any defect in the Conftitution, we ought, I think, to view it as the gift of Heaven, through the timely exertion of our wife men, which has faved our country from a general wreck of morals and religion, and preferved the faith, dignity and union of the nation. The majority of enlightened Americans, I am perfuaded, feel a conviction, that this is not attributing too much to the Federal Constitution. It has had, and furvived its trials. To afk if it were perfect would be vain. It is the work of man. Since it has had a fair experiment under the most critical and trying circumftances, and has been found fully adequate to the great purposes for which it was formed, we ought to rely on it with confidence, and give it the full fupport of opinion. A rafh attempt to perfect, is too often fuccefsful only in deftroying. Whoever furveys the prefent ftate of fociety in America, and takes into confideration the different opinions of its citizens in politics and religion, and the unfettled habits of a large portion of them in practical morality, will fee the neceffity of a reform of manners, and a union of fentiment; and at the fame time be fenfible, that innovation in great political points, would not remove but increase the diforder, and probably leave it without a remedy. At prefent we have no common bond of Union, but the Federal Compact; this, if we confider it SIR, only in a focial point of view, has a manifeft tendency, to cultivate a good understanding between the States, and to introduce a uniformity in their laws, habits and manners. Should it be generally contemplated, as nothing more than a providential fyftem only, a mere fabftitute for fomething better, which exifts only in the teeming imagination of innovators; it will find diffentients, and apoftates too, fo long as ignorance has the prefumption to arraign the finished works of wisdom, or impofe its dictates on experience, and its first principles, inftead of the measures of its officers, might foon become the avowed object of difpute. But fhould the time ever arrive when its articles fhall be received like the laws of the "Medes and Perfians which alter not," we may from that period, calculate with certainty on the ftability of the American character, and the fecurity of her peace and honours. Confidering its principles as established maxims, not to be controverted, we shall find in the common occurences of life fufficient fcope for our invention, errors enough to correct, and abuses to reform. While as members of fociety, and interested for the public weal, we fhall do well to bear in mind,. that it requires but few great politicians to direct the affairs of a nation; but many good citizens are wanted to make it refpectable and happy, UNION. To the Editor of the Columbian Phenix. IF you should deem the following Extract worthy a place in your Phenix, by inferting it you will oblige one of your constant readers and humble fervant, S. B. ANTIQUITIES ANTIQUITIES OF INTERIOR AMERICA. [From the Manufcript of a late Traveller.] BESIDES thofe ruins in the Illinois and Wabash countries, which have been often mentioned, there are others no lefs remarkable many hundreds of miles farther weft, and particularly in the country about the great falls of the Miffifippi. As we approach thefe falls, commonly called St. Anthony's, we frequently meet with pyramids of earth, from 30 to 70, and even 80 feet in height. These are, most probably, the tombs of the ancient kings and chieftains of this part of America, though there are others which I am inclined to believe were erected in confequence of fome fignal victory, and poffibly, to cover the bones and carcaffes of the flain. In digging horizontally into feveral of thefe pyramids, a little above the bafe, we generally found a ftratum of white fubstance, somewhat like moift lime, and glutinous withal, extending in all probability feveral yards within; or perhaps nearly the whole length of the diametrical line. I had even reason to believe this confolidated chalky fubftance to be the remains of skele. tons, buried perhaps 200 centuries ago, and converted by time, and the operation of the elements, into their prefent state. Many tokens remain, on both fides of the Miffifippi, of the country being in ancient ages as well cultivated and as thickly inhabited as the country on the Danube or the Rhine; which fully proves that the literati have been too hafty, in denominating America a new world, or an original pref ent to the Europeans from the hands of rude nature. per A copper-mine was opened fome years fince, farther down the Miffifippi, and to the great furprife of the labourers, a large collection of mining tools were found feveral fathoms below the fuperficies of the earth. Another fon, in digging for a well, difcovered a furnace of brick work, five fathoms below the prefent furface; and in this furnace were found a quantity of coals and fire-brands, which, for aught we know, might have been kindled in the days of Mofes or Lycurgus. Not long fince, at a spot on the fhore of the Ohio, where the bank had been wafted by the undermining of the water, a stone dropped out, of the hardest kind of black marble, about seven pounds in weight, having twelve equal furfaces, each furface being mathematically equilateral and equingular five fided figures; this does not appear to be a lufus naturæ, but a work of exquisite art, the offspring of human ingenuity. Near the falls of the Miffifippi, there is a falt fpring in the bed of a river, which has been inclosed with ftone work of unknown antiquity, to keep out fresh water. In times of freshes, however, the river overflows the stone work, and mixes with the brine, so that it does not afford falt to the favages hereabouts, until the river is confiderably fallen. In feveral places, circular fortifications have been discovered in the fame country: these are con ftantly inclosed with deep ditches, and and fenced with a breaftwork. From thefe, and many other fimilar remains of antiquity, one would be inclined to think the world much older than has been commonly imagined. Several tribes on the western fide of the great river above mentioned, date their national existence for more than 20,000 moons back; and the Indians of the eastern world go infinitely farther into the depths of time, though both relate many events of thefe diftant periods, that are evidently mixed with fable. Жонон COMMON SENSE IN DISHABILLE. No. 39. NOTHING is more ftrange Far otherwife in New-England. Whether Providence has been more bountiful to my fellow-citizens of this favoured part of the world, than to others, and organized them in fuch a manner, that what gives pain to most people, affords them pleasure or what may be the caufe, the more. penetrating muft determine. But fo it is. To many of them, the found of a Dun, fo grating to moft cars, is the fweetest melody. When modified from the heart-"Pay me what thou oweit," to," Sir, here is a fmall bill, I hope you will give me the pleasure of receipting of it.” "I am in extreme want of the money, and hope you will do me the kindness to pay it.”