, and given you a place among the nations of the earth, make the American Revolution an era in the hiftory of the world, remarkable for the progreffive increase of human happiness !” Having confidered the Conftitution in its theory, it now remains to contemplate it as reduced to practice; or rather the government arifing out of it and here the United States prefent to our view, a picture very different, from any we behold in the various countries of Europe. In the United States we fee the people raised to their due importance, reforting to first principles, afferting their own independance and forming a government for themselves; and when eleven years experience had convinced them of its infufficiency to fecure the important ends for which they defigned it, we again behold them laying it afide, and difcarding the contemptable arguments that would render innovation formidable, raising a new and more perfect system in its place, publishing it in their own name and giving it energy and effect, by their own willing fubmiffion to the laws and regulations it enjoins-here then we contemplate the government fpringing from its right fource; originating with the people, and exercised under the guidance of a conftitution formed agreeable to their fovereign will. On the contrary, if we carefully examine the Conftitutions, or what are so called, in Europe, we fhall find that they have had their origin in governments, prior formed by conquest and ufurpation; and that what appearance of order they have affumed, what portion the people poffefs in them, or what provifion they make for the fecurity of their liberties or property, have all been gradually procured by the people, ftruggling against the feverity and oppreffion of the feudal fyftem. Such was the origin of our Magna Charta, Habeas Corpus Act, and Bill of Rights, and fuch has been the origin of the fmall portion of liberty, which the other European nations poffefs. It is to America we must look for the first and bright example, of a nation fitting down in peace, causing a defective government to pafs away without a groan, and erecting another in its ftead more beneficial, and more congenial with its wishes. The goodness of a government, muft be eftimated by the share which the people at large have in it, the benefits they derive from it, and the 2 fmall fmall portion of individual liberty and property furrendered for its fupport. If we apply this criterion to the government of the American Empire, we shall find that it has a ftrong claim to our approbation, the whole of it may juftly be confidered as in the hands of the people. Its beneficial influence, may be fairly concluded from the rifing importance, and rapid improvements of the United States; and the small portion of property furrendered for its fupport will appear evident, if we confider the following eftimates laid before the House of Representatives. EXPENDITURE. Eftimate of the Expenditure for the CIVIL LIST of the United States, together with the Incidental and Contingent Expences of the feveral Depart ments and Offices, for the Year 1794. Ditto, to five affociate Judges, at 3,500 dollars per annum each 17,500 Ditto, to the Judges of the following districts, viz. |