The New York Journal, And Weekly Register

PHILADELPHIA, August 30.

A correspondent says, that situated as this country is at present, and in intimate alliance with an intriguing, ambitious nation who have taken delight in destroying the liberties of mankind, it would be the part of wisdom in us to guard against a national government, and to continue, with proper amendments a federal government. It is obvious to a man of reflection, that if our government is national, an attempt to enslave the country can be easily put in execution by the capability that it will have of making the people act unitedly at an unguarded hour for the destruction of our liberties. In a federal government, where there are thirteen or more independent states, an attempt to enslave us will succeed with difficulty. When it is made upon one state, the others will be alarmed before their hour of trial comes on. The government of the United States of America was fabricated upon the model of the government of the Thirteen Cantons of Switzerland, which for about 500 years have flourished in unparalleled prosperity and happy freedom without dangerous commotions I will transcribe a passage in proof of this from the learned and ingenious Mr. Coxe's letters on Switzerland, who may be considered as impartial, as he is an able judge of the matter which he treats upon. "There is no part of Europe which contains within the same extent of region so many independent commonwealths, and such a variety of different governments, as are collected together in this remarkable and delightful country; and yet, with such wisdom was the Helvetic union composed, and so little have the Swiss of late years been actuated with the spirit of conquest, that since the firm and complete establishment of their general confederacy, they have scarcely ever had occasion to employ their arms against a foreign enemy, and have had no hostile commotions among themselves that were not very soon terminated. And thus, while the several neighbouring kingdoms have suffered, by turns, all the horrors of internal war, this favored nation hath enjoyed the felicity described by Lucretius, and looked down with security upon the various tempests that have shaken the world around them." Coxe's letters on Switzerland, page 460 And afterwards he says. "but the felicity of Switzerland does not consist merely in being peculiarly exempted from the burdens and miseries of war; there is no country in which happiness and content more universally prevail among the people " Page 462.