—“ I have called on you twenty times, Sir, do not oblige me to call again," &c. &c. &c. The blunt imperative," Pay me, &c." to be fure does not melt in the ear of our greatest dun lovers, but is apt to difcompofe them a little. With the above modifications, declarative of the independence of the debtor, and the obligation he has it in his power to lay the creditor under, by not breaking his promife, it has an irrefiftible charm, and affords a pleafure, for the enjoyment of which he will forego almoft any inconvenience, except parting with a little cafh, the right to which belongs to the demandant. Thefe affertions may appear very strange, to those who have not feen the facts confirmed by obfervations. This perpetual Dun, may poffibly derive part of the pleafure attendant on it, from the good confequences it produces in keeping up a correfpondence and good neighbourhood between the debtor and creditor. Nothing certainly could could be better calculated to inculcate the doctrine of liberty and equality, than this fame page of a Dun, accompanied by the officious elf, the poor labourer, and humble mechanic, who may continue the repeated vifit to the firft rate gentlemen; and as an incontrovertible proof that they are cordially welcome, will be still preffed by their condefcending fuperiors to call again. er How it fhould happen that among people, diftinguished as men of business, defpifing ceremony on most occafions, this tedious, complimentary amufement, fhould poffefs fuch charms, and find fo many advocates, remains for the curious to determine. It is the office of ill nature only to turn people out of a path, they tread with pleasure, however circuitous it may be. But where amufement is attended with an extravagant waste of time, and many othferious inconveniencies, fuch as a difregard of all promifes and appointments, on which the regularity of business depends, depriving the labourer of his expected and hard earned meal, shutting up the honeft creditor in the prifon of his own house, or driving him to the neceffity of reforting to the law, in order to obtain in fome few half years what he ought to have received on demand-these are grievances that demand a redrefs, and preach loudly against the ill confequences of the amufement alluded to. The writer of this is no adept at abstract reasoning and grave di-dactic lectures. It is his bufinefs ito fend facts naked into the world, and strip principles of the falfe drefs fashion has given them, and let them take their chance for advocates or enemies. In order to furnifh fome data, from which to determine the merits of this dunning fyftem, he will particularize a few of its inconveniencies in one branch of bufinefs, and leave it with the reader to estimate its advantages in that and other occupations. The editor of a newspaper, if qualified for his important station, is a man who often needs, and always merits a punctual payment for his fervices. His income is made up of fmall fums, of from one to four dollars, the annual price of his paper, and still smailer for advertisements. Thefe papers are principally circulated in the country, and form the principal reading of our yeomanry, and are the mediums of that information, which they juftly prize as their higheft privilege. But the most ardent lovers of freedom pay its centinels with reluctance, and with all their prejudice against fome more falutary ones, are the most faithful advocates for the dunning fyftem. The paper which ought always to be paid for in advance, is commonly taken on credit, with the promise of pay, quarterly, half yearly, or at furtheft at the end of the year. Sometimes the fecond or third year, if the editor is not fairly starved before that time, he begins to dun his good cuftomer. This dunning correfpondence, by advertisements and private letters, (how many years longer, I am unable to ascertain) in a mongrel manner, as custom requires, half way between a beggar's petition and a prompt demand, for fear, I fuppofe, the good cuftomer fhould think Mr. Editor was about to to monopolize all the cash in the country, and become aristocrat, and turn up his nofe with indignation, and drop the paper. In our fea-ports, it would be a matter of curious calculation, to compute the fhoe-leather, that is often worn out, in running for the pay of a 75 ct. advertisement, and fee how much the editor would have faved by giving the debt, without any allowance for the time spent in dunning. It is unneceffary to add, that after the editor has more than doubly earned his money by this wonderful promptitude in delay, he thinks himfelf well off if he even realizes two thirds of his due. Some will reply by way of paliation, that I have felected a glar ing inftance. That the good people of New England, confidering the vexations attendant on the career of authors of all kinds, make a point of nipping mifery in the bud, and from motives of benevolence, fling every obftacle in the way of every one who puts ink to paper, unless in the form of a ledger, daybook, note, or bill of exchange, from the printer's devil, up to the school-master, editor, poet, and hiftorian. Be this as it may, I believe many are ready to acknowledge, that credit, which with punctual men, " is the life of trade," has been the ruin of one half of our bankrupt traders, fince it has opened the door to a never ceafing train of Duns. PASQUINIAN A. Quid fit pulchrum, quid turpe, quid utile, quid non. "A thing of fhreds and patches." SHAKESPEARE. IN the early part of my life, I had who he was, nor did he defift the pleasure of being introduced to the late Dr. Oliver Goldsmith, by Dr. Brocklesby, our common friend the author of the Deferted Village was a small man, about five feet fix inches in height, and his countenance was rather of a fingular formation: he had a projecting forehead, with a little, cocked-up nofe: he wore a tailed wig, which never seemed to fit him, and his appearance altogether was fo grotefque, that it excited an inclination in the beholder to fmile; but that propenfity fubfided, when the Doctor had spoken. The firft time I faw him, he was fitting on the carpet of my friend's drawing-room, playing with two infants; nor did I know from his fportivenefs, until a formal introduction had taken place, on the arrival of our hoft. Though Dr. Goldfmith was an able and verfatile writer, he did not manage conversation adroitly: he frequently hesitated, and not unfrequently committed blunders, though they were of the most innocent tendency: his unopportune remark at the table of the prefent Marquis of Lansdowne, is well known. It had been the fafhion with his Lordship's enemies, to defignate him as Malagrida: & fubject which the Doctor very unfortunately introduced, and which he rendered highly embarraffing, by obferving, that it was very furprifing the world should take fuch a liberty |